Ford Focus 

February 2001

Focused Challenger 

For may years now, Ford South Africa has been out on a limb, offering an eclectic mix of begged or borrowed models disguised to be Fords. None of them were able to achieve the legendary successes of the Capri, Cortina and Escort of old. But Ford are back with a vengeance with a true blue new model which, if  overseas sales numbers are anything to go by, should be able to do battle with the best of them.

Ambience and ergonomics

   The cabin of the Focus reflects the same styling cues as the exterior: the facia is literally carved into areas by strongly defined diagonal lines. Soft curves are out, angular is in, and it certainly makes a change. Overall, the cabin has an airy, spacious ambience, heightened (pardon the pun) by the high ceiling. The centre console is well thought out, with a large format tuner/cd player very prominent. 

Accommodation and Space

Getting comfortable in the Focus is no hardship, and in addition to the two-way adjustable steering column, the driver’s pew can be tailored vertically, though the mechanism is painfully low-geared. Overall driving position must rate as very good, as is the support from the cloth-covered seat. Ingress and egress is of the same high standard thanks to wide-opening doors and low sills.

  Front headroom and legroom is excellent (though there isn’t a driver’s footrest), while at the back it must get a similarly high rating. Despite the curve to the roofline as it comes down to meet the rear glass, headroom is more than adequate even if you’re six-foot plus, and rear leg/foot space is hard to fault.

  The Ford has a particularly generous wheelbase and short overhangs, but even so it has best-in-class luggage capacity, designed to carry two large suit cases side by side. There’s also a 60/40 split rear seat, extending maximum to a cubic capacity the equal of the Astra and Golf.

  There’s also reasonably good oddment space, with particularly wide door pockets.

Ride Integrity and Safety

  The most startling thing about the Focus – bearing in mind that this isn’t the performance version – is that it rides on radical 205/50 rubber and on 16 inch alloy wheels. What is even more remarkable is how well it soaks up the bumps, providing ride quality which is just about on par with the excellent Golf. While it could be argued that a less uncompromising tyre choice would be more appropriate for our conditions, the upside is that the Focus has easily the tautest, most direct steering and most satisfying handling characteristics in the class.

  The starting point for all this was a bodyshell which is ultra-rigid, onto which Ford’s talented chassis engineers (and that isn’t just a repeat of what Ford’s PR spin doctors are saying) have hung well-sorted suspension.

  While the front is the standard MacPherson struts/lower control arm/anti-roll bar combination, the rear is fully-independent by what Ford terms Control Blade suspension, which is attached to a robust subframe. The result is a mixture of grip, handling, steering response, stability and comfort that is a revelation and which moves the goalposts a significant distance.

  Get into a Focus and you’re soon overcome by a strong urge to drive it, and drive it briskly. In that regard, the car scores maximum points on the fun-o-graph, and in moments like that the low-profile rubber is anything but a hindrance.

Build Integrity

While the Focus is priced against the Golf 2,0 Highline, it can’t match the VW’s impeccable level of quality in terms of materials used, though the Ford’s fit is generally very good.

  The plastics look, well, more plasticky, and that metal-look centre console section was not to everyone’s liking. In addition, the parcel shelf below the steering column has a hard texture and a shiny finish. The quality in the boot was disappointing, with the carpet poorly finished.

  However, insulation against road and wind noise is of a high standard, reinforcing our impression that the muted engine note and well-damped vibrations are more due to clever use of sound-deadening materials than to any inherent smoothness of the powerplant.

Performance and economy

  The Zetec 2,0 litre is, on paper, more than competent. In practice, it provides the Focus with reasonable urge, though one is required to use the revs generously, as peak torque is  at a highish 3 750 revs/min, and it doesn’t feel like there’s much of that between two and three on the clearly marked tachometer.

  In maximum performance tests the car delivers figures on a par with the obvious 2,0 litre rivals, though it lags a little in terms of overtaking acceleration – especially in fifth gear where it is seldom in the meat of the powerband. A minor irritant (common to a number of Ford products) is the lack of a redline painted on the tachometer. For the record, the engine revlimiter cuts in at 6 750 revs/min.

  The engine has a flat, fairly anodyne note, which doesn’t change much as the needle traces an arc across the dial, and it is very well insulated from the cabin, bar a vibration through the accelerator at certain revs.

  In terms of fuel consumption the Zetec engine is impressive, making up for its average response and midrange urge. According to the DiskDrive annual average, the Focus will mange 10,52 l/100 km – slightly better than the Astra, and half-a-litre per 100 better than the Golf. During the recent Car of the Year evaluation, the three Focus models averaged 9,95 l/100 km over the 1 000 kilometre test route.

Equipment and Features

Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa has specced their fully imported units reasonably lavishly, and you‘ll find traction control, air conditioning, electric mirrors, electric front windows, height adjustable headlights, height/reach adjustable steering column, moulded cupholders and power steering on the equipment list. Safety kit includes dual airbags, height adjustable seatbelts all round with pre-tensioners on the front pair. 

There are reinforcing beams in all the doors of course, and Ford’s PATS (passive anti-theft system) is standard too. In addition, the bonnet can be locked (just flick the blue oval aside) with the ignition key. Sounds like it was made for SA!

  The all-disc ABS brakes have plenty of feel through a firmly-weighted pedal, and excellent bite, returning good if not excellent results. 

Conclusion

  This has to be the best Ford product in a long time in terms of its overall ability. While the dynamic ability is a real strong point (the crisp turn-in and firm, controlled ride), a number of recent Fords have impressed in that arena, but the Focus takes the actual fun factor higher thanks to its mid-corner adjustability.

  It is in areas like ergonomics, packaging, refinement and quality – by and large – that the steps forward have been more significant. Add to that the daring styling and you have a car that is a benchmark in its category, and will certainly please those fans of the blue oval who have waited patiently for a car like this.