Review of the new Ford Focus Estate - Business User's View

Lifestyles have changed so much in the last few years. Cars are expected to deal with a multitude of tasks; ferrying children back and forth, dealing with business clients and even the family holiday to the seaside. Many models these days are well suited to one or two tasks but few can fill the all-rounder role. You need a car that looks presentable, doesn't cost the earth and has enough room for the average family of five and their luggage. One of the best options is a compact estate car like the Ford Focus we feature here.

Gerry Tierney travels many miles across the country in the course of his work as a dealer trainer, yet needs a car that can fit in with his family life. He is the first to admit that the Ford Focus Estate wouldn't have been his first choice but he has come away suitably impressed. For a start, he's been averaging fuel economy of around 46mpg that included busy city centres as well as long distance motorway driving.

On taking delivery, he was pleased to note that the interior was simple and unfussy. The thing that really marks this out as a modern car is the touchscreen DVD navigation system, which comes as a pricey extra at £2,250. Gerry thought that the heated seats were a pleasant surprise and perfect for those long treks through the rain and snow in the winter. He liked the idea of the heated front screen but wishes it had come as standard, considering the bad weather that the UK normally sees.

Gerry was irritated by the roof aerial which constantly had to be removed in order to take the car through the car wash. "There have been several occasions were I have nearly forgot to remove the aerial. All it needs is one forgetful moment and it will either bend or break."

"the heated seats were a pleasant surprise and perfect for those long treks through the rain and snow in the winter"

If you like your cars to have plenty of room for odds and ends in the front, then you'll be pleased with the Focus Estate. The glovebox may be small but there are enough cubbyholes to fit your bits and pieces in. The centre console was impressive, Gerry thought: you could fiddle with the air-conditioning and the stereo without having to either consult the handbook or mess about with tiny buttons.

In the back, with the seats in place, the load bay is just over 104cm long, 116cm wide and up to 89cm high. With the rear seats folded you have a 167cm distance from seat back to tailgate. Utilising schoolchild trigonometry, I believe this means that you can, in effect, carry a pair of 203cm skis diagonally. In practice, on Gerry's long-term test, the area has hosted a clapped-out tumble dryer, an old gas cooker and various pieces of dismantled fitted kitchen.

On the road, the Focus Estate is predictably adept. The suspension has a suppleness that eases you over the bumps but it remains firm enough to keep you in touch with what the wheels are up to. Refinement isn't a strong point of the 2.0-litre TDCi and all the bluster at start-up doesn't translate into anything too blistering off the line but when you plug into the diesel unit's power-band at 2,000rpm, that changes. The engine picks up and drags the Focus down the road with real verve and if you keep the revs on the boil, swift progress is assured. There's a slight hint of body-roll as the car turns in but then it settles and the levels of grip along with the composure in the chassis really inspire confidence.

If it's practicality that you are looking for, then family hatch buyers can't get much better than a Focus. Ford have thought of almost everything to make this car perfect for the family. If safety is your key consideration, then you will be pleased to hear that the new Focus is amongst the best in its class with a Euro NCAP 5-star occupant rating and a 4-star child protection rating. The Focus Estate comes with drivers, front passenger, side curtain and front seat side airbags as standard along with ABS and the Intelligent Protection System.

Overall, Gerry felt that the Focus was almost like an executive saloon the drive was so smooth and found it hard to believe that this was just an estate version of a family hatchback. With prices starting just under £14,000 for a Focus Estate Studio and going up to just under £19,500 for the Titanium 2.0-litre TDCi with Diesel Particulate Filter, this version of Ford's best seller is also very affordable.

If you need more practicality than your average family hatch and something more client friendly than an MPV, the Ford Focus Estate may just be what you are searching for.

TOP 5 FOCUS DEALS

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