The all-new Ford Focus is lighter, sleeker and more
advanced than its predecessor, offering excellent safety and connectivity
features, as well as a new range of petrol and diesel engines. Pricing has
already been announced for the UK, where the all-new Focus range (5-door and
estate body styles) will start at £ 17,930, some £ 2,000 less than the outgoing
model. European deliveries are set for September as orders can already be
placed.
Sales in the U.S. will start in the second half of
2019, with details on available body-styles and powertrains to be announced
closer to the launch date, though don’t expect to see the wagon come over here.
Ford is calling the 2019 Focus their most
“accomplished and technically-competent Focus ever”, with the car boasting a
new human-centric design philosophy meant to unite exterior styling with
class-leading aerodynamics and a more spacious and well-built interior.
By extending the wheelbase a full 53 mm, designers managed to position the wheels higher up into the sheet
metal, thus reducing the perception of overall length and mass. Add the short
overhangs and rearward cabin position and you end up with a dynamic-looking
hatchback, one that is said to deliver “class-leading aerodynamic efficiency”.
As for styling, even though Ford went with a recognizable front fascia, the
rest of the car looks significantly different than the outgoing model,
regardless of version.
Speaking of versions, right now the all-new Focus
can be ordered as a Vignale, ST-Line, Active and Titanium, in either 5-door or
Estate form. The Vignale was given elegant ornamentation such as the satin
aluminum finishes for the roof rails, fascia and rocker inserts, as well as a
signature grille mesh. The ST-Line on the other hand looks more aggressive with
its large diffuser and functional roof spoiler – it also comes with signature
lower wing elements.
Customers will be able to order their new Focus in
one of 13 exterior colors, including Orange Glow, Desert Island Blue and the Vignale-exclusive
four-coat dark Mulberry. Moving on to the interior, this is where passengers
should notice the less cluttered design, giving way to a more calming
atmosphere, or at least that’s what the automaker would have us think.
Visually though, the entire dashboard looks more
straight forward than before, which in turn should make the cabin feel more
spacious. There are soft touch materials on the upper instrument panel and
doors, while polished glass and brushed finishes can be found on the door trims
and air vent registers.
The all-new Focus features a wide range of advanced
technologies, among them Level 2 automation and several systems meant to make
driving the car a more comfortable and less demanding experience.
For example, Ford Co-Pilot360 technologies enhance
safety, driving and parking, while ACC with Stop & Go, Speed Sign
Recognition and Lane-Centring will make long journeys less stressful. The ACC
works at speeds of up to 200 km/h.
Then there’s the Adaptive Front Lighting System with
Predictive curve light and Sign-based light. This tech pre-adjusts headlight
patterns for maximum visibility before reaching a curve, intersection or
roundabout. The new Focus is also the first Ford vehicle in Europe to feature a
Head-up display (HUD). The automaker says their HUD is among the brightest
available, adjustable in 16 increments up to 10,000 candela per meter squared.
As for the rest of the car’s active safety features,
here’s a quick rundown of what’s going to keep you safe: Active Park Assist 2,
Park-out Assist, Pre-Collision Assist with Pedestrian and Cyclist Detection,
Evasive Steering Assist, Blind Spot Information System with Cross Traffic
Alert, Rear wide-view camera, Wrong Way Alert, Ford MyKey and Post-Collision
Braking. Ford expects the all-new Focus to earn a 5-star safety rating during
crash tests. They’re basing their expectations, in part, on the 40% increase in
front crash load capability coming from the new C2 platform.
On the connectivity front, the 2019 Focus introduces
FordPass Connect for European customers, thus turning the car into a mobile
Wi-Fi hotspot, as passengers can connect up to 10 devices. By using the
FordPass mobile app, you then get Vehicle Locator, Vehicle Status, Door Lock
Unlock, Remote Start (for models equipped with the 8-speed auto) and eCall
functionality.
If you just want to relax, know that Ford’s SYNC 3
infotainment system (with its 8″ touchscreen) supports wireless charging and is
compatible with both Apple CarPlay as well as Android Auto. Then there’s the
new B&O PLAY sound system, boasting 675 watts, 10 speakers, a 140 mm (5.5
in) boot-mounted subwoofer and a mid-range speaker in the center of the
dashboard.
Thanks to the car’s increased dimensions, front seat
occupants can enjoy 1,421 mm’s worth of shoulder room, while knee
clearance in the rear is improved by more than 50 mm, offering a
best-in-class 81 mm. As for the Estate model, the load height in the
boot has been increased by 43 mm, while overall capacity is 1,650
liters. Also, in order to open the boot, all you need to do is
perform that kicking motion underneath the bumper.
Future Focus owners can choose between Ford EcoBoost
petrol and EcoBlue diesel engines, said to meet the latest Euro 6 emissions
standards. They can be mated either to six-speed manual transmissions or a new
eight-speed automatic.
Opt for petrol and you’ll find yourself having to
choose between a 1.0-liter EcoBoost (107g/km CO2) or a new 1.5-liter EcoBoost
(122 g/km CO2). While the former is offered with 85 PS, 100 PS and 125 PS, the latter is more punchy at either 150 PS or 182
PS.
The diesel options are as follows: new 1.5-liter
EcoBlue (91 g/km CO2) with either 95 PS or 120 PS – both
offering 300 Nm (221 lb-ft) of torque, and a 2.0-liter EcoBlue (112 g/km CO2)
good for 150 PS and 370 Nm of torque.
Ultimately, it’s only the 125 PS 1.0-liter EcoBoost,
150 PS 1.5-liter EcoBoost, 120 PS 1.5-liter EcoBlue and 150 PS 2.0-liter
EcoBlue units that can be mated to Ford’s new 8-speed automatic. Everything
else will only work with a 6-speed manual. We’ll have to wait a few months to
learn which engines will be on offer in the United States and Canada.
Customers in the UK can choose between seven
variants from launch. The previously mentioned entry-level price tag of £ 17,930
is for the Style model, while the Zetec starts from £ 19,300, ST Line from
£ 21,570, ST-Line X from £ 24,050, Titanium from £ 21,550, Titanium X from £ 22,820
and the Vignale from £ 25,450.
The Style spec comes standard with 16 inch alloys,
air conditioning, DAB digital radio with Bluetooth and Emergency Assist,
electronic parking brake, autonomous emergency braking, tire pressure
monitoring, Hill Start Assist and Lane-Keeping Aid. Zetec on the other hand
adds SYNC3 DAB Radio with a 6.5-inch touchscreen (Apple CarPlay/Android Auto),
cruise control with speed limiter, front fog lights and the QuickClear heated
windscreen.
With Titanium models you get front and rear parking
sensors, heated front seats, dual-zone climate control, keyless entry and
start, an 8-inch color touchscreen, sat-nav and FordPass Connect wireless
connectivity. Titanium X presents itself with partial leather trim, a
power-adjustable driver’s seat, privacy glass and 17-inch alloys.
If you like your hatchbacks looking sporty, then you
should aim for either the ST-Line or the ST-Line X. The former offers a unique
upper and lower grille, as well as a bespoke rear spoiler and polished twin
tailpipes. Inside you get a flat bottom steering wheel, black headlining,
aluminum gear knob, alloy finish pedals and red stitching, although if that’s
still not sporty enough for you, go for the ST-Line X which adds 18-inch
alloys, red brake calipers and some of the Titanium X’s better features.
Finally, the flagship Focus Vignale is the one that
boasts unique front grille and body styling, 18-inch wheels, full LED lights
(front and rear), leather upholstery, head-up display, rear view camera, heated
steering wheel, the 675-watt B&O system (a £ 350 option on Titanium,
Titanium X and ST-Line X) and the exclusive Dark Mulberry body color.
Yes indeed. Except that this will be a
market-specific model, so it won’t be joining its 5-door and Estate siblings
all throughout the world. For starters, it will land in China later this year,
where compact sedans still account for 35% of all passenger car sales.
The 2019 Focus Sedan should also make the rounds throughout
Europe, especially Eastern Europe, where it’s proven to be quite popular. So
while it may not be coming to the UK, we expect to see it in markets such as
Hungary or Turkey.
Then there’s the Focus Active, with its bespoke
front end design, more ground clearance, protective black wheel arch and rocker
claddings, plus front and rear skid plates and rocker inserts in contrast
silver.
