The new Ford Focus, which goes on sale in August 2018 for September delivery, is cheaper than the car it replaces, Ford has announced.
The range opens from £17,930 for the Ford Focus 1.0 Ecoboost 85 Style, which is £2,300 less than the outgoing car. Admittedly, this is slightly unrepresentative, as few people actually by the basic Style version, but other key models in the range are also cheaper.
Focus Zetec and ST-Line models together account for 55 percent of all Focus sales: the Zetec is £850 less than before (from £19,300 for a 1.0 Ecoboost 100 Zetec) and the ST-Line is £250 cheaper (from £21,570 for a 1.0 Ecoboost 125 ST-Line).
Seven Ford Focus variants are offered at launch: Style, Zetec, ST-Line, ST-Line X (from £24,050), Titanium (from £21,550), Titanium X (from £22,820) and new premium-style Vignale (from £25,450 for a 1.0 Ecoboost 125). Estate models are also offered from launch, for around £1,100 more than the comparable five-door Focus hatch.
The Focus Studio comes with 16in alloys, air con, DAB, Bluetooth, electronic parking brake and autonomous emergency braking. But the entry-level trim you really want is Zetec: this adds on the all-important Ford Sync 3 infotainment system, with 6.5in touchscreen boasting Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Zetec models also come with front fog lamps, Quickclear heated windscreen and cruise control with speed limiter.
Titanium versions add more equipment: dual-zone climate control, all-round parking sensors, heated front seats, larger 8in touchscreen, keyless start and standard sat nav. Titanium X ups the posh features further, with part-leather seats, privacy glass and 17in alloys.
Ford’s warm hatch line is ST-Line, which sits on suspension 10mm lower than standard, and has pumped-up ST-Line bodystyling including a unique front end, rear spoiler and polished tailpipes, and inside, flat-bottom steering wheel and a black headlining. ST-Line X brings 18in alloys, red brake calipers, and the equipment features of the Titanium X grade.
And Vignale? That’s the ultra-posh one. It too has a unique front end and 18in alloys, full LED lighting front and rear, full leather seating inside, a head-up display, rear-view camera, heated steering wheel and a premium 675-watt B&O Play sound system (a £350 option on Titanium, Titanium X and ST-Line X variants).
Prices for the pumped-up Active crossover, which sits 30mm higher than regular cars and has tough bodystyling in the familiar Audi Allroad style, will be announced later.