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2015 Focus Facelift (Mk 3.5) Unveiled


alexp999
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Wheel availability will be different in the UK. Germany seems to go from really cheap spec up to Titanium with nothing in between or above.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Are ford going to make the same mistake as Vauxhall by using the same steering wheel on every model?, does the touchscreen operate the heating system etc??

Sent from my HTC One X using Ford OC mobile app

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If you have climate control, you can operate it with the touchscreen or voice commands.

Manual A/C has to be done with the manual controls (as you'd probably expect).

Car companies like having a brand image, I wouldn't say the steering wheels are the same, but they all follow a similar design trend.

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The steering wheel on the new Focus looks identical to the new mk5 Mondeo, I've got digital climate on mine but touch screen might be a distraction as in the complaints on the new Peugeot's, voice command sounds good I've got voice control on mine and it's good

Sent from my HTC One X using Ford OC mobile app

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It is pretty similar, I have spent far too long looking at pics of the new Focus to have noticed the differences though, haha.

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The steering wheel on the new Focus looks identical to the new mk5 Mondeo, I've got digital climate on mine but touch screen might be a distraction as in the complaints on the new Peugeot's, voice command sounds good I've got voice control on mine and it's good

Sent from my HTC One X using Ford OC mobile app

Huge complaints for peugeot it's a terrible way to control your heating. The idea is to make the dash simple on puegoet part but what is more simple than a knob that spins left or right giving hot or cold air? Terrible idea.

I don't mind a brand image steering wheel I can see modern cars have become a thing of branded styling, for example ford copy of the Austin grille, audi/merc grille headlight designs etc

Sent from my GT-N7105 using Ford OC mobile app

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I can imagine afew accidents with people taking there eye's off the road to select the heating menu?, somethings need to be kept simplistic and not just changed for the sake of appearances.

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  • 2 weeks later...

It looks similar to a mondeo with dress up kit

Sent from my GT-N7105 using Ford OC mobile app

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Nice! I'd hazard a guess that most/all specs are in that photo: Titanium top left, Zetec top middle, Edge top right, ZS bottom left?

I like the look of the ZS (if that is what it is!) Glad to see the 18" ZS wheels have remained as shown on the car top left too :)

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Even has red brake calipers, reminds me of the Evos concept too.

If the Zetec S looks like that here then I'm sold. :D

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Sadly too similar to Mondeo, Ford's seems to be going to the Russian doll/ Audi ethos , the original Focus was a design icon and an industry changer and set the benchmark for other manufacturers, they should go back to this risky of the cuff design, the original sold like hot cakes !, love the new Mondeo and when there 2-3 years old will buy the flagship as I always do.

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Most manufacturers do the same.

The Mk2.5 focus looked like the outgoing Mondeo.

I would say Audi are worse with copy and paste, their cars look identical save for the distance between front and back wheels.

I think there are enough differences in the Focus for it to be its own design, the grill is not the same shape and the lower part is quite different. If anything I'd say the Fiesta is closer to the Mondeo than the new Focus.

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Your right about Audi's we have plenty of new Audi A8 / A6 / A4's at work and your've got to look twice ! It's definitely down to size to tell them apart, I just wish Ford word make there new models abit more individual but still have great design, at least the quality of the interiors is getting more like the top marquees , my Titanium X is 4 years old now and still feels like brand new

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  • 3 weeks later...

Few reviews up...

First off, Mr Matt Watson:



Refreshed Ford Focus hatchback is now more refined, and a serious rival to class leaders

ford-focus-5.jpg?itok=DGJ4TtsD

When one of Britain’s best-selling cars gets a refresh, it’s big news – especially when it’s an update as extensive as the one applied to the Ford Focus. There’s good reason for the changes, too, with the SEAT Leon, VW Golf and Skoda Octavia now ahead of it in the family hatch class. So is this update enough to propel the Focus to the top spot?

We all know how important first impressions are, and the Focus now makes a better one than before. The awkward rear lights and the gaping front inlets have been replaced with a design that’s more harmonious.

The idea here was to give the Focus more of a premium look and the slender front lights, chrome-slatted grille and smaller tail-lamps all help. And it’s einforced further once you climb into the Focus’ refreshed interior – perhaps the most welcome change of all. Each model – with the exception of entry-level Studio cars – comes with an eight-inch colour touchscreen, which includes many of the functions that were controlled by a confusing array of buttons in the old car.

ford-focus-18.jpg?itok=57maJoP3

As a result, it feels much more usable, hi-tech and, crucially, better suited to battle the luxurious Golf – although it’s still not quite as plush. Elsewhere, there’s a new steering wheel design, with better controls for the infotainment system.

The engine highlights are geared towards efficiency, with a new 1.5-litre EcoBoost, which replaces the 1.6 EcoBoost, a new 1.5 TDCi (to be sold alongside the 1.6 TDCi – but with only £100 between them, why bother?) and a more efficient 1.0-litre EcoBoost that stretches down to a 99g/km version.


We tried the 1.5-litre EcoBoost, with 180bhp, which is exactly the same output as you got in the more powerful version of the old 1.6 EcoBoost. Fuel economy is up from 47.9mpg to 51.4mpg, though, and Ford says that the power is delivered lower down in the rev range. As a result, on our test drive we noticed it felt more responsive and more flexible, but probably only because we had an old 1.6 EcoBoost standing by as a reference point.

Other enhancements under the skin include improved sound insulation to the extent that Ford now says the Focus is the class leader in this area. It’s mainly down to extra insulation in the windows, improved door seals and extra sound deadening in the wheel wells.

newfordfocus-interior-01.jpg?itok=1Y3CE5


With the smooth petrol on board, there’s barely any engine noise in the cabin and the amount of tyre and wind noise is definitely reduced over the outgoing car. So is it better than the VW? Usefully, there was a 1.4 TSI Golf on hand to compare, and the differences between the two are so minor you’ll struggle to
decide which is better for a long journey.

The Focus has always led the way for handling, but Ford hasn’t rested on its laurels here, either. It has made tweaks to the steering so that it feels more
responsive just off centre, but without making it feel twitchy at speed.

Turn-in is slightly crisper than it was before, really helping you to make the most of the Focus’ excellent chassis. It has a litheness and an adjustability to it
that the Golf doesn’t quite offer. And Ford has also done its part to improve comfort by tweaking the suspension. Over bumps and ruts, it provides a
cushioned ride, ensuring the Focus still works as a relaxing family car.


Despite the updates and the boost in luxury, Ford has retained the same £13,995 starting price tag as before, while our top-spec Titanium X car costs £100 less than the outgoing equivalent.

With the Focus’ new design and better cabin, the family hatchback class is more closely contested than ever. For driving fun, the Focus wins out, but for luxury, the Golf still just edges it.

Read more: http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/ford/focus/88499/new-ford-focus-2014-review#ixzz3Cr1bDaTo

_____________________________________________________________________

And AutoCar's review:

What is it?

The latest incarnation of Ford’s family hatchback, the Focus. Since it was first introduced in 1997, bringing with it a new age of Ford dynamic excellence, there hasn’t been much wrong with the way the Focus has driven.

But, in this mid-life facelift, prompted by the car’s three year age and necessitated by the bruising competence of the Volkswagen Golf, the Focus’s dynamics have been tweaked anyway. We’ll come back to those.

More notable, though, are a raft of interior amendments, including more storage cubbies, softer-touch plastics with tasteful chrome-effect highlights and a cleaner, easier-to-operate set of centre console workings.

Also different are the powertrains; the 1.6-litre turbo, in either petrol or diesel flavour, has become a 1.5-litre turbo. Our test car’s an EcoBoost 150 petrol with 148bhp, but there’s also a 180bhp variant. The 1.0-litre three-cylinder, with 124bhp, stays.

The downsized diesels can be had with either 94bhp or 119bhp, giving a 10 per cent improvement in economy over the ones they replace. The 2.0-litre TDCi , also with 148bhp, now makes 10bhp more while emitting 15 per cent less.

What is it like?

The new cabin’s pleasing. I’m still not convinced the controls for the entertainment and information systems are quite as intuitive as, say, Audi’s MMI or BMW’s iDrive, but they – and the graphics they use – are a big improvement.

Left largely unchanged is cabin space and a driving position that some drivers will find is set too high. Rear accommodation is fine, mind, as is the boot. Same as before.

In a while, the 1.5-litre petrol will be offered mated to an auto gearbox, but for now the unit, which is acceptably quiet and reasonably brisk, comes with the six-speed manual we’ve got here.

It changes slickly, with little bump and lots of positivity. And Ford doesn’t mind asking that you put in a bit more effort moving it around the gate than some rivals would. Likewise with pedal feel. Not so much though with steering weight, which is reduced this time around.

Reduced steering effort is an increasing customer demand – especially given that Ford isn’t only selling this car for European consumption. But at 2.6 turns between locks it’s still quick, and is also responsive and accurate. Still the most pleasing and engaging in the class, in fact.

Ditto the rest of the ride and handling – away from warm/hot variants. Ford accepts a tighter, slightly firmer ride over high-frequency bumps, surface imperfections and the like, than most of its rivals would - that means that the body remains better tied-down over longer undulations.

Consistently – and it’s true here – the trade-off is worth it. Bump absorption is still good, with deft wheel control meaning most lumps are cast aside easily. And the flipside is a car in which you don’t mind taking the longer route home.

It’s agile, responsive, and retains the trademark tuck of its nose if you lift into a corner. Ford values the fact that customers appreciate a car that’s pleasant to drive; that does what they ask of it, tells them what it’s up to, and is quicker to respond than the norm.

Should I buy one?

The Focus still makes an extremely strong case for itself; particularly dynamically, as you’d expect.

The rest brings it closer to the Volkswagen. A back-to-back test with a Golf awaits, but my bet is that the material improvements mean you won’t have to prioritise dynamics quite so highly as before to pick the Ford over the Volkswagen.

Ford Focus 1.5 150 EcoBoost Titanium

Price £20,795; 0-62mph 8.2sec; Top speed 131mph; Economy 51.4mpg; CO2 127g/km; Kerb weight 1325kg; Engine 4cyls in line, 1499cc, turbo petrol; Power 148bhp at 6000rpm; Torque 177lb ft at 1600-4000rpm; Gearbox six-speed manual

http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-review/ford/focus/first-drives/2014-ford-focus-first-drive-review

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New driving footage uploaded by FordEU...

Hatch:

Wagon:

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Top Gear's web review:

A new Ford Focus? But it looks like the old one!

image.jpg?OriginalImageUrl=%2Fuk%2Fasset

It's very similar, we'll give you that. The third generation Focus has been facelifted - neater headlights and the latest company grille - but there's no major step change. And with good reason: for the last two years, this has been the world's best selling car, and it's on course to take the title again in 2014.

If it ain't broke, don't fix it, and all that.

Indeed. But that hasn't stopped Ford from implementing a raft of measured improvements, with new engines (and an inevitable focus on boosting fuel economy and slicing CO2 emissions), small dynamic tweaks and a rejigged interior.

Is it still great to drive?

When the Focus replaced the ageing Escort 16 years ago, the sharpness of its dynamics was nothing short of revelatory. Passing years have seen the Focus grow in weight while rivals have caught up a little, but this mid-life update for the gen3 Focus gets it right back on its game.

Changes are slight, and centred mainly around tuning the electric power steering for ease of use and making the dampers more compliant. But a resulting benefit is an increase in agility, with keener responses from a more natural and satisfying steering rack. It's impressive for an EPAS system.

The overriding impression the Focus gives is of its front and rear ends working in harmony; a tricky sequence of corners won't outfox the Focus, its accomplished suspension set-up soaking up surface changes while the rear axle is willing to play a role in tightening your cornering line if you ask it to. There are reassuringly high levels of grip for when you simply want to get places, but plenty of driver interaction for when you want to do so smiling. And it's always composed.

And what about those new engines?

A new sub-99g/km 1.5-litre diesel engine will mop up nearly half of Focus sales, though 118bhp is as hot as it gets. We bee-lined straight for the range's new petrol engine, a 1.5-litre four-cylinder Ecoboost turbo unit which comes in 148bhp and 180bhp guises, both claiming 127g/km CO2 emissions and 51.4mpg. The more potent version was available for us to try, and it's mostly very good, its gutsy spread of torque delivered with a linearity akin to a naturally aspirated engine, which will please keen drivers.

It's only north of 2500rpm that things really get going, though, and a lack of low-down verve was particularly noticeable when slicing through town centre traffic and while grabbing a gear lower than normal to keep pace up steeper hills. Good excuse to exercise a decent six-speed manual gearbox, though.

What about that rejigged interior?

This is an area in which the Focus - and Fords in general - has been long overdue some love. Its dashboard has previously been a bit of an ergonomic puzzle, tiny air con and entertainment buttons scattered across the centre console willy nilly. No more. There's a new touchscreen system that immediately slashes the button-count, and its on-screen design has clearly been influenced by some of the more intuitive systems out there, such as Audi's MMI. It works well, and makes the interior look and feel a lot better. The plastics still aren't a match for VW's, mind.

How about technology?

Tons of the stuff. The gen3 Focus was a bit of a market leader when it arrived in 2011, with plenty of big car tech such as self parking and lane departure warning. This has been updated and added to, with the park assist now pulling you out of the tight bay it's spookily swung you into and more diligent crash avoidance radars up front.

Sounds great. Where's the catch?

In the showroom. If you want this 180bhp engine then you must whizz straight up to Titanium X spec, which means lots of goodies, but also a base price of £23,520. Or around £1500 more than the (admittedly less luxurious) Focus ST currently costs, with its 247bhp and madcap attitude.

The 148bhp 1.5 Ecoboost has the same 177lb ft torque figure as the 180bhp version, though, with prices starting at £20,545 for a Zetec S. If you want a Focus and nothing more, there's an old fashioned 84bhp 1.6 petrol for £13,995.

http://www.topgear.com/uk/car-news/ford-focus-first-drive-2014-09-09

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MSN's review:

Ford Focus: summary

Ford tweaks the Focus for 2014, adding extra technology and making it even more rewarding to drive. It’s still the benchmark when it comes to ride and handling in the family hatch sector.

What: Ford Focus
Where: Malaga, Spain
Date: September 2014
Price: £13,995 – £21,795
Available: late 2014
Key rivals: Nissan Pulsar, Peugeot 308, SEAT Leon, Vauxhall Astra, Volkswagen Golf

We like: even sharper to drive, ride quality, new multimedia interface, improved styling
We don’t like: interior still not as premium as some, steering a touch light – although we’re nitpicking

D73A4EA7BB6F93966522DCD7DCE481.jpg

Ford Focus: first impressions

What’s the world’s favourite car? Last year, according to Ford, it was the Focus. Since its introduction in 1998 the Focus - in its various guises - has been a massive success for Ford but the third-gen model, which was launched in 2011, hasn't been free from criticism.

The 1.5-litre Ecoboost engine sounds great, like a more muted Fiesta ST

Its unadventurous styling, for one. Looks might be subjective, but they are key when it comes to forming an initial opinion on a car. Which is why the new 2014 Ford Focus looks much sharper.

Most of the changes are at the front, where there are more angular headlights and Ford's latest Aston Martin-esque "One Ford" grille, but there are numerousother tweaks, including smaller, neater rear lights.

Inside, too, Ford has addressed the old car’s major failing. The 2014 Focus now gets a clear and simple 8.0-inch touchscreen multimedia system that controls everything from the sat nav (where fitted) to the radio and the climate control.

With Ford’s optional and really rather slick SYNC 2 voice recognition system, it’s elevated the UK’s favourite family hatch to Volkswagen Golf levels of appeal.

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Ford

Ford Focus: performance

The big news under the bonnet of the new 2014 Ford Focus is the addition of two new 1.5-litre turbocharged engines. One petrol, one diesel.

We'll start with the petrolunit first – available with either 150hp or 182hp, outputs are identicalto the old force-fed 1.6. However, knocking 100cc off the swept volume means improvements in efficiency.

It’s still a wonderfully peppy engine to drive, with crisp throttle response and a welcome linearity to the way it revs. Detecting turbo lag is difficult unless you let the revs ebb away to idle, but with 177lb ftof torque available from as low as 1,600rpm on both variants, there’s plenty of pull right across the rev range.

The Focus now rides and handles even better - and it was the benchmark to begin with

It sounds great, too. Like a more muted Fiesta ST, with a nice, gentle warble emanating from the front end. This engine combined with the 2014 Focus’ revised chassis (more on which in a moment) make it feel very much like a warm hatch.

Just like the 1.5 petrol, the new dervunit is effectively a downsized version of the old 1.6 TDCI in either 95 or 120hp guise. Unfortunately it wasn’t available to try on the launch.

We did sample the 2.0-litre TDCI with 150hp. It has plenty of smooth pulling power from low down teamed with excellent levels of refinement. It’ll squirt the Focus out of turns with an energetic streak, but offers long-legged, relaxed cruising, too.

The final engine option available for us to try was the 1.0-litre Ecoboost three-cylinder turbo petrol. This is a known quantity and an excellent engine that punches harder than its capacity might suggest. The same is true here. It’s difficult not to be entertained by the tiny, effervescent three-banger revving away merrily under the bonnet.

Ford’s six-speed manual gearbox is perfectly suited to the character of each powertrain, with a light but positive action making it a pleasure to change gears yourself.

If you don’t want to engage in such a task, there’ll be a six-speed Powershift dual-clutch automatic along later this year – this time with steering wheel mounted paddles, too.

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Ford

Ford Focus: ride and handling

The way the Focus drove has always been the car’s trump card. And it’s now better than ever.

The steering is more precise, but Ford hasn’t had to resort to crude methods, such as stiffening up the suspension, to extract this incremental increase in accuracy.

Ford has dialled back the button count of the Focus' dashboard

Instead, it has employed clever techniques with bushing and bracing under the skin, meaning the suspension doesn’t have to be rock hard.

As a result it rides beautifully. Turn in and the front wheels respond with enthusiasm and tenacity, helping the Focus hold a neat, constant line around a corner.

Roll is controlled well, while the dampers on our mixed Spanish test route coped admirably, soaking up scars and bumps on the road with composure. It makes the Focus feel like a very mature and very well sorted car at the same time – and you don’t have to be going fast to notice the improvements, either.

If we had one minor criticism, it’d centre on the steering. Ford has made this lighter to improve comfort. We didn’t think it was too heavy before, but this is only a minor point of nitpicking in an otherwise very well sorted package indeed.

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Ford

Ford Focus: interior

The former Focus’ major weakness was its button-festooned dashboard. Ford has listened to customer feedback and cut back on the button count, replacing many of the controls with a very simple and very slick 8.0-inch multimedia touchscreen.

Controlling most of the car’s major function, it’s intuitive to navigate and easy to use. When mated to Ford’s new SYNC 2 system there are a number of clever services on offer, too.

The 1.5 TDCI claimes 74.3mpg combined with 98g/km CO2

Unlike most voice recognition software, which is slow and laggy, you can speak quickly to the Focus’ electronic brain and it’ll pick up your commands – even down to rattling off a phone number. From one-shot destination entry to searching for restaurants along your route, it’s simple to use.

Fewer buttons also make the centre console smarter, and combine with decent material quality, sound ergonomics and plenty of space to make a very comfortable cruiser. The higher trim levels are nicely appointed, too.

No structural changes to the 2014 Ford Focus mean boot space remains unchanged at 316 litres for the hatchback and 476 litres for the estate, rising to 1,215 and 1,502 litres respectively.

E9C7BD16B272782E46F887476.jpg

Ford

Ford Focus: fuel economy and running costs

We’ll – ahem – focus on the two engines that’ll make up the bulk of sales in the UK: the 1.5-litre turbodiesel and the 1.0-litre Ecoboost.

Titanium and Titanium X variants are actually £100 cheaper than before

When fitted with stop-start, the lower-powered diesel is the most efficient option in the range, in fact, returning a claimed 74.3mpg combined with 98g/km CO2, meaning free road tax.

The 100hp 1.0 turbo variant returns a best of 61.4mpg combined with 105g/km CO2, according to Ford.

The 1.6 TDCI is still available, quoted at 67.3mpg with 109g/km, while the larger 2.0 TDCI achieves official NEDC figures of 70.6mpg with just 105g/km CO2, meaning both will cost £20 per year to tax. The 1.5-litre Ecoboost petrol turbo is inevitably a little thirstier, but it still offers a strong claimed best of 51.4mpg with 127g/km.

The new range of engines is up to 15% more fuel efficient, boasting impressive gains right across the board.

8A906B4E3DB0D152258E8545256BFC.jpg

Ford

Ford Focus: price, equipment and spec

Ford has frozen headline pricing for the Focus at £13,995, but this only buys you an entry-level Studio model. Above that will sit the £16,795 Style, £18,295 Zetec and £20,045 Zetec S variants, £395, £895 and £400 more than the models they will replace respectively.

The higher spec Titanium and Titanium X variants are actually £100 cheaper than before like-for-like, priced from £19,715 and £21,795.

Across the range there are "18 new driving technologies" on offer, including park out assist – a feature that will extract the Focus from a parking spot after it’s already got there by itself – rear cross traffic alert and a clever predictive stability control system.

Then there’s that new touchscreen, voice recognition that actually works, reversing camera, wider availability of stop-start and plenty of new safety features – simply, there’s even more on-board tech on offer, improving safety and convenience.

This additional equipment has had an important effect on the new Focus’ predicted second-hand values, too, elevating them to similar levels as Volkswagen’s premium Golf hatch. Quite a coup for Ford.

Ford Focus: verdict

Ford has tackled every area that needed improvement from the previous generation Focus, and it’s resulted in arguably the bestiteration of the Focus yet.

470CACCF22AFDFAEF658A6403144.png

It’s now deceptively attractive, just as wonderfully engaging to drive, even more efficient, well priced, better equipped and just as practical. It’s Britain’s best-selling family hatchback, and should remain so with this new car for a damn good reason.

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