Ford Focus Estate review

The new Ford Focus Estate is based on the same stiffer, safer and lighter platform as the hatch. The only real difference between the two is a bit of extra metalwork behind the B-pillar, which at the expense of a few kilograms adds a decent whack of boot space. It’s for the family that won’t fit in a five-door hatchback (read: most families with more than one child), and doesn’t want a high-riding crossover or SUV.

We support these families. Little estates like the Focus are almost always more economical, better to drive and more practical than similarly-priced crossovers. Prices start at around £19,400 - £1,100 more than the equivalent Focus hatch, but around £2,500 less than the Seat Ateca, for example, a typical (and very good) family crossover.

Both inside and out, the Focus Estate is a massive improvement on the car it replaces. Not that the MK3 Focus was a bad car, you understand. But because it was designed for a global audience, not merely us Europeans, it wasn’t quite as much fun as it ought to have been. It wasn’t especially good-looking either (Ford hasn’t made a good-looking Focus since the MK1), and the interior was modelled on a mobile phone that was already out of date by the time the car went on sale. A facelift in 2014 improved matters, but by the end of its life, the MK3 Focus was a car that felt its years. And then some.

The MK4 borrows heavily from the new Fiesta for its interior and exterior styling. Inside a tablet-style infotainment screen lives above the air-vents and climate controls, high up in the driver’s eye-line. In all bar the base Style model it gives access to Ford’s SYNC infotainment system, which for this generation has a built-in SIM for online destination searches and traffic information and is compatible with Apple CarPlay & Android Auto.

The outside, meanwhile, isn’t to everyone’s tastes. Some of my colleagues think the Estate is a bit of a looker, others think the hatch works but that the wagon’s a bit of a whale, while a few are of the opinion that both bodystyles are equally awful. Either way, this is undoubtedly a car that responds well to a bit of spec. The bigger wheels and more aggressive bodykit of ST-Line models do wonders for the Focus’s road presence.

Petrol engines are from Ford’s ‘EcoBoost’ family of three-cylinders, and naturally there are diesels too. Ford calles these ‘EcoBlue’ engines.

A fine family car. Focus is practical and spacious enough, even if parts of the interior are bit below par. Makes up for it with a good range of engines and engaging handling, though. It really does handle far better than a car of this size or type needs to. If you’re truly tempted by a crossover, make sure you drive a little estate like this first. It’ll be less money, more economical and more fun.