Ford Focus

Ford Focus

Recommended. Family hatchback meets Starship Enterprise: amazing gadget count, great refinement, good engines, but little steering feel

The mark three Focus has to hit two targets, which have generally been thought to be mutually exclusive. It has to continue Ford's tradition in Europe of dynamic excellence, while being low cost enough to appeal to Americans.

Generally speaking, it does a very good job. It is the most refined car in its class, so is excellent for cruising down motorways (or interstates). It also has a very comfortable, but well controlled ride, so it is smooth but also responsive. The only fly in the ointment is the steering, which is going to appeal to Americans more than Europeans: it is light, which is fine, but also has little feedback, so dilutes the sporty nature of previous Focus models. The steering is actually quite accurate, but the driver gets little idea of what is happening with the front wheels.

However, passengers will like it a lot. Unless you are a very tall person sitting in the back seats, the Focus seems more like an executive car that has been shrunk. There are also plenty of toys to play with, including an optional low speed collision avoidance system. The idea is that if you are heading for a solid object around town and don't react, the car will do an emergency stop all by itself. We tried it by driving up to a wall and it really did work.

On the downside, there are ergonomic features that are clearly designed for the US market, like the manual override for the optional automatic transmission, which is in the side of the gearlever instead of on European-style steering wheel paddles. Also, the centre cubby box/armrest is set too high for tall people driving a manual - your elbow makes contact. In the US, of course, most people drive autos, so they won't notice.

Overall, the Focus mark three is an excellent product. Well equipped, smooth, refined and economical, it is a car that feels that it comes from the class above. It is still one of the best cars in its class to drive, but unlike the original, it is not head and shoulders above the rest when it comes to driving enjoyment.