New Ford Focus arrives as Hatch, Estate and Active - look out VW Golf

New Ford Focus arrives as Hatch, Estate and Active

The 2018 Ford Focus has been revealed, and it comes as an Estate, Hatch and high-riding Active model, more equipment, more technology and much improved looks.

The Ford Focus may not be the best-selling car – or even the best-selling Ford – in the UK – that’s the Fiesta – but globally it’s only beaten by the massive sales enjoyed by the Ford F-150 pickup. So this, the all-new Ford Focus is a big deal for Ford.

This is a clever new look for the Focus, because Ford has managed to make it both familiar as a Focus, but very new at the same time thanks to a new platform helping deliver a more sculpted Focus which has a front end which looks more dynamic, a wheelbase which is longer and a roof which is lower, which means the new Focus isn’t just better looking, but roomier too.

Ford are also covering all the bases they can with the new Focus, delivering a regular five-door hatchback, and Estate, a high-riding Active and a posh Vignale. There’s also an ST-Line from the off, although we’ll have to wait a while for a proper ST model (and somewhat longer for a new Focus RS).

2018 Ford Focus Interior

Under the skin that new C2 Platform promises to be dynamic and absorbing, with most (but not all) models coming with independent rear suspension and Continuously Controlled Damping to adapt to the drive, and there’s a lot of safety kit on offer including Level 2 Autonomy from Co-Pilot360 which comes with Adaptive Cruise, Stop-Start, Sign Recognition and Lane Centering, as well as Blind Spot, evasive Steering, Cross Traffic and Wrong way alerts. There’s also full LED lights with a matrix function.

There’s a wide range of engine options – although, perhaps surprisingly, no hybrid yet – with the 1.0 litre Ecoboost in 84bhp, 99bhp and 123bhp guise, 1.5 litre EcoBoost in 148bhp and 180bhp and 1.5 litre EcoBlue diesels with 94bhp and 118bhp. There’s also a 2.0 litre diesel with 148bhp.

Inside looks a big step up on the current Focus, with Ford’s SYNC3 Infotainment with 8″ screen standard across the range (and with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto), FordPass Connect to deliver a WiFi hotspot, and wireless phone charging.

The new Ford Focus will go on sale in the UK in the summer in the UK.