Models Covered:
5dr estate: 1.4, 1.6, 2.0, 1.6, 1.8, 2.0 turbo diesel [Studio, LX, Sport, Zetec, Titanium, Ghia])
BY ANDY ENRIGHT
An estate variant of an existing family hatch is normally an afterthought, a hastily tacked on styling job that appeals to a market niche that’s small and getting smaller. Not so the second generation Ford Focus estate, a model which really appealed to compact estate car customers and potential buyers disillusioned with the image of small MPVs. Offering all the driveability of a Focus hatch with a welcome dose of practicality, this Focus estate scored insofar as it was even reasonably good looking, signally unlike its predecessor. Used examples are now appearing in meaningful numbers and make very decent buys, but just make sure they haven’t lived lives that were too tough.
October 1998 was the point that the whole family hatch market changed. Until that point we’d been happy with cars like Citroën ZXs, Ford Escorts and Peugeot 306s. The Ford Focus changed all that, at a sweep making everything else look dated, clumsy and silly. The estate version of the original car sold reasonably well, although it was clear Ford’s heart wasn’t really in the job of making small estates sexy.
That had to wait until February 2005 when the all new Focus estate was launched. A good deal more conventional in outward appearance to the striking original, some saw this as a sign that Ford had lost their edge when it came to product development, but a short spell behind the wheel would dispel this myth for good. Despite rivals like the Volkswagen Golf and Vauxhall Astra closing the gap, the Focus was still the best value package in its class, the estate version following a few weeks after the launch of the three and five door hatches. Perhaps the only trick that Ford missed was not creating a 2.5-litre ST version of the estate. That would have been quite something.
The Focus Estate was facelifted in the latter stages of 2007 with the new front end incorporating the trapezoidal grille and fog lights that had contributed to success on the success of the Mondeo’s exterior design. The engine line-up remained largely unaltered although the advanced 1.6-litre Ti-VCT unit was dropped and ESP stability control became standard.
The styling of the glasshouse may look a little reminiscent of the Honda Stream, but the overall look is anything but derivative. Ford have worked hard to give the car a more muscular look and the results are tangible. Despite the sexier lines, there’s a clear bias towards practicality and the Focus Estate features a no-nonsense but versatile load bay.
Fully carpeted, it includes a pair of lashing hooks on either side to secure luggage during sharp cornering, although enterprising owners can also make use of the rear seat anchor points for much the same purpose. Given that these are metal loops rather than plastic hooks, this may well represent a more practical option for heavier items. A retractable luggage cover serves to keep your belongings away from prying eyes although there’s not the sort of underfloor tray that many manufacturers increasingly specify.
A 12v auxiliary power outlet on the side of the load bay is a neat touch, as are the indented grab handles on the inside of the tailgate. If you’re reasonably tall, strong and limber of wrist, you can even close the tailgate in this way without getting your hands dirty on road grime plastered to the back of the car. The tailgate opens so high that even if you stand 6’4" tall, you’ll not bump your head. The downside to this is that shorter owners may well have difficulty reaching it. There’s no strap hanging down from the handle, so if you’re very small, you may encounter difficulties here.
The other issue when opening the tailgate is that approximately 75 per cent of the water that gathers on it falls onto the rear light cluster with the other quarter landing squarely on the luggage cover or, if it’s retracted, your gear. The loading lip is low and features a non-slip surface, but it would have been nice to see some longitudinal rails built into the floor of the load bay so that bags can easily be slid into position. On the plus side, the load floor is perfectly flat with zero intrusion from the compact rear suspension assembly. Break out the tape measure and you’ll find the Focus among the leading contenders in its class when it comes to space.
There’s 475 cubic litres of load space with the 60/40 rear bench in place, which compares favourably to the 385 litres available in a Focus hatch. Drop the seats and there’s a cavernous 1525 litres, making the Focus a good deal bigger than many executive class estate cars. With the seats in place the load bay is just over 104cm long, 116cm wide and up to 89cm high. With the rear seats folded, you have a 167cm long distance from seat back to tailgate. Utilising schoolboy trigonometry, I believe this means that you can, in effect, carry a pair of 203cm skis diagonally. That’s quite some achievement for a car that retains all of the Focus’ driving dynamics.
Focus estate prices are holding reasonably firm after an initial blip, with a 54 plated 1.6TDCi 90 starting at £8,000 in Studio trim or £9,000 if you prefer the more powerful 110bhp LX model. A 110bhp Ghia will be priced at around £10,000, again for a 54-plated car. Insurance ranges from Group 4 to Group 10.
Ford’s engines are, on the whole, reliable, so give the car the usual once-over looking for signs of wear and indications of hard fleet, company or rental car use. Worn carpets, and scuffed trim are the usual clues. The 1.4-litre engine is a little underpowered for such a substantial car, so avoid high mileage ex-fleeters with this powerplant.
Check that all the electrical items work properly, ensure that the air conditioner delivers chilled air soon after the engine is started and remember that a full service history always helps when selling on, too. Focuses are tough but some will inevitably have been abused so make sure the estate you’re looking at hasn’t had photocopiers bouncing around the back.
(approx based on a Focus 1.6 Estate) This being Ford, parts are plentiful and relatively inexpensive. A clutch assembly will be around £100 and an alternator should be close to £140. Brake pads are around £25 a front set with rear shoes around £45, a replacement headlamp is close to £80 and a manual door mirror should be in the region of £50. A full exhaust is about £200 and a catalyst is about £240. Dampers are around £40 each and a radiator about £100.
There's the usual wide choice of engines - five petrol units plus three TDCi turbo diesels. The big news was Ford’s launch of a variable valve timing system for its big selling 1.6-litre variant. As well as a ‘conventional’ 1.6 that’s good for 98bhp, Ford’s 1.6-litre Ti-VCT unit produces a peak power of 113bhp and allowed the company to go head to head with the best engines in the class – units produced in this instance by Volkswagen and Renault.
The other engine options are a budget 78bhp 1.4-litre and a 143bhp 2.0-litre petrol, plus the three Duratorq TDCi units originally seen in the C-MAX. The first of these is the 108bhp 1.6-litre TDCi powerplant sitting below a 115bhp 1.8-litre unit: the pick of the Focus range is the 134bhp 2.0-litre TDCi. The Focus suspension system remains the best in class and although the second generation’s steering doesn’t feel quite as communicative as the helm of early cars, it’s reassuring at speed and pinpoint accurate. There is a little more rear suspension noise in the estate than the hatch but the difference isn’t great.
You’re not exactly going out on a limb when buying a used Ford Focus estate, but playing it safe in this instance will net you a very good car. Avoid the gutless 1.4-litre petrol models and aim for a 2.0-litre petrol or a diesel and you shouldn’t go far wrong.