Used Ford - Focus Reigns Supreme

Like it or not family motoring comes to us all eventually. Some people, mostly men including myself I must admit, cling on to the last vestiges of an immaculately clean car with a spotless interior smelling of some masculine fragranced air freshener and then suddenly without warning those days are gone.

Now my car mostly smells of dog with a hint of rotting fruit which my daughter has deposited in some inaccessible part of the vehicle. Not to mention the countless number of sticky raisins I seem to find everywhere, in fact the interior of what was once my pride and joy frankly now resembles a mobile monkey enclosure.

Having said that it's not all gloom and doom, in the past family motoring was a passport to boredom and misery. Things are different now, thanks to models which successfully combine driving pleasure with practicality. Cars such as Ford's Focus for example.

The Focus had its work cut out to become the nation's top-seller following as it did in the wake of the all-conquering Escort. It has succeeded in appealing to a variety of owners, but the question was whether this would include used buyers. Luckily for Ford the answer was a resounding yes.

Since its launch back in 1998, the Focus has been the benchmark for its class. While others can match it, none have been able to top it. The handling is exceptional, and the ride and comfort qualities are equally impressive. In line with all modern Fords, the Focus is both user-friendly and pleasant to drive. And there's one for all budgets, with the choice of smooth reliable engines ranging from 1.4 to 2.0 litres.

While buying the model with the smaller capacity makes some sense for those wanting to save on road tax, the difference in fuel economy between the 74bhp Fiesta-sourced 1.4-litre Zetec unit and the 99bhp 1.6 alternative is marginal. You can expect both to return around 38-40mpg.

Yet the difference in performance is quite substantial. While the 1.4 needs to be worked hard, the 1.6 has ample performance for the average driver. For easier overtaking, I would go for the 113bhp 1.8 litre, which is still good for more than 35mpg, while the slightly rarer 128bhp 2.0 Focus offers pretty impressive handling if required.

The early diesel Focus wasn't quite so impressive, and couldn't match the best from Vauxhall, Volkswagen or Peugeot in terms of performance and refinement although it was fairly economical

As with the exterior, the Ford's cabin is radically styled and well presented. The Focus is roomy for its class. Of the three body styles, the three and five-door hatchbacks are by far the most popular thanks to their style and practicality. The saloon is the least desirable as the styling is pretty awful and looks like an afterthought on a Friday afternoon. The estate version is a rare beast indeed as you might as well of just bought a bigger car altogether.

The top of the range is the Ghia with its imitation wood interior and has always been popular with older buyers as were the automatic variants. The best value model was probably the Zetec which combined alloy wheels with air-conditioning and Ford's fantastic heated windscreen which baffles me why all cars don't come with this feature.

Mechanically the Focus is known by workshops across the land and holds few surprises for any decent mechanic. Apart from a massive franchised dealer network Ford also operates Rapid Fit, a fast-fit service geared specifically to older Ford models

As Ford churns out revised versions every couple of years the second-hand market is awash with Focuses and prices can vary greatly as a result. Main dealers charge top dollar, but those which operate Ford Direct offer not only fully refurbished and serviced examples, but also back them with a comprehensive warranty. There are also a number of Used Ford dealers offering great used bargains.

The Focus proves that family motoring can be enjoyable especially if you have just dropped the kids off at their Grandparents!