Car review: Ford Focus ST-Line Estate 1.5 TDCI EcoBlue

Small Fords have always been fun to drive, especially since the Focus first arrived about 20 years ago. So it was no surprise that the latest Focus had all the expected qualities of good steering, gearbox, brakes and ride.

The latest additions are estate and Vignale versions, which bring a little extra practicality in the first case, and luxury in the second.

It’s a bit heavier and longer than the saloon and offers maximum loadspace of 1,653 litres against the saloon’s 1,354.

The ST-Line model I tested had a smooth four-cylinder 1.5-litre TDCI diesel engine with a six-speed manual gearbox which was a pleasure to use. The interior has been heavily revised in the latest version – it needed to be ­– and while the quality is much improved the controls look to have been randomly scattered across the dashboard.

The styling of the original Focus had plenty of dash, but each succeeding generation has looked more mainstream than the last. This is still the case with the latest model. The styling is clean but unexeptional – especially at the back you could be looking at any one of half a dozen rivals.

Ford is claiming excellent combined mpg of 76.3mpg, although while in my hands the car was managing only 49.1 in a mixture of motorway and town driving. With less than 1,000 miles on the clock the consumption is bound to improve in time.

Despite the present hunger for SUVs, estates still make plenty of sense, having a lower centre of gravity makes them handle better and you can carry more stuff than in most SUVs. The downside is that under light load the suspension can be a bit bouncy and firm, which is the case here.

There are plenty of engine choices for the new Focus, including a one-litre three-pot petrol or a 150PS or 182PS 1.5-litre three-cylinder petrol. These may be more interesting engines than the diesel, but the oil-burner will still offer better fuel consumption for high-mileage drivers.

This is a perfectly good car. It’s just a pity that it doesn’t have a little more personality.

Ford Focus ST-Line Estate 1.5 TDCI EcoBlue

Top speed: 120mph

Combined mpg: 76.3 (claimed)

0-62mph: 10.3 secs

Price: £23,950 (£26,575 as tested)