Driving The New Ford Focus 2019 - Review of Its Ups and Downs

A sponge and the choice to start from scratch. In Ford they have not used half measures to give life to the Focus 2019, the fourth generation of the best-seller of Blue Oval that is ready to debut in dealerships, where it will be reached in September by the family SW.

On the other hand, even if the SUV boom is stealing space from the C-segment compacts, these models maintain a key role in the global market and in the houses' budgets.

Logical then that in Ford have rolled up their sleeves to pack a product that can please all the latitudes and a more transversal audience than ever.

It is no coincidence then that the Ford Focus 2019 presents itself with a complex range, ready to arouse the interest of many motorists.

The two bodywork in the catalog can be combined with Focus (essential), Plus (concrete), Business (smart, company-sized), ST-Line (sporty), Titanium (elegant) and Vignale (sumptuous).

Later, at the end of the year, the Focus Active will also arrive, with crossover protection and set-up, but this is another story, you will talk about it later.

The engines around which the offer rotates are three, with the Ecoboost 1.0 monopolizing the offer on the front and petrol, with its two versions of 100 and 125 hp. As for the Ecoblue diesels, the alternatives are the 1,500 from 95 or 120 hp and the 2.0 from 150 hp.

All engines can also be ordered with an eight-speed automatic transmission, as well as with the classic six-ratio manuals. The prices start in theory from 1,304,939.25 Philippine Piso, immediately reduced to just 960,062.45 Philippine Piso: the value for money ratio, after all, has always been his forte and in this Ford fortunately chooses continuity.

Without going into the jungle of the set-ups, I put a few things in clear: the SW costs 62,139.96 Philippine Piso more than the sedan and the automatic transmission 124,279.93 Philippine Piso more than the manual, the same ones needed to switch from a petrol to a diesel version.

The five-door Ford Focus 2019 seems only a distant relative of the model it replaces.

A change is in fact the general approach, which retires the sloping roof cut to move to a shape with two more defined volumes, in line with the competition.

It is a more athletic and youthful form, made then original by the sculpted design of the bonnet, the new luminous signature of the headlights and the wide front grille. The length of the Focus 5p remains totally unchanged (4,378 mm, + 18 mm) while the wheelbase is 58 mm longer, with a noticeable reduction of the rear overhang.

As for the Focus SW, its length rises to 4,668 mm (+108 mm) while the stride stretching is limited to 57 mm.

Thanks to these differences and the adoption of the new global platform C2, the habitability improves significantly on all the Focus 2019, with lots of extra space for the legs: + 15 mm in the front seats and + 70 mm in the rear ones.

The different shape of the seat and of the central armrest also makes the central seat of the sofa even better exploitable. Coming then to the trunk, the five-door has a useful volume similar to the first, 375 liters, while the SW makes a good step forward with a capacity between 608 and 1,653 liters (respectively +118 and +137 compared to before).

Another important number of the Ford Focus 2019 is the 88, which corresponds to the number of pounds lost by the new generation.

33 are the kg saved at the chassis level, 25 on the bodywork, 7 from the electrical system, 6 on average from the engines and a good 17 on the inside.

Speaking of the interior, here too the Focus page, proposing a more modern and welcoming.

The furnishings have a clean design and no frills, while the soft touch materials convey the idea of ​​a good constructive care, enhanced by red stitching and finishes with carbon effect on the ST-Line or leather on the Vignale.

The generational leap is also emphasized by the entry in the range of equipment so far reserved in many cases to cars of a higher segment.

The advent of the new generation brings with it, for example, support for wireless charging of smartphones, the rear camera, the MyKey2 electronic key, the hand-free electric tailgate, the panoramic sunroof and the adaptive full LED lighting system. . As for driving and safety assistance,

The driving seat of the Focus 2019 is decidedly well thought out and fits well with riders of all sizes. The new design of the dashboard provides many less buttons than before and for the pilot it is easy to manage the various commands using the touch screen.

In addition, the central cabinet no longer protrudes towards the center of the passenger compartment, favoring a feeling of greater spaciousness. That it is not a simple optical illusion, however, is understood quickly.

The centimeters abound in all directions and the same is true even in the rear seats, easy to reach and able to accommodate three adults effortlessly, leaving the backs of the front seats well away from their knees.

Once in gear, the picture is always positive.

The steering has a homogeneous behavior and has the right weight in the hands while the suspension well insulate the cockpit from holes and bumps.

On balance only the highest slowers can give some trouble, especially if you are left to try big wheels and lowered tires.

Nothing worrying, however: comfort does not lend itself to criticism and the same applies to the quietness, good both in acceleration and at motorways.

The Focus proves to be at ease in the toll-toll-free sections as well as when the road seems to tie itself up like an eight-wheeler.

Whatever the radius of the curves, in the mixed the trim is pleasantly neutral and allows this Ford to draw well the trajectories well when the pilot lets himself get a little 'hand.

Well planted on the roadways, the Focus does not break even when it is necessary to correct the set line or make a sudden difference due to an unexpected situation.

For the most demanding, then comes the novelty of the optional dynamic control suspensions, which the pilot can manage together with all the on-board electronics through the Drive Mode button.

As for engines, for large grinders of kilometers and for those who often move at full load the choice of the Ecoblue 1.500 is almost obvious, as well as perhaps that of the power level of 120 hp.

Accredited to a torque of 300 Nm, this turbodiesel starts quickly, vibrates a little, has a soft voice and has an optimistically declared consumption of 3.6 l / 100 km.

There is enough to make almost everyone agree, also thanks to a good fluidity at low revs and a good liveliness at highs.

For all other users and for those who do not want to end up involved in the oilseed witch-hunt, the ideal thing is to do a little thought about the thousand petrol Ecoboost, perhaps in the brightest 125 hp and 200 Nm variant. contained displacement, this three-cylinder turbo does not regret aspirates of almost double cubing.

It resumes well even from low speed in long gears and pulls out the attributes when insists with the accelerator.

But be careful, because in this case the 4.8 l / 100 km risk becoming a distant mirage, despite having a refined system that deactivates a cylinder when no particular power is required.