Ford Focus Titanium 2012 review

Ford Australia is carefully promoting the fact that its new-generation Focus is designed more for European markets than Asian ones.

In particular the global nature of the mid-sized Ford leans strongly in the Euro direction in style and handling dynamics.

At one time there were plans to build the new Focus in Australia, but, sadly from our point of view, Ford’s head office couldn't make that work from an economic point of view, so most Australian Focus models are imported from Thailand.

Explore the 2012 Ford Focus range

• Ford Focus 2012 review: first drive
• Ford Focus 2012 review: road test
• Ford Focus 2012 review
• Ford Focus Trend 2012 review
• Ford Focus Titanium 2012 review
• Ford Focus Titanium 2.0L 2012 review
• Ford Focus EcoBoost 2012 review
• Ford Focus ST 2012 review
• Ford Focus ST 2.0L 2012 review

Interestingly, initial imports came from the Ford factory in Germany, with the switch to Thai built cars taking place midway through 2012. Our review car came from the Thai factory and build quality was pretty good.

Ford Australia is struggling at the moment and must be sorry to have lost the chance of making the Focus here. Perhaps if there are problems with keeping the Falcon in Australia when the current model reaches the end of its life in 2016 there may be another attempt to bring production of the Focus Downunder.

Value

Priced from $21,990 the Focus comes as a four-door sedan and five-door hatchback. Ford is bringing in no fewer than four variants to Australia as it realises Falcon sales are continuing to slip and hopes to balance this out with increased sales of Ford Mondeo and the new Focus.

The latter comes here as the entry-level Focus Ambiente, the mid-range Trend and topline Titanium. Our review car was a Focus Titanium and we appreciated its high-tech features. These include voice recognition and the ability to park itself after it recognises a suitable kerbside spot, so Ford Australia is providing features often only found in upmarket European cars.

Technology

Petrol engines in the latest Ford Focus have capacities of 1.6 or 2.0 litres, the larger unit being a new design featuring the efficiency of direct petrol injection. There is also a 2.0-litre turbo-diesel. Our Focus Titanium road test car had the 2.0-litre unit.

Most drivers will find the Focus’ engine using six to seven litres per hundred kilometres if they treat it gently on country and motorway trips. This consumption will increase to eight to ten litres per hundred kilometres around town. These are good figures for a petrol engine and show the advantages of developing the direct injection fuel system.

At this stage Ford Australia isn’t planning to import smaller petrol units boosted by turbochargers. However, the success of such engines in competitors such as the Holden Cruze and Volkswagen Golf may lead to a change of plan on this.

Design

Styling of the new generation Ford Focus follows a familiar theme from the previous two generations, though we feel the stylists have backed off a little and this new model isn’t as radical in its shape as previously. This is probably a sensible move as Ford is keen to pull relatively conservative buyers into the showrooms.

Driving

The Ford Focus Sport has a body kit to give it more dynamic looks and performance, including firmer suspension. It’s a smooth and responsive unit with good torque on hand at all revs over about 2000, even below that it has plenty of ability to hang on so that high gears can be held to reduce fuel consumption and emissions.

Handling is very much in the European mould, with good feel through the steering wheel and a nicely balanced way of entering corners and maintaining the correct speed through them. Focus is happy to change direction part way through a bend should it tighten up unexpectedly. Keen drivers who no longer need a car the size of a Ford Falcon will feel comfortable behind the wheel of a Focus.

Ride comfort is generally good, though some really rough stretches of road (not necessarily dirt roads) can bounce it around at times. Some tyre noise is evident on coarse-chip surfaces, though this has been improved from the roar that was evident on some older Focus models.

Tyre noise is something that has been all-but engineered out of the Falcon for many years, so the aforementioned potential buyer moving down from a Falcon should try a Focus for themselves on a coarse road.