Ford Focus Active 2020 Long-Term Test #1

The 2020 Ford Focus Active is the latest entrant to the carsales long-term garage. But let us start by saying you are not alone if you’re confused about the moving feast that is the Ford Focus offering in Australia.

The fourth-generation Ford Focus range arrived Down Under in 2018 as an eight-variant line-up, but by the end of this year it will be slashed to just a trio of five-door hatch versions: Ford Focus ST hot hatch, Ford Focus ST-Line sports hatch and Ford Focus Active crossover (as tested here).

To be clear, heading into 2021, there will be no Ambiente, Trend or Titanium variants, nor a Focus wagon.

And the upgraded 2021 Ford Focus Active that arrives in December will bring front parking sensors and LED headlights as standard, plus upgraded multi-link rear suspension, FordPass Connect and two new red paint colours, for an extra $500 ($30,990 plus on-road costs).

Until then, we’re testing the 2020 Ford Focus Active launched in June 2019, since which time it has increased in price by $500 to $30,490 plus ORCs – $4000 more than the Focus Trend on which it’s based and $1000 more than the Focus ST-Line.

In effect, the first Focus Active is an ever-so-slightly jacked-up version of the Focus Trend. It sticks with its front-wheel drive hatchback formula (a wagon version is available in Europe), but adds a number of extra features including two additional drive modes –Trail and Slippery – at least giving it a semblance of SUV or crossover credentials.

As my colleague Tim Britten so eloquently put it, “Ford has what is probably one of the most ill-defined crossover vehicles in its Focus Active hatchback. This is certainly not an SUV and, almost equally certainly, it’s not a crossover.”

Agreed… Once again I consulted the Ford website to clarify what exactly our long-term Focus Active actually is meant to be? ‘Designed for adventure’ it reads.

If by ‘adventure’ Ford means briskly negotiating aggressive speed humps on the school run, more easily traversing nasty gutter crossings or even tackling the odd rutted gravel road, it’s nailed it.

The European-developed Ford Focus has always been a solid choice in the small-car arena and the latest generation continues the tradition of its predecessors by being affordable, comfortable, dynamic, refined and a safe bet where aftersales and cost of ownership (depreciation aside!) is concerned.

With room for five, 365 litres of cargo capacity (extending to 1344 litres with the rear seatback down) and a braked towing capacity of 1500kg, the Focus hatch has family-friendly practicality at its heart.

And with improved safety technology, extra standard equipment and a smidge more ground clearance, the 2020 Ford Focus Active hatch is slightly more versatile and thus there are a few more reasons to recommend it.

Roof rails, black wheel-arches, scuff plates, front and rear skid plates, twin chromed exhaust outlets and unique 17-inch alloys differentiate the Active from the 2020 Ford Focus Trend.

A capped-price service offer limits each service to a reasonable $299 for the first four years and, like all new Fords, the Focus Active majors on after-sales back-up with a five-year/unlimited-km warranty and free service loan cars.

Like all new Focus models except the ST hot hatch, the 2020 Ford Focus Active is powered by a 1.5-litre three-cylinder turbo-petrol EcoBoost engine that develops 134kW of power and 240Nm of torque, placing it on par with or above many of its larger-capacity rivals.

Paired to a smooth-shifting eight-speed automatic transmission that can be operated via (standard) manual paddle shifters and sends all power to the front wheels, the turbo triple produces peppy power but there’s a bit of lag from standstill. Also slow to respond is the transmission’s rotary dial selector – often it needs a bit of think time.

The Focus Active brings two new drive modes for a tally of five – Normal, Eco, Sport are now joined by Trail and Slippery, giving it at least some potential to go off the beaten track. Trail is designed for sand and dirt, while Slippery aids grip in snow or ice.

For this initial test period, we stayed on the tarmac and around town, where most owners will drive it and where handling and ride comfort proved spot on for this city-meets-country car.

The Focus Active rides about an inch higher (30mm at the front, 34mm at rear) than the standard Focus and benefits from a superior chassis with more sophisticated multi-link rear suspension from the soon-to-be-axed Focus wagon (and the 2021 Focus ST-Line).

The ride is well resolved on broken bitumen and comfort levels are high in supportive manual-adjust seats.

The Focus Active’s efficient EcoBoost engine proved its worth during my time behind the wheel, returning an respectable average fuel consumption of 7.7L/100km. My short and sharp city-based driving demands rarely result in single-digit fuel stats.

I’m not sure what it says about me, but the thing I like most about the 2020 Ford Focus Active is the chunky steering wheel, contrasting blue stitching and solid cup-holders. In the absence of overt style (or personality), obvious details and practicality fill the void.

On paper the German-made Ford Focus Active conjures a vision of textured surfaces and Euro flair. In reality, its conservative design represents mere baby steps forward for Ford’s Focus. Steps forward from a good base, nonetheless.

Practicality is where the Focus Active shines with a spacious and comfortable cabin that easily accommodates five and their gear. Oddment storage is great.

The new rotary-dial gearshift and electric park brake create a modern and clean centre console and represent a noticeable step forward for the Focus’ interior.

The level of technology inside the Focus Active is commendable and includes autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection, forward collision warning, lane departure warning with lane keep assist, a 180-degree split-view reversing camera, keyless entry and push-button starting, and a speed-limiter.

There are options too. The Driver Assist Pack ($1250) includes adaptive cruise control with stop and go, blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert and cutting-edge safety systems like rear AEB, lane centring and evasive steer assist.

There’s also an $1800 Design Package comprising 18-inch alloys, adaptive LED headlights with cornering function and rear privacy glass. The only stand-alone options are a panoramic sunroof ($2000) and prestige paint including unique Orange Glow hue ($650).

Wireless charging, satellite navigation, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are all standard. An 8.0-inch SYNC3 infotainment touch-screen sits high on the dash, offering good visibility at eye level, but the screen graphics and resolution look a little cheap.

Official VFACTS sales segmentation sees the 2020 Ford Focus Active bundled in with small cars priced under $40K.

Last year the Ford Focus racked up 3682 sales, accounting for just 2.4 per cent of market share – proof that it’s hard yards going head to head with the likes of the Mazda3 (24,939 sales), Hyundai i30 (28,378 sales) and the ubiquitous Toyota Corolla (30,468 sales).

Dare to lean towards a ‘crossover’ and you open a larger can of worms where competitors are concerned. The only real direct rival is the pricier Volkswagen Golf wagon-based Alltrack (from $36,590) and, soon, the upcoming Toyota Corolla Cross.

However, buyers are more likely to cross-shop the Focus Active with any number of small to medium SUVs priced from under $30K. And there are plenty of those!

The lines are blurred between small cars, crossovers and compact SUVs and no real-world buyers consult VFACTS reports for consideration sets.

For a little more money, the 2020 Ford Focus Active brings a slightly more rugged and distinctive exterior design, and backs it up with improved versatility and dynamics (it’s the cheapest Focus with IRS too).

A raised ride height and two new off-road drive modes give the hatch-meets-crossover similar off-tarmac capability to a small (front-drive) SUV, and also make it a little more confident inspiring behind the wheel and a little less fragile in a variety of conditions.

In short, Ford has given its already-solid small car broader appeal, opening up its slow-selling Corolla rival to a raft of potential new customers.

So far, the 2020 Ford Focus Active has been easy to live with but hard to love. Yes, it’s a great A-to-B crossover hatch, but whether its lack of definition as a ‘proper’ SUV hinders it in showrooms or off-road, we’ll find out in due course.

How much does the 2020 Ford Focus Active cost?
Price: $30,490 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Engine: 1.5-litre three-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 134kW/240Nm
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Fuel: 6.4L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 148g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Five-star (ANCAP 2019)