Ford Focus Sport hatch 2013 Review

Ford Focus Sport (hatch)

Where the handsome little Ford differentiated itself from these and other rivals, however, was in the quality of its steering, which stood out as the best on test thanks to standout weighting, accuracy and feel.

The tactile precision of the Ford’s steering was ever-present but really came to the fore in the lane change manoeuvre. Here it proved a cinch to accurately thread the Focus through witches’ hats at speeds that caused the lesser cars grief.

The Focus’ well-sorted chassis allowed it to be driven quicker, and with more confidence, through practically every dynamic test category, from the high speed sweeper to our demanding road loop.

The combination saw the Ford edge ahead of rivals as the driver’s choice.

Sparkling dynamics aren’t just there to be appreciated when driving enthusiastically either, as the Focus proved equally enjoyable in urban conditions.

That said, the dual-clutch transmission was occasionally caught out, manifesting as a slightly awkward clunk between gears. Other than this the drivetrain worked flawlessly and delivered impressively economical fuel consumption that trailed only the super-thrifty Golf.

Fit, finish and finesse
Focus presented well, without rattles or unfinished aspects. Neat, consistent panel gaps and an excellent paint job also raised the car’s stocks, as did solidly closing doors with thick rubbers and clean jambs.

We loved the capless fuel filler and well presented cargo bay complete with light. A shame that the latch was exposed. The hatch itself wasn’t too hard to reach or close, and the rear seat was very easy to get in and out of.

Contrasting cloth and plastic across the door-cards added interest to the interior while the blended fabric of the upholstery was pleasant to the touch. Sadly for rear-seat passengers, however, the Focus doesn’t offer ventilation outlets.

The sculpted dash and mix of surface texture and colour provided a modern and edgy feel. Ditto Focus’ controls and ergonomics which, although not the best here, were not far behind.

The dash-top did reflect on the windscreen slightly, though the gauges themselves were easy to sight. Some of the trip computer functionality was, however, noted as ‘not so straightforward’ by at least one judge.

Focus has a very cleanly-presented engine bay with neat yellow markers for owner-accessible service items. We loved the handclap wipers, but felt the bonnet-mounted washers were a let-down.

On our section of coarse chip asphalt, the Focus recorded a middle of the road  interior noise level of 81dBA at 80km/h.

The cabin featured lots of sharp angles and cool backlighting. But where the i30 was well-laid out and funky, the Focus suffered from a touch of overkill.

There was too many buttons on the centre console (and they're really small/thin) and it was difficult to accomplish a task at a glance – like flipping through the onboard menu system, for example. The same went for the steering wheel controls. It's as though Ford did it because it could, not because it would be a good idea.

While we’re grizzling, we noted the position of the manual gear select button is on the right of the gear knob, where your thumb rests. Not an easy or natural position for selecting gear changes and hinders the ability to use this feature effectively.

Overall the cabin looked pretty swish and the car featured a good dual-zone climate control system, decent Bluetooth pairing, and an excellent stereo – one of the best on test, in fact.

The Focus had a pair of large colour screens, one integrated into the centre console, the other wedged between the sporty instrument dials. The latter was the most impressive trip computer of the lot, even if some found it hard to navigate.

Other tech that worked well included automatic folding side mirrors, auto headlights and rain-sensing wipers.

The Focus hatch gets rear parking sensors and a reversing camera (as standard), and it was clear Ford's electronic stability control system was the best on test. The safety system cut in rapidly to stop the car losing traction when cornering, but was smooth in its execution. Indeed, often the only way we knew stability control was working was the yellow warning light flashing on the dash.

The Focus Sport rides on 17-inch alloys (with temporary spare wheel) and comes with sat-nav, reversing camera, dual-zone climate control and a Sony nine-speaker premium audio system.

Ford offers an industry-standard three-year/100,000km warranty on Focus Sport. An extended warranty and 12 months roadside assistance is also offered (the latter at $90 RRP).

Under the myFORD capped price servicing plan, the Focus Sport is covered for seven years /105,000km, whichever comes first. This equates to seven capped services when the recommended 12 month/15,000km service interval is factored in.

Each service is capped at $335, except for the major 60,000km visit at $470. These prices don’t take in the cost of brake fluid replacement ($130 every two years) or radiator coolant ($150 if required, usually after three years).

As a resale guide, a similarly specified MY10 Focus Zetec shows a median private sale price of $16,550 on Redbook. This equates to 58 per cent of its new price after three years.

Driver and passenger seats in this four-door hatch are firm and obviously contoured, hugging the body firmly. The busy centre console featured black gloss plastics and faux chrome.

The cabin remains quiet and composed through bumps and turns.

Three second-row passengers are comfortably seated, but close together. The slightly raised seating position of the second row offers passengers good visibility. It does, however, mean that taller passengers on test were skimming the roof line.

The boot storage is good and the 60:40 split-fold is easy to engage. To achieve a fully flat load, the whole seat base must be flipped forward first. The Focus’ hatch has great grab handles to help closing the boot, unlike some rivals where you struggle to get a good grip hold.

Visibility in the Focus is good.