Ford Focus 1.6 TDCi Leigh

Regular readers will know how highly we rate the new Ford Focus. It's one of the most important cars - so we were anxious to have an example on our long-term fleet, and tell you what it's like over several thousand miles of use. We got our order in quickly, and headed to the firm's Dagenham plant in Essex to pick the Focus up off the transporter.

So, as Ford dealers nationwide were entertaining prospective customers with a launch weekend in January, we were putting some miles under the wheels of our factory-fresh 1.6 TDCi Zetec five-door. However, because it's such an early model, the specification isn't directly comparative to the cars that are coming off the production line now.

EO54 OVG has air-conditioning - but Ford has now decided that Zetecs won't get this option in the UK. Instead, you have to upgrade to the Zetec Climate (£15,595). Equally, our leather seats - an option at £1,600 - only feature four-way electric adjustment, whereas normally you would get six.

This tweaking of the spec is frustrating - we'd have thought Ford would sort it out before cars started rolling out of the factory. In fact, we wish our model didn't have electric seats - because the motors are located underneath, the chairs can't be adjusted low enough.

They're not uncomfortable, but as the Focus handles so sweetly, it would be nice to sit lower behind the wheel. Leather was by far the most extravagant option we plumped for. Other extras include the park assist sensors (£200), stability control (£250), 17-inch alloy wheels (£200) and Sony radio (£400). The audio unit is certainly worth investing in as it looks smart, and includes a dash-mounted six-disc CD changer.

We are big fans of this system, because you don't lose any cubby space by having to install the changer elsewhere. And from a storage point of view, the Focus is proving pretty good. There are plenty of cubbyholes and the rear sunblinds (an option at £50) keep children in the back cool. However, we've already noticed a problem with the Focus's sloping roofline. Road test editor Oliver Marriage borrowed the Ford, and found manoeuvring his 15-month-old daughter under the low door frame - and into her seat - required some Olympic gymnast-style contortions.

Nevertheless, the repmobile styling is growing on us. There's no question the new Focus is not as good to look at as the previous car - but in every other respect the Ford has got off to a promising start at Auto Express.

Author: Piers Ward

Ford Focus