If you pale at the running costs of a push bike, Ford's super-thrifty Focus ECOnetic might well be your kind of car. Andy Enright reports.
IF saving fuel and cutting emissions is a priority, you can't afford to ignore Ford's Focus ECOnetic. The headline figures of less than 95g/km of CO2 emissions and a combined economy figure of 80mpg will sell it sight unseen to many, but there's a lot more to this car than just some amazing efficiency stats.
A 104bhp 1.6-litre diesel might not seem the most mouthwatering piece of underbonnet plumbing, but it's an engine that's got more about it than most gutless eco powerplants. This Duratorq diesel features a heavily revised injection system, a redesigned turbocharger and a whole host of ancillary improvements.
Chassis-wise, the Focus ECOnetic features a "torque vectoring" system, which nips at the brake of the inside front wheel as you turn into a corner, helping to reduce understeer.
The electric power steering system has been tweaked to offer even more efficiency and this model also features ultra-low rolling resistance tyres.
The six-speed manual transmission has been designed to again optimise efficiency, with a final drive that raises gear ratios so at motorway speeds the engine will barely be ticking over.
The Focus ECOnetic doesn't pull any punches in its bid for ultimate efficiency and that means you'll have to forego a sexy set of alloy wheels for some rather drab but effective plastic wheel trims. Other than that, there's not a whole lot that differentiates it externally from any other diesel Focus.
It could have ended up being a miserable thing, but this is Ford, a company that has developed an ability to inject fun into even the worthiest endeavour – and they don't come much worthier than this eco Focus. The refinement and quality remain and Ford hasn't forgotten that the first duty of a Focus is to entertain its driver.
Any super-efficient vehicle that feels this solid and can easily accommodate a family of five must be judged a masterstroke. You can keep your hybrids. Their economy claims don't stack up and they aren't as fun to drive as a good turbodiesel, and this is a good turbodiesel you'll just want to get in and drive.
