For responsible parents and enthusiastic drivers: the Ford Focus station wagon is always and everywhere a joy. Just not on the highway and at the gas station – Garáž.cz

Among family cars, the Ford Focus was a proven escape route for all enthusiastic drivers. Ever since the first generation, everyone who enjoys driving, but also has to think about their family, has sat behind the wheel of it, so they can’t drive a two-door coupe or a two-seater roadster around the country. However, they could drive the Focus (almost) just as enthusiastically, albeit at slightly lower speeds (unless they reached for a nimble ST or a bloated RS) – it was simply a joy to take it by the ears on the straights and cut corners with it.

And the same applies to the current fourth generation even after modernization. Its chassis still breathes with the road, so it doesn’t let itself be thrown away by the pitfalls of the lousy Czech asphalt, at the same time it willingly throws itself into corners and sweeps the apexes of sunken roads as competently as any sports car (it doesn’t even matter that instead of a multi-element suspension at the back, it has only an ordinary but well-tuned axle with trailing arms and torsion bar).

In a brisk dash, it is ably supported by a turbocharged three-cylinder engine with a herd of 155 horses, which, with increasing revolutions, rushes forward with more and more enthusiasm and grunts happily while doing so… er, rather growls. In this case, the typical character of the three-cylinder is to the advantage of the cause. It gets a little worse when you start loitering…

The most powerful version of the liter EcoBoost doesn’t really need low revs, and understeer (that is, if you keep it below 1,500 revs) will be accompanied by a bit of rumbling, vibrating and general lethargy. However, the lever of the manual hexavalt glides precisely and quickly, so it is not a problem to wave your wrist and give it a little push.

However, because of this and because of the shorter final drive, prepare for higher revolutions and thus higher noise and consumption – you will only get below seven liters in the combined mode with self-denial (and this despite the mild-hybrid technology that reduces consumption).

However, from an overall point of view, this is only a small flaw of the overall attractive Focus – you will find enough living space (especially in the practical station wagon, which offers a trunk with a volume of 635 liters compared to the hatchback’s 392 liters) and handy storage areas (the center console can comfortably fit a really big telephone paddle), comfortable equipment (extra-standard details such as a heated steering wheel or a heated windshield will please you) and modern technologies (a clear 12.3-inch digital instrument panel and 12.3-inch infotainment SYNC with cloud-based navigation really did well).

Although the modernization deprived it of a handy climate control panel, you have all the controls always and clearly available on the bottom bar of the infotainment system, so the loss doesn’t hurt so much. And there’s still a rotary volume control below, a button to switch driving modes or to switch off stop-start, but why would you switch it off when it works so perfectly, the engine starts smoothly and quietly before you shift from neutral to first.

In short, it will be a shame when Ford finally shuts down the production line for Focuses and we are left with crossovers and SUVs, because although they are similarly practical, spacious and equipped, none of them drive as pleasantly and do not handle as satisfyingly as the Focus. And so he will probably be rewarded not only by enthusiastic drivers.

But let’s not shed tears prematurely. Ford still sells its Focus, not only with a three-cylinder gasoline engine (in 125 or 155 hp power variants) supported by an mHEV system, but also with a four-cylinder turbodiesel with an output of 115 hp. In addition, it offers it for very interesting amounts – despite the fact that it starts with the very nice Titanium equipment and continues only higher. The current promotional price list thus starts at CZK 550,900 (EcoBoost 125 hp with manual) and continues to CZK 630,900 (EcoBoost 155 hp with automatic – the tested version with manual can no longer be ordered, you can get it – with a little luck – only as a stock), diesel then you can buy it for at least 772,900 CZK (he can no longer boast of the promotional price). The listed prices apply to the hatchback, for the station wagon you will pay an additional 30,000 crowns.