A Focus that deserves its buyers

I recently had a chance to be reminded why I (and most of my colleagues) voted the Ford Focus as Semperit Irish Car of the Year 1999. It's just so good. And so brave ... not because it's the most radical looking of recent years (after all, Fiat did something similar with their Punto several years ago and it worked for them) but because it is very radical in terms of the buyers of the car it replaces. You have to have been a certain type to buy Escort in the last five years, and 'radical' is what that type is not. So, when Escort finally rolls its last sometime next year, will it be because its loyal owners have turned in droves to modern machinery? (They should, if for no more reasons than self-preservation ... the most recent results from the NCAP crash tests show that Focus leads the field in its class, while Escort is seriously deficient in comparison.)

Anyway, I hope people are driving in droves to Focus, because it deserves its buyers.

The review car was in the hatchback form in which the model was launched, and which is to my eye still the most pleasing ... it makes the most of the 'edge' styling that Ford is branding its millennium models with. The interior follows the outside form, with dramatic strokes to the dashboard design, yet done without sacrificing function - pretty well every switch and button is easily identifiable and accessible (a colleague makes much of the boot-release being too easily so, but I'm not convinced). I particularly like the big buttons on the radio, and its high position. This is a safe radio to use.

From the driver's position there's only one small niggle ... in the RHD version of the car they didn't put in a rest for the left foot. It's nothing really serious, as there is plenty of room to put said foot someplace, but it might have been a little more comfortable the other way.

Otherwise the Focus is very comfortable indeed (I'm really being very good to Ford these days, but they're doing the right thing by the product, so they deserve praise to lodge against the many brickbats they've got in years past from people like me) and the seats support well. I tried the back, and didn't have to scrunch my knees or duck my head, so they've got the people-carrying package right.

On the road the car's overall handling is sharp, earning all the praise it has got for being one of the best set-up cars in the class (even beating the VW Golf according to many). The ride is nicely taut without being tight, and the feel is almost sporty but without the oversensitity that often comes with that.

The 1.6-litre of the review car powered it amply and with a sense of having plenty in spare for a really full load. I'm told, though, that the 1.4-litre is almost as good (I'll be in it shortly, as I will be with the 2-litre), so perhaps only those with the larger family might need to go for this one.