Ford Focus Zetec S (From York Press)

Ford Focus Zetec S

11:01am Friday 13th January 2012 in Road Test By Steve Nelson

FORD’s evergreen Focus may no longer be the biggest seller in the company’s line-up – that crown now sits firmly on the Fiesta – but it is still the most important in the Blue Oval stable.

It has to attract the broadest spectrum of drivers, offering excellent economy for the fleet market, a compelling package for the family motorist and edge-of-the seat thrills for the enthusiast.

Throughout its lifespan it has achieved this, with a line-up topped by ST or RS variants at one end, through to frugal offerings at the other.

And now the choice has become even more attractive, thanks to the development of its turbocharged EcoBoost petrol engine.

In July, the new Focus ST will arrive, but for now you can revel in the new Zetec S, the fastest and most powerful in the Focus range and with bodywork that gives it a bold look .

The 1.6-litre EcoBoost engine produces 178bhp – topping the rival VW Golf 1.4 TSI by 20bhp – and has enough muscle to power the bigger Mondeo and Galaxy.

Undeniably one of the best car engines to emerge this century, it provides better performance with lower emissions, and since its introduction in late 2010 has been in high demand. Some 50,000 were produced at Ford’s plant in Bridgend, South Wales, and sold in Europe within the space of eight months.

Matched with this extra performance is a suitably sporty bodykit, striking 17-inch multi-spoke alloy wheels and LED rear lights, and the suspension has been specially tuned.

Mid-range punch is excellent, with a captavitating background noise plucked straight out of the bass section, and when the opportunity arises to drive it into a bend then the superb chassis allows for depenable body control and very little roll. In fact, the Focus outshines most other performance hatchback offerings, and it does so without detracting from what is a most comfortable ride.

Six-speed manual transmission helps push the average economy figure to a claimed 47.1mpg, but I reckon anyone wanting to exploit the engine’s power will be lucky to crack 40mpg.

The Focus staples remain; a wellproportioned boot with a large portal, a particularly spacious cabin with good rear legroom, uniformly generous headroom, and a robust, family-friendly and neatly-styled interior.

If the Zetec trim level is the one that most customers opt for in the Ford showroom because of the abundance of standard kit, then the Zetec S certainly adds to the driver enjoyment without looking overtly like some off the pages of a performance car magazine.

In line with the car’s exterior, Ford’s designers have resisted the urge to bring bling to the interior. Aside from the aluminium-style pedals, there’s the option of a contrasting colour for the centre console but no bucket seats or flat-bottomed steering wheel. Instead, you get an engine starter button, Bluetooth, DAB audio, a heated windscreen, front fog lights, leather steering wheel, MP3 player connectivity and sportsstyle front seats.

That’s not to say that the dashboard layout and instrument panel are anything but one of the best in the business.

There’s a wallet-friendly 125bhp 1.6-litre petrol variant at one end of the Zetec S range, while the Ecoboost petrol engine – hailed as a “hero” engine - parades itself as the flagship option. In between there’s the choice of 115 or 163 horsepower diesel units in 1.6 and 2.0-litre capacity respectively.

There’s also a direct shift auto gearbox – Powershift in Ford parlance – for selected models.

To ease the pain of choosing the myriad options, Ford has chosen to bundle popular items into packs – parking sensors and power folding mirrors are part of a City Pack bundle, for example.

Active brake assist, lane departure warning, traffic sign recognition and a blind spot alert are, unsurprisingly, part of the Driver Assistance Pack.

As the Focus range grows – there’s a Zetec S estate variant, hot ST, frugal three-cylinder and electric models to come – the five-door Zetec S brings a welcome extra dash of sparkle, bridging the gap between the performance cars and more regular offerings in the Focus line-up.

Fact File

PRICE: £20,495.

ENGINE: 1.6-litre Ecoboost petrol, developing 178bhp.

TRANSMISSION: six-speed manual transmission as standard, driving the front wheels.

PERFORMANCE: maximum speed 138mph, 0-62mph 7.9 seconds.

ECONOMY: 47.1mpg combined.

CO2 RATING: 139g/km.