By: IOL Motoring Staff
Pretoria - The 2015 Ford Focus rolls on to South African roads this week in both four and five-door format, with a lower, wider stance, thanks to a new bonnet, front fascia and grille.
Slimmer head and tail-light clusters give it a cleaner, sleeker look, as does a neater, less cluttered cabin - but it's the prices that will give rivals sleepless nights, starting at just R212 900.
There's more big news under that new bonnet; for the first time in South Africa, the Focus is now available with Ford's 92kW, 1.0 EcoBoost turbopetrol three, as well as a new 1.5 EcoBoost four rated at 132kW and 240Nm, each coupled to a six-speed manual gearbox, with a six-speed Selectshift automatic transmission coming later this year for 1.5 models.
The electric power-assisted steering has been retuned and the front suspension uprated with more rigid mountings, revised geometry, stiffer bushings and retuned damping to reduce lateral flex for more accurate road-holding.
An enhanced transitional stability system monitors vehicle speed and steering input to predict understeer before it actually happens and call in the electronic stability control sooner keep the car on the straight and narrow.
A QUIETER PLACE TO CRUISE
Ford says it responded to customer feedback asking for a simpler, more intuitive cabin layout with fewer controls and switches on the centre stack and steering wheel and new black satin trim with chrome detailing.
The centre console now has an integrated sliding armrest with wore storage space under it, and an adjustable console that can accommodate a variety of containers, from a 400ml coffee cup to a one-litre bottle, at the same time.
The new Focus is also a quieter place to cruise, says the maker, thanks to thicker carpets, thicker side window glass, and better engine-bay insulation.
Two additional rear parking sensors now enable the Focus to park itself end-on, as well as in a parallel parking space. The extra sensors also make possible cross traffic alert, warning a driver reversing out of a parking space of vehicles that may soon be crossing behind the car, and park-out assist, steering the car out of a parallel parking space while you handle the accelerator and brake.
For the first time, the Focus now comes with MyKey, enabling the owner to programme the key - usually for younger drivers - to limit the car's top speed, reduce the maximum volume of the audio system (and even shut it down if the driver and passengers are wearing seatbelts).
MODEL LINE-UP
Two engines, two body styles and two levels of trim add up to a six-model range at launch, with two 1.5 self-shifters still to come.
It starts with the 1.0 Ambiente, featuring 16-inch steel rims and power-adjustable mirrors with built-in indicator repeaters. Standard kit includes remote central locking, a four-way adjustable driver's seat, power front windows, trip computer, and air-conditioning.
Multimedia includes a six-speaker audio system, a 4.2-inch colour display and Sync connectivity with Bluetooth and voice control - all accessible from the steering wheel - as well as (at least) a 12-volt power point with auxiliary input and USB port.
Dual front and passenger airbags are standard, as are side-impact airbags and ISOFIX child seat anchors on the two outboard rear seats.
The 1.0 Trend adds 16-inch dual-spoke alloy rims, front foglights and body-colour door handles, as wells cruise control with speed limiter, power windows all round, two 12-volt power points in the centre console, leather trim for the gear lever, curtain airbags and power-operated child-proof rear door locks.
The 1.5 Trend has all of that, as wall as a special acoustic laminated windscreen - which is actually a tacit admission that the 1.5 Ecoboost is a little more vocal than its smaller sibling.
PRICES
1.0 Ambiente 4-door - R212 900
1.0 Ambiente 5-door - R217 900
1.0 Trend 4-door - R229 900
1.0 Trend 5-door - R234 900
1.5 Trend 4-door - R265 900
1.5 Trend 5-door - R271 900
1.5 Trend 4-door AT - R279 900
1.5 Trend 5-door AT - R284 900
These include a four-year or 120 000km warranty, a four-year or 80 000km service plan and three years' roadside assistance. Service intervals are 20 000km.
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