Ford Focus ECOnetic 1.6 Diesel – Test Driven

Making the daily commute a green way of life has seen a lot of media coverage in the past few months and the car makers are listening.

The latest in a long line to develop its models to become even greener is Ford Motor Company. The Blue Oval has launched the family sized Focus ECOnetic which has a starting price of £16,050.

The car is a cracker when it comes to fuel economy, on test it averaged 58.8mpg on the combined cycle and it has a CO2 output of 115g/km of CO2 emissions.

So What Makes It So Green?

The boffins at Ford’s engineering department have tweaked the aerodynamics to reduce drag. Other modifications include the front bumper, lower grille, new side skirts have been added as has a rear spoiler. The flush fitting wheel trims are a bit cheap to look at but they reduce drag and lower emissions and help the fuel economy figures.

The Focus ECOnetic is fitted with skinny Michelin Energy tyres to reduce drag and rolling resistance. This comes with a negative as the tyres detract from the Focus’ handling but it is still top of its class even on skinny tyres.

The Ford Focus ECOnetic On The Road

Under the bonnet of this eco-warrior was a 1.6 TDCi diesel engine with an output of 108bhp – also available is a 89bhp unit.

On the road, the diesel unit behaved itself well and there was more than enough power to overtake slower moving traffic. The Focus ECOnetic is a very refined car and eats up motorway miles with ease.

To help with getting the maximum economy from the engine, the engineers at Ford have spaced the gear ratios out well. The car has a smooth shifting five-speed gearbox. On the time sheet, the car is pretty capable for a ‘green’ car, it can get from 0-62mph in a time of 10.9 seconds that’s the same as the regular 1.6TDCi Focus. The best in class handling stays the same, which will please enthusiasts.

The Ford Focus ECOnetic Styling

The only differences that the ECOnetic has are the ECO badge on the rear and the wheel trims that are mentioned above.

Interior of the Ford Focus

The Focus cockpit is a classy place to sit in. Ford has fitted the car out with high quality materials and plastics, while the switch gear is placed centrally and within easy reach of the driver.

Practicality

The Ford Focus has one of the best driving positions of any family car in the market. Passengers will enjoy the car too, there is lots of space both up front and in the rear.

There is a downside, the rear seat folds as a bench, which means you cannot have a 60/40 split. If you have awkward luggage to get in the boot and passengers to seat in the rear then the lack of flexibility can be a problem.

As you can see the Focus ECOnetic is a brilliant ‘green car’, it drives well, comfortable on long journeys and is priced competitively.