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The Ford Focus evolved in its final form, an update of the MK4 model in 2022. This improved version of the fourth generation model offered slicker looks, a much improved 'SYNC 4' infotainment system and extra technology. There was also impressive efficiency beneath the bonnet thanks to 48V mild hybrid engine tech. The best part though, is that you should still find this car to be as rewarding to drive as it always was. The Focus might have grown up in this final form, but it certainly never lost its spark.
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History
The final version of Ford's combustion Focus was a car for a very different world. All its predecessors had been almost automatic segment best sellers, but this facelifted fourth generation model competed in a very different market. By the time of its introduction for the 2022 model year, the emphasis was firmly on profitability rather than sheer sales numbers and this car's class had been splintered by customer defections to Crossovers and full EVs. Ford needed to significantly alter its Focus to better compete, which in late 2021, bought us the car we going to test here.
By then, a lot had changed in this segment since this fourth generation model had first arrived in 2018. Vauxhall's Astra and Volkswagen's Golf had become more avant-garde, Hyundai's i30 and Kia's Ceed were better value, Skoda's Octavia was more spacious and even this Ford's previously unmatched driving dynamics had been all-but-equalled by the Mazda3. On top of that, quite a few rivals by 2022 offered much more efficient Plug-in Hybrid or full-Hybrid options in this class, technology that this fourth generation Focus still did without.
What it did have was less effective 48V mild hybrid tech, which for this MK4 model update could be matched with the company's improved 7-speed dual clutch Powershift auto gearbox, plus a raft of new camera safety and driver assistance features were available. And the estate body shape got a more practical load area. The biggest change across the range though, could be found inside, where quality improved and most models got a class leadingly-large 14.2-inch central infotainment screen. Which with plush trim could be paired with a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster.
So back in 2022 we wondered whether all that and a bit of a visual update would be enough to rejuvenate this model's fortunes in this segment. It had after all, been such a definitive car for Ford since the original arrived back in 1997, which was followed by a second generation version in 2005 and a MK3 model in 2011, seven years before the MK4 version first arrived in 2018, a car which sold right until mid-2026. But was at its best in this 2022-onwards-era facelifted form. In this guise, this was the highest quality Focus model ever - so should it still be high on your family hatchback shopping list if you're looking for a used family hatchback from the 2022-2024 period?
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What you get
Back in 2018, we wondered whether Ford ought to have been a touch more adventurous with the look of this fourth generation Focus - and you could say the same about the Blue Oval brand's approach to this mid-term facelift. Subtle evolution though, never did this model's Volkswagen Golf arch-rival any harm and you could certainly argue that in this updated form, this car moved closer to its chief competitor in terms of visual sophistication, both in hatch and estate form.
Key to this was front-end overtaking presence and sure enough, most of the aesthetic changes here were concentrated at the pointy end. The nose was higher, the bonnet sleeker and the grille was larger, made the home of the brand badge. Flanking this appendage were redesigned LED headlights that included integrated fog lamp functionality and a more distinctive night time signature. As before, the front-end look differed significantly with trim choice, with bespoke fog lamp design and different grille styling - chromed horizontal grille bars for the volume 'Titanium' models, vertical grille strakes for the 'Active' versions and a honeycombed finish for the 'ST-Line' variants. At the rear, the main change was the adoption of revised two-piece tail lamps which got smoked lenses and which, above entry-level trim, featured full-LED illumination and an internal design with a darker central section and an eye-catching loop light pattern.
At the wheel, what was required to match the prevailing segment standard was a big step up in cabin quality. What we actually got was a big step up in cabin technology, which on most models brought a class leadingly-large 14.2-inch SYNC 4 centre touchscreen. Everything you need is here, complete with crystal clear graphics, over-the-air updates and easy functionality, plus Connected Navigation and natural language 'Ford Assistant' speech recognition, which works with the built-in 'FordPass Connect' media system. Upper-spec models pair this landscape monitor with the virtual dials of a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, which gives the front of the cabin a much-needed more sophisticated feel.
Interior quality still isn't quite a match for the class best, but compensation comes in the form of important standard features - things like driver's seat lumbar adjustment and a 'Quickclear' heated windscreen for frosty mornings. Plus, as you'd expect from a Focus, and all the cabin basics have been well executed: so it's easy to find a comfortable driving position, the instruments are clear and there's plenty of interior storage.
The space on offer on the rear can certainly bettered by quite a number of class rivals, but it is at least competitive - certainly to a rival Volkswagen Golf, helped by the decent foot space provided beneath the front seats. We also approve of the low centre transmission tunnel, though a centre-seated adult will still be as relatively uncomfortable on longer trips as he or she would normally be in such a position in a car of this class. The boot offers up to 358-litres of capacity in the hatch model - or up to 1,320-litres if you fold the rear bench. For the alternative estate, the respective figures are 593 and 1,620-litres. As part of this update, that estate model's luggage area included easier-to-clean carpet, better lighting, an area for wet items and a vertical floor divider that locked into place at a 90-degree angle.
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What to look for
The main reported issues with this 'MK4.5' car relate to things like wet-belt wear (caused by neglected oil changes), loud rear brakes (caused by missing pad shims) and electrical or infotainment issues (the SYNC 4 centre screen can be prone to freezing). MHEV EcoBoost models can throw deep-sleep warnings on the Fordpass app or drain the car's 48V/12V battery if the car sits unused for long periods. As usual with a family hatch, check the interior for child damage. And with top-spec versions, check the alloy wheels for scratches. Look for any dents, dings and scratches to the panelwork. And ensure that the clutch engages smoothly and that the car goes into gear easily. The 1.5-litre diesel engine is fitted with a diesel particulate filter, but this may be clogged up if the previous owner hasn't completed too many highway journeys.
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Replacement parts
(approx based on a 2022 Focus 1.0 EcoBoost - Ex Vat) An oil filter is in the £7-£15 bracket. An air filter costs in the £12-£25 bracket. A pollen filter costs around £15-£30. A front brake pad set is in the £30-£60 bracket; rears in the £25-£50 bracket. A front brake disc is in the £30-£60 bracket; a rear disc around £50-£90. Front shock absorbers are in the £55-£95 bracket. Wiper blades are £22-£40 for a front pair. An alternator / Integrated Starter Generator for the MHEV is in the £250-£450 bracket.
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On the road
Very little really changed in terms of handling or engine choice with this facelifted MK4 Focus - but that's because Ford had already introduced engineering updates to this car as recently as 2020. These were mainly based around the introduction of 48V mild hybrid tech for the brand's core 1.0-litre EcoBoost petrol engine, though back in 2022 you could still have the base 125PS version of that unit without it. Most Focus customers though, will want a mild hybrid model, choosing between a base 125PS version offered only with the company's 7-speed Powershift dual clutch auto gearbox. Or the 155PS 1.0-litre mHEV variant, which can be had with either manual or automatic transmission. The only other mainstream Focus engine on offer was the brand's aging 1.5-litre EcoBlue diesel, available only with 120PS and only with an 8-speed torque converter auto gearbox.
Whichever mainstream Focus model you decide upon, you should find on the test drive that this Ford still holds a decisive advantage over most of its segment rivals when it comes to the driving position, the feedback through the wheel and in particular, the way the car responds as you throw it into a corner. And you can tailor the way it responds thanks to the brand's standard Drive Mode system. This borrows the kind of technology we've long seen on premium-badged models in this segment, using 'Normal', 'Sport' and 'Eco' settings to alter steering feel, throttle response and, on auto variants, gearshift timings to suit the way you want to drive. It can alter ride quality too if adaptive damping has been fitted, but original buyers could only have that - Ford calls it 'Continuously Controlled Damping' - on the top ST hot hatch model, that later variant topping out the range with a potent 2.3-litre EcoBoost petrol unit putting out 280PS.
In a mainstream model, you'll be wanting to know about running cost efficiency. Well the figures are certainly competitive, this typical 1.0-litre EcoBoost 155PS mHEV manual hatch model managing up to 54.3mpg on the combined cycle and up to 116g/km of CO2.
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Overall
Once upon a time, the Focus was the backbone of Ford's European sales, shifting over half a million cars across the continent every year - but that was in this century's first decade. By the time of this final 2022 facelift, its segment influence was shrinking. But in this century's first two decades, we'd still argue that this model line had a greater impact on modern family motoring than any other. Even in 2022, it was still the default choice for a family hatchback customer prioritising driving enjoyment above all else.
The revised version of this fourth generation model didn't disappoint in that regard - well, provided you chose the right model anyway. It remained a pity that you couldn't get a volume hatch version with proper modern multi-link rear suspension. Significant extra spend was also required to get Ford's much trumpeted mild hybrid engine technology, which unfortunately didn't actually translate into much real-world efficiency benefit.
So to want a Focus, you got to look past these issues, ignore a few elements of questionable cabin quality and be satisfied with a cargo area capacity some way off the class best. That was a big ask prior to this facelift, but the completeness of this mid-term update made us want to keep this car high up on our family hatchback segment wish list and after trying one, we think you might feel the same. The visual updates were well judged, the extra cabin technology kept it feeling up to date and the renewed media connectivity and safety standards were up to scratch in the class.
In short, if you can afford the asking prices, you'll find that here's a family hatchback that in this finally updated form really got more of its priorities right, a car that by 2022 had grown up but one that still knew how to enjoy itself. The Focus was the first family hatch to set the standard in that regard. And the good news here is that it still did.
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