Ford Focus 2018 is back to its best - In Depth Car Review

[@daves2520]

This was a complete and well articulated review. Better than most.

[@rivervalegroup]

Thank you for the good feedback Dave

[@stuartmiller7419]

A wonderfully conceived, executed and edited review. Took me two full views to appreciate that. Well done, and thanks.

[@rivervalegroup]

Thanks Stuart 👍 great to see comments like this

[@alexspiridon1017]

I've been looking into cars for a few months now and having a very hard time deciding. So far most reviews seem to be "ooh this is great but X car does Y thing better", rinse repeat and you're back where you started. I appreciate the in depth review very much, and I'm sure it's helped many get a great idea about a car and all its features

[@Shenanigan5]

In the same boat. Cant tell you how many reviews I have looked at. There is no car standing out for me, everything has its good and bad points.

[@rivervalegroup]

Hi Alex, we appreciate finding the right car for you is a big decision and many of our customers come to us in a similar position. That's why we have our Vehicle Specialists on hand to understand exactly what it is you want from your next vehicle. We then go away and find you options that meet your requirements. You can book a free consultation with our team here: calendly.com/osv-vehicle-consultation/free-vehicle-consultation or you can call us on 01903 538835 and we would be more than happy to help you with your search.

[@rivervalegroup]

There are so many vehicles to choose from and they do indeed all have their good and bad points. We would recommend considering what are your 'must haves' vs 'nice to haves'. This may help narrow down your search. As mentioned to Alex, we would be more than happy to help you with finding a car that meets your requirements. You can book your free consultation here: calendly.com/osv-vehicle-consultation/free-vehicle-consultation or give us a call on 01903 538835.

[@ranxzy]

Really appreciate the long in depth review, which so few reviewers do (Autogefuehl being one other channel who offer these detailed reviews). Just ordered a new Focus Titanium 125ps Auto with the driving assistance pack, Blind Spot Monitoring, B&O sound system and auto parking convenience pack - after considering many other compact vehicles.

[@rivervalegroup]

Great car with some great options, we are sure you will enjoy it. Thanks for the good feedback, let us know how you get on with the car!

[@medoayman9865]

how is your ford now and how reliable is it?

[@alexspiridon1017]

Very very interested in this as well

[@jonesmalones3567]

Tell us😄

[@EngJarvo]

Best of luck with the powershift auto box 😬 I wanted an auto but just could not look past the horror story that has been ford's autos.

[@thebuyerboy]

What a brilliant evaluation of this car. Great job!!!!

[@rivervalegroup]

Many thanks, Phil! We're glad you enjoyed the review 👍

[@MLife1972]

What a fantastically detailed review. Easy to understand and great photography and audio.

[@rivervalegroup]

Thanks for the feedback Mark 👍

[@ForburyLion]

Good to see a review featuring a standard model rather than the better looking ST Line versions.

[@rivervalegroup]

Thank you for watching 👍 Be sure to subscribe for the latest reviews: bit.ly/319ZKoT​

[@stephennoble2647]

I looked at one of these to replace our Mk3, in particular the St-line x. They have enough kit as standard and at last a reasonable choice of engines. But I find it hard to believe that you have to pay £250 for keyless entry on the St-line x model. To me any car with push start should have keyless entry as standard too. They go hand in hand. I can start the car on the button with no key, but I have to faff about using the key and pressing a button on the key fob to open the door? Totally rubbish. Great review by the way. One of the best so far on KZbin.

[@rivervalegroup]

Great to hear from an owner, and a good point made 👍 thanks for the feedback Stephen

[@tallbaldpaul]

Great review, placed an order for the Zetec Nav with Appearance Pack and Parking Sensors so this was a great extra source of info.

[@rivervalegroup]

Thanks for the feedback, that's what were here for. Hope you enjoy your new vehicle... you should know it inside out already :)

[@franciscmoldovan2153]

woefull is an overstatement....I still have my brand-new bought 1998 mk6 Escort (made in UK for Europe), and still runs, looks, handles smooth.

[@danielmorris2838]

The MK1 focus is probably the worst looking ford ever made. The hate for the escort makes no sense at all.

[@RonnieMain]

Great review, very detailed and informative. Would like to see you review the 8 speed auto Focus?

[@rivervalegroup]

Thanks for the feedback Ronnie, we will update the review at some point over the year 👍

[@jubelnoorislam8676]

Orderd a st line x 182ps Auto cant wait for it to come 3 months wait. Reveiw would nice

[@WestYorkshireGREAT]

Brilliant review. You should do more of these longer in depth reviews

[@rivervalegroup]

Thank you, we are aiming to 'focus' on longer more in depth reviews in the future.

[@brearleydavid2194]

Absolute top review....thank you.

[@rivervalegroup]

Thank you Brearley David

[@eddy6781]

I'm leaning more and more towards purchasing a used 2019 Focus thanks to this review. I personally think the Focus has higher interior quality and looks sharper than a Golf of the same year.

[@rivervalegroup]

Hi Edward, we supply every make and model in the UK so our team can look into this for you 👍 Fill-in this quick form and we'll get in touch with more info: bit.ly/39YHCml

[@Robogumm]

TOP Review, FINALLY!! Thanks a lot.

[@rivervalegroup]

Thanks for the feedback Robogumm 👍 great to see comments like this

[@stevenjames1138]

As an owner of a 3rd generation Focus, I have to say that it's really a darn shame that Ford won't be selling this beauty in the USA anymore. It most likely would have been my next vehicle. I'm not sure what I'll get now. Maybe a Toyota Corolla Hatchback or maybe a Ford EcoSport or maybe even a Honda Fit.

[@danielleroux6490]

I agree. Please consider writing or calling Ford USA customer service and telling them they should bring the Focus hatchback to North America. If all of their customers are telling them, they'll take notice. Thank you for your help in this effort!

[@danielleroux6490]

Anyone watching from the U.S. or Canada, please write or call Ford USA customer service and telling them they should bring the new Focus hatchback to North America. If all of their customers are telling them, they'll take notice. Thank you for your help in this effort!

[@stevewilliams6191]

Fantastic, and thorough review. That really was a great watch! 👌

[@rivervalegroup]

Thank you for the feedback Steven. Great to hear people are enjoying our content

[@ryanmather9459]

I'm looking at a car next week with those same lights, do the lights change pattern due to on coming vehicles, like just blank the car out but still light the road ahead?

[@andybt3989]

Watching this in 2024. Just bought a low mileage 125 Titanium 2018.

[@NoName-tz5ji]

What happened to the power shift? Mechanics all over will starve now.

[@joegaffney1959]

Excellent review. Thinking of getting a 2019 focus to replace my old mk 2 one.

[@rivervalegroup]

Thanks for watching, Joe. When you're ready to go ahead, our Vehicle Specialists can help secure your Focus 👍 Fill-in this quick form, and we'll be in touch: bit.ly/39YHCml

[@djr301074]

What colour is this car? It is the titanium X?

[@misuconstantinescu4025]

This one is Chrome Blue

[@stevewilson6390]

Question to any body in the know please ! Have they sorted out the intermittent problems on the eco boost engines.

[@andershifdt6847]

Wait... Does the front foglights actually turn? Or do you mean traditional curve lights where it activates one light on the side where you turn a sharp corner or activate the indicators? I just ordered myself one, and there was no mention of this.. Also, I have to say the british secondhand car market has to be pretty shoddy if a 40% residual after 3 years is considered decent... The lease on my 182hp Active auto estate (with all options) has a residual of 62%.

[@matthewsmith2787]

What’s the sound interior noise like? Low road and wind noise

[@gammawaving]

Great review. For me the 1.5T petrol Focus is *very* close but no cigar - I don't trust cylinder deactivation (long-term wear) yet. And here in Australia the Focus is unpopular and therefore less supported over the long term. I'm leaning towards a less exciting i30 2.0L.

[@pauljohnson9326]

I take it this is titanium x spec ?

[@thanasisconstantinou7442]

Thumbs up for this complete and nicely presented video review. Could this new focus become a worthy rival of vw golf or even kia ceed in terms of body rigidity and ride quality?

[@rivervalegroup]

Thanks for the feedback, its great car with some noticeable improvements on the previous model.

[@thanasisconstantinou7442]

@@rivervalegroup Thank you a lot for the immediate response.

[@kimjongwin]

Looks like titanium option would be the best one

[@rivervalegroup]

Hi KimJongWins, It is a very popular variant for good reason 👍

[@ianwindley70]

never had any problems with my escort (1999 1.6 taxi with over 600000 miles)

[@lifeisfair8634]

Dude that's 900k km what the f*** ???

[@MarianDoruPopa]

@@lifeisfair8634 If you take care of your car all of them are reliable, plain simple, most leave them without regular inspections and blame it on the car...

[@pb5x5]

How can the boot be as small as 277 litres when a Ford Ka mark 3 is listed as being 270 litres? Is it possble Fords figures are wrong? Don't the estates get the better rear suspension too?

[@2010GRABOWSKI]

I will be buying this, should be a little different to my mk1 2ltr Ghia😋

[@rivervalegroup]

Its a great car, let us know how you find it

[@craham1]

perfect review! tnx 👍

[@rivervalegroup]

Thanks for the feedback Martin.

[@funnyfiveminutes]

What's the music used in the opening and during the different sections?

[@rivervalegroup]

We cant find it! Did you like or dislike it?

[@funnyfiveminutes]

I like it very much!

[@funnyfiveminutes]

I think I understand. You don't actually produce these videos. They are made by car and driving for businesses etc. I would have to direct my query to them.

[@rivervalegroup]

@@funnyfiveminutes That is correct, hope they can help you out.

[@timhartnell2472]

Hi, it's a track called "A Day in the City" from AKM Music.

[@ABPhotography1]

Reminds me of the old top gear car reviews before it all turned into a circus.

[@natural9743]

I drive a base model focus trend 2016 model and I luv it.

[@rivervalegroup]

Glad it's doing you well natural 9

[@kimjongwin]

I was reading that 1.0 eco engine has problems???

[@stevegordon5689]

I went for ST line purely for the front grill.The design on the focus just screams bollocks that'll do!

[@NigelRudyard]

It's better than the rather dated current Focs model I've tried, but I honestly prefer the i30 to either Ford or VW now. More refined and reliable. I agree with your review - it just smacks of cynical penny-pinching, not least in the decision to use those cheap plastics and torsion bar at the back.

[@johnmcneely56]

Agreed, the i30 and Kia Ceed both offer better value for money and a more comprehensive package overall. Thats why my next purchase is going be the i30 fastback.

[@johnmcneely56]

Agreed, the i30 and Kia Ceed both offer better value for money and a more comprehensive package overall. Thats why my next purchase is going be the i30 fastback.

[@NigelRudyard]

That's a very smart motor, John. I don't have anything against the Focus, but I think Ford are pretty mean when it comes to parcel out interior features (arm-rest is variant dependent, hard plastics dotted around the posher bits, etc.) and I used to buy vehicles for local authorities and police, and know how reliable Kia and Hyundai are compared.

[@johnmcneely56]

@@NigelRudyard Same here, nothing against Ford. I've actually been delaying my purchase until the Focus became available. I for one wont be forking out extra cash for features which are available as standard from other manufacturers.

[@NigelRudyard]

@@johnmcneely56 - no, it's actually a nice car - as OSV's review ably shows, but I think Hyundai, Kia and others have more than caught up. I was very impressed with the i30's refinement - and even the tiny i10 feels quiet and solid now.

[@fiasco348]

If you have a 2018 Ford Focus think twice about trading it. The 2019-2020 just put unnecessary junk in them like the stupid rotary gear selector.

[@danielleroux6490]

Just buy the excellent 6-speed manual transmission, which is one of the best gearboxes in the business. There, problem solved if you don't prefer the rotary gear shift.

[@jeremycubs8331]

This or Astra?

[@kevinparr4823]

Sorry I won't be buying a focus with this cylinder deactivation not until the the engine is proven to be reliable.... Any one remember the problems with the 1.0 ecoboost ....I'm yet to be convinced... And as for residual value.... Won't be good if the engine is only lasting 40'000 to 50'000 miles.. the Kia ceed with the simple 1.4, 4 cylinder engine ... And 7 year warranty...

[@rivervalegroup]

The Kia Ceed is a great car and with its 7 year warranty you cant go to far wrong. A great alternative choice.

[@kevinparr4823]

Throw Rowley never thought of it like that, but so true same problem with the RS engine it will always be a weak engine .... Good help this 1.5 thing with cylinder deactivation... And all you gain is 6% better fuel economy... And people who buy a fiesta st do NOT want a 2 cylinder engine ... I'm a ford man but don't like where ford is going at the moment...

[@AdamSmith-gs2dv]

@@rivervalegroup It's not, GM tried it in their trucks and it was an absolute disaster. In fact I would buy an EV over a car with stop start tech and cylinder deactivation...

[@jeremylister89]

Total OSV fan. I remain unconvinced that removal of a major control is a good idea. No handbrake on any focus model. Consider this scenario: 70mph and you have to stop quickly. You suffer total footbrake failure (Suzuki Celerio type scenario). What do you do? what happens when you engage the electric brake? Of course if you don't panic, have presence of mind and enough time, you will use the gears, and normally you'd feather the handbrake. That option has been taken away from you. So, what happens in this (very rare) situation? I also heard these things are too complex for the home mechanic to service or fix. Plus for those odd occasions, handbrake turns 😁are now impossible. What's the truth?

[@Matty12333]

Jeremy Lister What happens when the handbrake fails to disengage and you are stuck?

[@stephennoble2647]

Highly unlikely you'd suffer total brake failure? I've had 5 Ford Focus models since their release in 1998 and it's never happened yet. I don't particularly need the ability to do handbrake turns on my way to work, or to the shops. It's a family hatchback, not a rally car!!

[@jeremylister89]

@@stephennoble2647 It's the principle of removal I object to. The electric brake can be activated when requested by 'other systems' If you delve into the 10 pages of an i30 handbook, you'll quickly realise that it's controlled by the switch but also by a complex algorithm which is not fully explained. As the driver (who is supposed to be in full control of the vehicle), control is being taken away from you. You can't feather the handbrake, it might be applied when you don't want it applied, and is regularly integrated will hill start assist and is dependent on several sensors. It's become hugely more complex, and as we all know the more complex you make a system you increase the risk of failure. The person who 'controls' your cars electric brake behaviour is a programmer guided by a group of people who've decided probably years ago how that control algorithm will work. Do they get it right? Not always. Witness firmware updates on Golf SV to try to de-bug it.

[@stephennoble2647]

@@jeremylister89 I agree with you in principal. Myself, I do prefer a manually operated handbrake. However, it seems that a lot of manufacturers are going the same way with these electric handbrakes. Cars are changing and not always for the better. The days of the home mechanic are long gone...

[@jeremylister89]

@@stephennoble2647 I don't write code myself, but regularly work with them on electronic products. You're constantly refining the algorithms due to a bright idea or customer feedback. None of these are safety related issues, but if they were I can imagine 'robust discussions'. With the brake issue, as far as I'm aware there is no European or international standard for uniformity of operation across manufacturers, which probably doesn't help.

[@Matty12333]

Shame it has them electronic handbrakes

[@rivervalegroup]

It seems this is the route many manufactures are taking these days.

[@Matty12333]

OSV Nothing bests a proper leaver, and more reliable. Worst that can happen is it looses travel, and needs readjusting. The electronic ones have sensors, and motors which break can cost a lot of money to fix

[@jaromor8808]

the wheels are meh, especially compared to what Ford had offered 5-6 years ego on their cars

[@rivervalegroup]

Hi Jaroslav, thanks for the feedback. Their are different wheel options on the ST-Line, ST Line-X and Zetech models which you may prefer.

[@Matty12333]

Ford has taken a step back on design, 2008 till around 2012 is when they had good design

[@14energy]

Im going for ST line trim,150 ps

[@rivervalegroup]

@@14energy Feel free to contact our sales team for a free quote and comparisons against alternatives here >> www.osv.ltd.uk/contact-us/

[@timjenkins8538]

Love the new styling but it is far too expensive and out of the reach for most families

[@rivervalegroup]

Hi Tim, There are some great cars at a lower price range, yesterday we uploaded a video of the new Kia Ceed kzbin.info/www/bejne/oHqbh4WijbKWrbc

[@Matty12333]

All new cars are expensive now, gone are the days where you can get a new car for around £16,000

[@davidgreenwood5241]

Soon to be discontinued

[@reefbloke]

It’s got the looks and body line that only a mother could love, o dear. It looks like Godzilla has stamped on an early 2000’s Mazda.

[@alecboyyes]

I can see what they were going for, but having seen one or two on the roads the design doesn't seem to flow as it should.

[@AdamSmith-gs2dv]

Isnt this made in China? Yeah sorry not buying a Chinese car I'll stick with my 4runner which was made in Japan

[@rivervalegroup]

Hi Adam, Its not made in China. You might be surprised where they are made. We have actually made a video on the Ford Focus (Chassis, transmission and engine). Have a look www.osv.ltd.uk/what-are-the-consequences-of-brexit-for-the-car-industry/#new-car

[@alanjm1234]

It's made in Germany

[@condorman-jd9xd]

Saarlouis & Valencia

[@scotiajinker8392]

Totally bland , the type of car you would lose in a parking lot .. and the front number plate looks an after thought.

[@crismam1531]

my god how boring.... couldnt go past the 10 min mark...

[@babakvelamkon]

Very very ugly design. It doesn’t look like American design. More looks like a crappy China design. Don’t know , maybe more like stupid Kia or i30 design. Focus use to be beautiful but this is just shit

[@justenough730]

It's best, it's still a Ford which means junk

[@rivervalegroup]

Hi Dan, thanks for the comment. What would you chose as an alternative?

[@alecboyyes]

My 2003 Mk1 is still going strong at nearly 132,000 miles. Had some of the common issues with that model but otherwise hasn't cost much over the 4.5 years I've owned it.

[@rivervalegroup]

@@alecboyyes We still see so many on the road so they can't have gone that wrong :)

[@alecboyyes]

@@rivervalegroup Indeed, there were four of us in close proximity on the way to work this morning. I keep wondering how much longer it will last as age-related gremlins are starting to show, but it costs me virtually nothing on an annual basis compared to a new car on lease, or a newer car I'd have to run for several years for the annual average cost to be so low. The 1.6 also returns 42-45mpg so it's not much more on fuel than so called newer eco engines. Can't speak for newer Focus models, but Ford by and large got the Mk1 right.

[@Matty12333]

alecboyyes All fords, especially the fiesta and focus are very reliable cars.

[@z00h]

What a dull colour, it really made it looking horrible! Jeez, Ford is trying really hard to put off potential buyers from shortlisting it, presumably waiting to kill it off from their lineup because it doesn't sell.

[@xIcarus227]

The Focus is one of the best selling cars in Europe, what are you even on about lmao?

[@z00h]

@@xIcarus227 a) it's not, you might want to verify your stats b) that has no correlation to it being dull as dishwater (literally in this colour it looks like it).

[@xIcarus227]

@@z00h 1. www.best-selling-cars.com/europe/2018-half-year-europe-best-selling-carmakers-brands-and-models/ quit your bullshit, in H1 2018 the Focus was the 11th most popular car in Europe. and this is right before the MK4 release when low sales were expected because everyone knew it was going to get replaced soon. last time a new Focus was released, it hit the top 5 spots. 2. I don't care if you like the color or not, I replied to your sales 'argument'. and believe it or not, you can actually buy the car in a different color. I know, shocking right?

[@Matty12333]

Frozen white would look good. On a lot of car reviews they often choose bland colours

[@Cougarsamurai]

Waiting patiently for the proper ST versions. :)

[@rivervalegroup]

So are we!