Aside from its slightly awkward-looking front end styling, there was little to deter hatchback buyers from going for a Ford Focus. The revised model addresses some other minor issues the previous model has and most importantly it gets a smart new grille that’s miles better than before.

There are also new turbocharged engines to choose from, both petrol and diesel, and if you opt for the larger 1.5-liter turbo petrol, it gets a resonator just like the ST and it pumps exhaust rumble back into the cabin.

Plus there’s also its longtime forte, its driving dynamics and manners. These are better than ever now, thanks to an intelligent stability program that you can no longer feel kicking in – the chassis is good too, but this new system makes fast cornering very easy.

As far as its practical attributes go, well, the Focus is kind of in the middle of the pack in its class. It can neither sit three in the back in complete comfort and it also trails rivals for boot space, as you’ll learn in the CarBuyer review posted below.

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