All-new Ford Focus - The cleverest family car ever?

Ford's “all new” Focus really is all-new.

The Focus was designed from scratch to make it look sportier while also having more room inside for people and luggage. Ford also packed it with more clever new tech than any other mid-size family car, to help drivers be less stressed and more confident on the road, and make the Focus even easier to use day-to-day.

Stress-busting features include the ability to follow the car in front at a safe distance and automatically pull away again even if traffic comes to a complete stop. The tech also gently steers to help keep the car comfortably in the centre of its lane, and reads speed signs to help you stay within the legal limit, even if the car ahead does not.

In the dark, new lighting technology sees curves in the road up to 65 metres ahead, as well as road signs to tell if you’re approaching a junction or roundabout, and adjusts the headlamp beam before you get there for better visibility.

A new fighter jet-style Head-up display projects useful information into the lower windscreen, making it easier to keeps eyes on the road. And we’ve improved out hands-free parking tech too. Now you can just hold down a button and the car will control gears, accelerator, brakes and steering to slot you hassle-free into parallel spaces or side-by-side with other cars.

Ford's tech experts didn’t stop there. A Wireless charging pad means compatible devices can be effortlessly charged by placing them on a mat in the centre console, so you can wave goodbye to storing a tangle of USB cables in the car. Mobile devices stay connected to the SYNC 3 entertainment system while they charge, so they can be controlled using simple voice commands or pinch and swipe gestures on the 8-inch touchscreen.

And the FordPass Connect onboard modem turn the Focus into a mobile Wi-Fi hotspot for up to 10 devices – great for streaming music through the premium B&O PLAY sound system. Using the FordPass app, FordPass Connect even lets drivers remotely check their fuel levels or defrost the car from the comfort of bed on cold mornings.

The new Focus goes on sale later this year with a bigger range of models than ever, including the upscale Focus Vignale, Ford Performance-inspired Focus ST-line, and the first ever Focus Active with rugged styling and a higher driving position inspired by sports-utility vehicles.

Whether it’s the five-door hatchback or the larger wagon with space in the boot for a full-size dog-carrying crate, our new Focus is the most fun family car to drive helped by – you guessed it – clever tech. Drive Modes can make the car more sporty, more comfortable or more fuel-efficient at the push of a button, and intelligent suspension can even detect potholes for smoother journeys.

Joe Bakaj, vice president, Product Development, Ford of Europe.

“The chance to build a completely new car from a fresh piece of paper does not come around often. We grabbed it with both hands, to develop the best mid-size family car that money can buy.”

See more from the Focus reveal, or more Ford Focus stories

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