, , Price and equipment , , THE Ambiente is available as both a sedan and hatch for $20,290 plus on-road costs when fitted with a five-speed manual gearbox. , , This compares to top-selling rivals such as the Toyota Corolla Ascent (from $19,990), Holden Cruze CD ($21,490), Hyundai i30 Active ($20,990) and Volkswagen Golf 77TSI ($21,990)., , Standard equipment includes 16-inch steel wheels with a space-saver spare, Sync voice recognition, a 3.5-inch display with USB and Bluetooth streaming, a trip computer and manual air conditioning. , , Cruise control is the most obvious omission, with most rivals now featuring the convenience feature as standard. , , The small-car segment that counts the Focus as a key member is a notoriously tough nut to crack, with a vast array of brands and plenty of options at this price point. One in five cars sold in Australia competes in this part of the market. , , Interior , , WE found the Ambiente’s cabin a mixed bag, combining excellent ergonomics with an overly fussy overall design. , , Slide into the cloth seats (with a short base) and you are faced with an odd assortment of buttons and dials – the Focus dash is the definition of ‘busy’.

Higher-specified version get a simpler fascia with classy gloss-black highlights instead., , The plastics feel inexpensive but are well screwed together and not liable to scratch, and while we welcome the use of soft-touch plastics on the dash-top, we bemoan their absence on the door trim. , , The seat has plenty of manual adjustment, and the rake/reach steering wheel makes it easy to find a good driving position. Likewise, the steering-wheel buttons are simple to navigate (although the wheel itself feels cheap)., , The lack of cruise control is an important omission – most rivals offer it – but the Ford is the only small-car in this price bracket with such a thorough voice-recognition system (it controls audio, phone and other media), and the quality and clarity of the sound system is excellent. , , The cabin has plenty of storage space and hidey holes, including a large console, deep glovebox and handy rear seat cubbies, although the practicality is hindered by the lack of a fold-down rear-seat armrest. , , Rear seat legroom and headroom is decent, with room for two adults or a third at a pinch, while the deep but narrow boot can hold 316 litres with the rear seats in place. , , While the rear pews fold 60:40, they do not sit flat with the floor as they do in the clever Honda Civic hatch, for instance, and the loading area is less even and spacious as a result. , , Engine and transmission , , THE Ambiente is the sole member of the Australian Focus range to feature a 1.6-litre naturally aspirated four-cylinder engine. Step up the price sheet and you get either 125kW/202Nm 2.0 petrol or 120kW/340Nm 2.0 diesel engines. , , The powertrain produces lower-than-average outputs for the class, with 92kW at 6300rpm and 159Nm at 4000rpm on tap. This is mated to either the five-speed manual gearbox tested here or a six-speed Powershift dual-clutch automatic. , , The engine is a battler, but lacks the top-end huff of the Volkswagen’s much smaller (but force-inducted) 1.2-litre turbo, while most of its rival’s naturally aspirated engines have larger displacements of 1.8 – 2.0-litres and somewhere above 100kW of power. , , At 1339 kilos, the Focus is no heavyweight, but the small engine still needs to be worked – expect to down-shift on hills, for instance. , , To Ford’s credit, the Ambiente remains relatively refined, pointing to good sound-deadening, and the claimed fuel-use figure of 6.2 litres per 100km (91 RON petrol) is achievable with caution. We averaged 7.5L/100km on our mixed test route, but drove with some gusto. , , The gearbox has a pleasant shift action and a well modulated clutch take-up, and the hill-start assist takes all the drama out of steep hills by stopping roll-back (no hand-brake starts required here). , , However, that lack of top-end puff and the lack of a sixth ratio in an era when most rivals have one means the Focus is less relaxed at cruise than most. We were sitting at close to 3000rpm at 100km/h., , Ride and handling , , IT’S here where the Focus shines, because even in base trim its compromise between a supple ride and nimble handling is right at the top of the class. Few cars at the price are blessed with such a chassis. , , It takes only a roundabout to establish the Ford’s dynamic gifts, with the car displaying a sharp and balanced turn-in with very little understeer. Indeed, keeping momentum up is the biggest challenge, and we know from our experiences with the hot 184kW Focus ST just what this chassis can handle., , The ride is also excellent, handling minor corrugations and larger obstacles such as speed bumps in a relaxed and smooth manner. There is also very little in the way of tyre roar emanating from the slim 205/60 tyres. , , On the downside, Ford’s electric power steering is too light and devoid of feel and feedback, which removes a level of driver involvement from the process. , , You may wonder whether the average buyer cares about this, and the answer is ambivalent. , , However, we feel that the Focus’ highly competent chassis deserves to be complemented by similarly excellent steering, and right now it isn’t. , , Safety and servicing , , ALL Focus variants score the maximum five NCAP stars and come standard with six airbags, stability and traction control, brake assist, emergency brake lights, hill-start assist and ISOFIX compatible child seat attachments. , , The Focus is covered by a three-year/100,000km warranty, as well as Ford’s six-year/105,000km capped-price servicing deal, with intervals of either 12 months or 15,000km, whichever comes first. , , The maximum cost of each service varies between $320 and $455 (five out of six intervals are the minimum amount, the 60,000km service is the higher). , , Verdict , , TAKEN as a complete range, the Focus is one of our favourite small-car options on the market. However, there’s little doubt the Ambiente tested here is the weak link. , , Its underpowered engine fails to extract the best out of the excellent chassis, and the absence of cruise control is a massive bugbear. , , In our opinion, the extra $2000 asked for the better-equipped and more powerful Trend is money well spent. , , Rivals , , 1. Hyundai i30 Active: From $20,990 plus on-road costs. . The chic i30 features class-leading levels of equipment and a long warranty, making it a great showroom proposition. It’s not as polished dynamically as the Focus, though. , , 2. Mazda3 Neo: From $20,330 plus on-road costs. Australia’s favourite car is a nippy and well-equipped little hatch, let down by tight rear legroom and a lack of noise suppression., , 3. Toyota Corolla Ascent: From $19,990 plus on-road costs. The new-generation model launched late last year is surprisingly fun to drive, and should be a bulletproof ownership proposition. It’s interior feels a bit cheap, though. , , Specs , , Make and model: Ford Focus Ambiente
, Engine type: 1.6-litre petrol four-cylinder
, Layout: FWD
, Power: 92kW @ 6300rpm
, Torque: 159kW @ 4000rpm
, Transmission: Five-speed manual
, Fuel consumption: 6.2L/100km
, CO2 rating: 145g/km
, Dimensions: 4534 mm long/2010 mm wide/1484 mm high/2648 mm wheelbase
, Suspension: Independent MacPherson
struts/Independent Control Blade multi-link , Steering: Electric
, Price: From $20,290