Ford’s only Focus wagon and other trim level hatches have been culled.
Ford has dropped four of its seven Focus trims just 18 months after launching the small car in Australia.
Notable removals include top-spec Titanium hatchback and the ST-Line wagon – the only wagon in the range. The revised lineup leaves just three hatchback models to choose from: ST-Line, Active, and the new ST hot hatch.
As we reported earlier this year, Ford was already assessing the viability of the Focus range not long after its introduction.
Pricing for both ST-Line and Active will be $30,990 before on-roads when launched later this year, with the ST costing $44,690 plus on-roads. That is a price rise to ST-Line and Active of $1500 and $500 respectively, though both gain equipment and revisions.
The ST-Line is the biggest beneficiary of the 2021 update, seeing the inclusion of more sophisticated multi-link rear suspension system found in the outgoing ST-Line wagon, and also shared by the ST and Active. It means there is no longer any torsion-beam Focus models in the range – a good thing, given our testing has found the multi-link to provide better ride and handling.
Both ST-Line and Active hatchbacks also gain LED headlights and new Ford Pass Connect technology which uses an embedded modem to communicate with a mobile phone app for services such as remotely locking and unlocking the car from anywhere, changing certain settings (such as turning on the climate control) and booking services.
At the top of the range, the ST hatchback which has only recently gone on sale will continue in the current specification and will miss out on Ford Pass Connect.
The new lineup will be effective from December this year, meaning if you want a Focus wagon, you’ll need to act quickly.
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First the Mondeo is dropped in wagon form and now the focus! What a sorry state of affairs.
They should change their name to Fraud, seriously why do they even bother making cars. They don’t want to, they only want to sell SUV’s. They are abandoning performance, and how long before they kill off the Focus entirely, especially the ST. Soon we’ll only have the Mustang. Word is GM is killing off the Camaro, no new model coming. America retreating behind Trump’s great wall of stupidity.