Ford made a rugged version of the regular Focus, the hatchback, which was supposed to come to America next year. But due to the "tariffs war" with China, where it's going to be built, the import isn't happening.
Europe meanwhile is making an Active version of the Focus Tourer wagon, which has been spotted for the first time this week. It features a familiar array of body cladding elements, as well as two new bumpers that don't match the rest of the body in color.
This isn't a high-volume model, but Ford wants to make the Focus the top segment contender in Europe, and that means offering an alternative to the Skoda Octavia Scout. We could also mention the Leon X-Perience and Golf Alltrack, but they are nowhere near as popular.
Yes, the suspension is 30mm taller than on the regular Focus Tourer, but the overall profile is that of a sleek family car. The rugged exterior cladding is supposed to be backed up by new suspension geometry and underbody cladding.
Of course, the big question of "will it have AWD?" remains, seeing as all those VW Group models we mentioned offer it almost as standard. The Focus platform theoretically allows for that to happen, which combined with a powerful diesel engine could make this a great towing car.
Engine choices for the Active Tourer should also include the 1.0 and 1.5-liter gasoline turbo unit. And since buyers for these models are typically older, offering an automatic gearbox for the sake of comfort is recommended. Heck, the Leon X-Perience only has two manual versions.
Since the development of this model isn't that complicated, expect to see it debut as early as the 2019 Geneva Motor Show.
This isn't a high-volume model, but Ford wants to make the Focus the top segment contender in Europe, and that means offering an alternative to the Skoda Octavia Scout. We could also mention the Leon X-Perience and Golf Alltrack, but they are nowhere near as popular.
This car is a contradiction, but will it have AWD?
Ford's decision to ditch most of its car models in the U.S. allowed the company to focus more on crossovers and SUVs. But the Focus Active wagon is a middle finger to those things because it deliberately targets people who never want to drive a tall vehicle.Yes, the suspension is 30mm taller than on the regular Focus Tourer, but the overall profile is that of a sleek family car. The rugged exterior cladding is supposed to be backed up by new suspension geometry and underbody cladding.
Of course, the big question of "will it have AWD?" remains, seeing as all those VW Group models we mentioned offer it almost as standard. The Focus platform theoretically allows for that to happen, which combined with a powerful diesel engine could make this a great towing car.
Engine choices for the Active Tourer should also include the 1.0 and 1.5-liter gasoline turbo unit. And since buyers for these models are typically older, offering an automatic gearbox for the sake of comfort is recommended. Heck, the Leon X-Perience only has two manual versions.
Since the development of this model isn't that complicated, expect to see it debut as early as the 2019 Geneva Motor Show.