My week with the new Ford Focus

If you hadn´t guessed it already, we are big Ford fans! With all their new technology, the latest cars and SUV´s from the American motor company just keep getting “greener“. You can now rest assured you are driving a more environmentally friendly car without having to fork out for a more expensive hybrid – which is ultimately the greener choice but often an unaffordable, unrealistic choice for many South African drivers.

The new Focus 2.0 GDi Sport is sexy, strong, dependable and has all the mod-cons a girl could ask for! Heated seats, keyless entry and drive (perfect for someone like me who can never find the bloody car key in the bottom of my bag, whilst carrying about 5 shopping bags and a cup of Vida!). All you do, provided you have the actual key in your bag, is just pull the handle and all the doors unlock! The car also has stop-start functionality so if you are idling in traffic and your foot is off the clutch, the engine actually switches off, conserving energy and fuel. I drove the petrol version and must admit I did find it slightly heavy on fuel. CO2 emissions for the GDi stand at 156g/km with a fuel economy of 6.7.

But boy does this car go. I hate to say it, being a green gal and all, but i do like.to.drive.FAST! So the GDi was a real treat when compared with my 1.4. I had no problem navigating the twists and turns of De Waal drive or Ou Kaapse Weg for that matter. One thing I did pick up on, was that people notice this car. At the lights, pedestrians would do a double take and guys would try and dice me on take off – this may also have something to do with the mustard olive tinge to the vehicle 😉 But it definitely got a lot of likes, after dinner with friends I drove a couple of them around the block and they noted that the back seats are really roomy with loads of space to stretch the legs. Ladies, there is also ample boot space in this baby. The one thing it could have more of, is storage space in the front. The great thing about Ford is that most of the mod cons come standard on this model.

This car is also really safe. It hugs the road effortlessly and if you have to brake sharply the entertainment system turns the volume on the stereo down automatically. You almost get the feeling you are in a bigger car than you actually are which made me feel secure on the road. It´s a pity I have 3 big hounds to transport around the show otherwise the new Ford Focus would definitely be on my wish list!

For our last journey together I took her to my favourite spot in Cape Town, Cape Point and surrounds. It´s really rustic and I find the drive out there therapeutic as the roads are never usually too busy during the week. As we glided into Scarborough we were met by the biggest troop of urban baboons I have ever seen, maybe they were attracted by the mustard olive!? Slowly we wound our way down to the rocky beaches of Misty Cliffs, watched a few sets come in and then said our goodbyes. Unfortunately I had the car for one of the busiest weeks for liveeco as things are really hotting up with Avant Garde with the show on the 19th, otherwise I would have loved to have had the opportunity to take her on a longer trip up the coast as it is just such a pleasure driving this beauty. Electric seats, lumbar support… need I say more!

The troop

Perfectly at home next to the surf mobiles