Not long after its international debut in April, Ford Australia has given initial details of its all new 2019 Ford Focus range. Sitting on the company’s new C2 platform, the new Focus introduces a number of firsts for the nameplate in Australia, including the introduction of the wagon bodystyle.
The 2019 Focus will also be equipped with a new eight-speed automatic transmission across the range, as well as a new 134kW/240Nm 1.5-litre turbocharged three-cylinder engine – the same torque but with more power than the current four-cylinder unit. The 2019 Ford Focus goes on sale in Australia in November 2018.
“The all-new Focus is a clean sheet design, offering customers the latest EcoBoost technology and adds a significant amount of new convenience and driver assistance features to the range,” said Ford Australia President and CEO, Kay Hart.
“From Autonomous Emergency Braking with Pedestrian detection across the range to the new B&O Play audio system on Titanium, we are confident the expanded Focus line-up will have broad customer appeal.”
The 2019 Ford Focus lineup is also different to the current model. The entry point to the range for now sits the Trend, a new model called ST-Line replaces the Sport in the middle of the range with the Titanium once again sitting atop the local lineup. Hotter ST and RS models, as well as the faux-SUV Active will arrive later in 2019.
Regardless of model chosen however, the 2019 Ford Focus range is better equipped than ever, though pricing is still yet to be revealed. The whole range is equipped with autonomous emergency braking with nighttime pedestrian detection and even cyclist detection, as well as lane departure warning and lane keep assist – an admirable move from the company.
The 2019 Ford Focus Trend is also equipped with 16-inch alloy wheels, front and rear foglamps, an electric handbrake, automatic headlights and wipers, an 8.0-inch touchscreen with Ford’s Sync3 infotainment system, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, inbuilt satellite navigation with live traffic updates, climate control and an eight-speed automatic with a rotary controller.
Step up to the ST-Line, and the wagon bodystyle is available for the first time in Australia – a move we very much welcome. The ST-Line is further equipped with 17-inch alloy wheels, dual-zone climate control, a sportier-looking exterior with a honeycomb grille and front, side and rear skirting, sports suspension, a flat-bottomed steering wheel with red stitching, as well as wireless phone charging.
Sitting atop the local lineup for now is the Titanium, which is positioned as the sports luxury Focus competing with cars such as the Volkswagen Golf Highline, Holden Astra RS-V, Mazda 3 SP25 Astina and Hyundai i30 SR Premium. The Focus Titanium offers LED headlights with automatic high beam, LED daytime running lights, sequential LED indicators, adaptive cruise control with stop and go functionality, blind-spot monitoring with rear traffic alert, leather upholstery and a 675-watt B&O Play sound system with a subwoofer.
The 2019 Ford Focus now sits on Ford’s new C2 platform. 88kg has been cut from the kerb weight of the car, yet its length has increased in the wheelbase by 53mm for increased interior space. The C2 platform has allowed for superior front load crash capability by up to 40 percent over the previous model, and torsional rigidity has been increased by 20 percent. Keen drivers will note that no new Focus hatchback will come with independent rear suspension – though all wagon and hotter variants of the hatchback will.
In 2019, the Focus range will be joined by a further new variants including the Active faux-SUV to compete with the Subaru XV and Nissan Qashqai, hot hatch ST and RS variants, as well as a sedan bodystyle and possibly an Ambiente entry level model to lower the entry price to appeal to more buyers. We also hope that a manual variant is offered – at least the sporty ST-Line.
The 2019 Ford Focus range goes on sale in Australia in November 2018, with pricing and full specifications to be confirmed before then. Ford Australia is no doubt looking forward to the new model reaching our shores as Focus sales are down 16.8 percent to 2,698 units so far in 2018 – way off sales leaders such as the Toyota Corolla (19,343 units) and aforementioned Mazda 3 (17,090) and Hyundai i30 (14,980).
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