Focus Showdown: 1.0 ecoboost Sizes up Against 1.6TDCi in Economy Battle

As our friends across the pond have always said, there ain’t no replacement for displacement. There is certainly some truth to this statement; though it is taken more literally in the old US of A. Unfortunately the spiralling cost of oil has had a severe affect on our love affair with the internal combustion engine and big capacity motors are quickly falling out of favour with your average buyer; even in the US. Ford have been quick to recognise this and developed a range of small, turbo charged petrol engines which are said to offer the best combination of performance and economy. So confident are they that they’ve slotted the smallest version - a 998cc, 3 cylinder petrol - under the bonnet of Fiestas, Focuses and Mondeos. But can a 1.0 engine really work in anything other than a supermini? To find out, we tested the petrol and diesel version of the venerable Focus back to back.  

The defending champion, flying the flag for diesel, is the 1.6TDCi producing 105bhp and boasting an impressive 76.4mpg. Tested here in Zetec trim level it offers a generous list of equipment including keyless entry and starting, stop/start, cruise control, SYNC voice control, Bluetooth, dual zone climate control, alloy wheels and front fog lights. That long list is by no means exhaustive and the £18,445 car is certainly well appointed.

Once fathomed, this interior is quite workable

Petrol is represented with the revolutionary 1.0 ecoboost, again tested in Zetec specification. Weighing in at £17,095 the petrol gets off to a good start on price but looses out to the diesel on economy with only 58.9mpg and a CO2 rating of 109g/km as opposed to the diesel’s mere 99g/km although both boast being free to tax. Performance is another victory for the diesel too. The petrol scampers to 60mph in 12.5 seconds and reaches a terminal velocity of 115mph. By contrast the diesel will edge past the petrol at 116mph and reach 60mph in marginally quicker 11.8 seconds.

Power plant looks lost in engine bay

On paper figures never tell the full story though and it is how these cars deal with real world scenarios that make the difference so let’s take a look at the petrol. Approaching the car from the outside, there is nothing to give away the puny engine hidden within. As already mentioned, the Zetec trim level gives a good level of toys and the well appointed interior is a pleasant place to sit once you have stumbled your way through the ergonomic nightmare that is the infotainment system. Build quality falls some way behind that of the Germans and is most noticeable with the fixtures and fittings like the indicator stalks, but on the whole the Focus as a package is a solid, practical family car.

After years of turning a key to start the engine it seems strange to only press a button but it isn’t something that you wouldn’t get use to over time. Driving around town the petrol behaves in just the same way as a bigger capacity engine. Indeed, I was shocked by just how much torque was available as I was expecting to have to utilise every last revolution to make any progress at all. Not so, this little engine pulls eagerly, with only a hint of turbo lag, throughout the rev range. Once out of town, and free of the suburban constraints, I open the taps and explore the performance on offer. The little Focus zings and thrums its way up the rev range with a pleasant soundtrack. The sound is one of the defining characteristics of this car. It sounds glorious and soon becomes totally addictive as you hold off changing gear just to hear the engine sing.

With only 105bhp the petrol isn’t, and never will be, a quick car. Rather than being a drawback however, it actually means that you can make the most of the aural delights and really enjoy the engine and all it has to offer. On the motorway the little petrol again once again surprises with its ability to keep up and accelerate reasonably at and beyond the national speed limit should you ever venture to the autobahn. During my time with this car I was forever being challenged about how a 1300kg car with a 998cc engine ought to perform. It goes against everything you’ve ever previously thought. From behind the wheel, aside from the noise, it is hard to tell that it isn’t a 1.6 petrol under the curvaceous bonnet.

Petrol or diesel? 

Jumping from the petrol to the diesel there aren’t any immediate changes aside from fewer numbers on the left hand dial. The oil burner is confirmed though on the press of the START button as the diesel rumbles to life and settles to idle. From there, the changes become more apparent. The diesel doesn’t rev as readily but has more low down torque and less turbo lag. The diesel also lacks a musical soundtrack like the petrol. But, despite the similar performance figures, the diesel is much livelier and quicker; noticeably so on twisty B-roads where it has the power to punch between bends. Moreover the gearbox - with 6 ratios against the petrol’s 5 - is much smoother and sweeter to the touch.

Focus in red

The Focus chassis is well set up for UK roads in both the petrol and the diesel with masses of grip and ample suspension travel to deal with undulations in the road surface. Unlike the Fiesta however, it doesn’t offer the sufficient steering feedback and I never felt like I could really use the full potential of either the petrol or the diesel as a result. It’s a real shame because underneath the numb (though not as numb as some rivals like Vauxhall’s Astra) steering is a willing and capable chassis just begging to be let loose and fully exploited. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, Ford do know how to make a car handle. 

The crucial question here though is; which is best? The fundamentals of both models are the same so whichever fuel you choose you’ll get a well appointed, ergonomically disastrous, cabin made from durable plastics. The seats offer plenty of adjustment and support and the boot is ample but some way off the class leaders. The styling is subjective and though the Focus has grown considerably over the years it is an enticing and playful piece of design. So the choice between the two comes down to the drivetrain alone.

This is the diesel version

For me it would have to be the petrol. Before you’ve even left the forecourt you’ve saved nearly £1,500. Running costs are similar too with both cars qualifying for free road tax and neither being particularly thirsty; particularly when you take into account the difference in price between the green and black at the petrol station. But my choice goes beyond practicalities. Driving is a necessary evil but by slotting in a cheeky little engine, Ford has created a mundane family car that is actually a real hoot to drive on every journey. I simply didn’t tire of revving the little engine all the way up through the rev range just to hear the little 3 cylinder sing. It really engages with the driver in a way that the diesel simply can’t hope to compete with. Only the gearbox really let the car down but the Focus 1.0 is an intoxicating mix of race car feel and shopping trolley usability.

This is the petrol version - can you tell?

In a time of ever increasing power outputs the ability to regularly exercise your car’s full ability is often few and far between with serious consequences with The Law should you be caught on camera but with the Focus 1.0 you can slip into Aryton Senna’s mindset on the school run - its brilliant!