In creating the 2015 Focus, Ford developed the existing model rather than starting again from a blank computer screen. Both the hatchback and the estate tested here are therefore structurally identical to their immediate predecessors, so some of what follows will come as little surprise to existing owners.
In terms of practicality - the main reason for buying the estate rather than the hatch - there is essentially no difference at all. A wide and deep tailgate opens to reveal a luggage compartment with a volume of 476 litres, or 1,516 litres if you fold down the rear seats.
These figures assume that the car has a space saver spare wheel. You can add 14 litres to both of them, but that involves ditching the spare and using a tyre repair kit instead, and you don't want to do that. Unlike the hatch, the estate is not available with a full-sized spare.
The larger body style doesn't affect the driving experience to any great extent, but your choice of wheels does. The standard size for the top-level Titanium X is 17 inches, and that's fine. Our test car, however, was fitted with 18-inchers (part of the Appearance Pack 2 option which costs £450 and also includes rear privacy glass).
I can't emphasise enough what a bad idea it is to put 18-inch wheels on a Focus. They, or rather the 40-section tyres fitted to them, do the gravest damage to the car's ride quality, which in other circumstances is excellent. A more minor objection is that they sharpen up the turn-in, which isn't a bad thing itself but contrasts with the car's more leisurely behaviour in mid-corner. Save your money and stick with the 17-inch wheels.
The test car's 1.5-litre TDCi diesel engine is new and, apart from the clatter it makes before it's fully warmed up, it's a splendid unit. Maximum power is 118bhp, top speed is 120mph and 0-62mph takes 10.5 seconds. You might want better performance, but you don't need it.
The official combined fuel economy and CO2 emissions are spectacular at 74.3mpg and 98g/km respectively. The latter figure means you don't have to pay Vehicle Excise Duty. The former should be treated with caution. In the course of a week I didn't get much better than 50mpg despite using the performance potential only rarely.
The price jump from hatchback to estate is quite steep at £2,000, and with the diesel engine and high trim level the list price of this car is £24,095 without options. (Soberingly, you could have a Focus ST for that, though it's unlikely that anyone will found themselves torn between buying one or the other.) As standard, you get equipment that you jolly well should for the price, such as adaptive front lighting, part-leather upholstery, powered door mirrors, air-conditioning, cruise control, DAB digital radio, the SYNC2 connectivity system and heating for the front seats and windscreen.
You can have a heated windscreen for an extra £95. Other upgrades include a Blind Spot Information system for what seems a rather high £525, a key-free system for £250, door edge protectors for £85, a Driver Assistance Pack (lane departure warning, lane keeping aid, traffic sign recognition, driver alert and automatic high beam) for £450 and satellite navigation for £250.
The vocal instructions on the last of these can be a little vague, but the graphics on the central eight-inch touchscreen, while not quite the most attractive on the market, are a big improvement over the much more basic ones found in the last Focus.
