Ford Focus Flexible Fuel Vehicle 1.8-litre 5dr Review
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The Ford Focus Flexi Fuel Vehicle (FFV) runs on both petrol and bioethanol -- a fuel often considered much cleaner than fossil fuels because the plants used to make it suck carbon dioxide from the atmosphere during the growing process. The 1.8-litre FFV engine, however, is not that kind to the atmosphere, however, emitting 169g/km of carbon dioxide -- that's relatively high for a small family hatchback.
The Focus FFV is not that economical either. Official combined figures say you'll get 40.3mpg but during our test the car's trip computer told us that we averaged no more than 28mpg. Then there's the problem with fuel supply, because there are only a handful of filling stations that stock E85 (a blend of 85 per cent bioethanol and 15 per cent petrol) in the UK.
There's also the controversy surrounding biofuels' overall eco impact. So how green is bioethanol? According to a Science-published report, the sugar-based version of the fuel produces less than 50 per cent of the greenhouse gas emissions of petrol, but has a negligble but slightly worse overall environmental impact.
There is light at the end of the tunnel for supply at least, as British Sugar has opened a plant in Norfolk to turn an annual 110,000 tonnes of sugar beet into fuel. The facility is capable of producing around 15 million gallons of bioethanol so we may see many more filling stations stocking it in the future.
Britain's first bioethanol production plant in Wissington, Norfolk
On the surface, the FFV Focus appears to be the best eco-friendly hatchback, but you might want to sit tight and wait for Ford's new Econetic Focus, which will be available in spring. The Econetic range will be extended to the larger Mondeo and the new Fiesta later in 2008, and the idea is to appeal to car-buyers who want to cut their road tax bill, improve fuel economy and do their bit for the environment.
This new range makes a hell of a lot of sense since the Econetic model emits considerably less carbon dioxide than the FFV and it delivers better fuel economy. The highly efficient 1.6-litre Duratorq TDCi diesel on the Econetic will deliver an average of 65.7mpg and C02 emissions of only 115g/km, which puts the FFV well into the shade. Of course, a diesel engine also emits more localised pollution in the form of nitrogen oxides and particulates. But if you consider the purchase price alone, it's hard to justify buying an FFV -- the Econetic range starts at £11,945, whereas the cheapest Focus FFV, the Style, will set you back almost £3,000 more.
In short, the FFV is more expensive to buy and costlier to tax and run than the Econetic. You may think that in the long term the bioethanol car is a cheaper option because you'll pay 5p a litre less for bioethanol at the pump, but you only get the best mpg when you run the FFV on petrol.
It's hard to fault the Ford Focus as a day-to-day form of transport, and the FFV is no different from the standard petrol or diesel versions. It's great to drive: smooth around town and pretty much unbeatable in terms of handling on the open road. The chassis is taut and positive around corners, yet smooth and compliant when you are cruising on motorways.
The Focus is also a wonderfully adaptable machine, and you won't feel short-changed when you are sitting in it because the cabin quality is excellent -- you certainly don't get the feeling that bits are about to fall off. The engine is smooth and rarely flustered, but you do get quite a bit of wind noise at motorway speeds.
At a company level, we respect the cut of Ford's ethical jib. This particular Focus is made in a Valencia factory in Spain that meets ISO standards 9001 and 14001 for quality and environmental management, and workers are covered by a rigorous (on paper) Ford code of conduct. The car-maker also publishes a CSR report that's comprehensive and impressive in the data it publishes, even by automotive standards. One point worth noting is the company's worker fatalities rose to 6 in 2006, from 2 or 3 in previous years -- though at least Ford is open enough to publish that.
A good eco mark on Ford's record is that it's the first car company to allergy test its cars' interiors. The British Allergy Foundation has given Ford its "Seal of Approval" for avoiding materials like chrome, nickel and latex and for dermatologically testing fabrics and coverings.
So the verdict's a mixed bag. This car is innovative, has the potential to cut your driving carbon footprint and makes for a good everyday drive. However, the shadow of the imminent Econetic Focus and the lack of widespread bioethanol fuelling stations means this is one purchase you might want to delay -- unless you happen to luckily live near one of the stations.
Edited by Marian Smith
Quality
Value
Ethics
Green
