Ford Focus options – which should you buy?

The Ford Focus is one of the most popular cars on our roads. With the likes of the Volkswagen Golf and Mazda 3 providing such stern opposition in the family car segment, it’s no surprise it’s long been such a talented all-rounder.

Focus buyers are offered a huge amount of choice in the range. From cheap and relatively sparse entry-level models to pricier top-spec versions loaded with almost every feature you’d ever need, there’s something for everyone.

However, Ford offers numerous additional options to make the car more tailored to individual buyers’ requirements. We’ve taken a look at some of the most popular extras and decided which are worth spending money on, and which might be the sort of impulse buy that will seem a little silly in a few years time.

Essential options

Rear parking sensors – £225

The Focus is a fairly easy car to manoeuvre in tight spaces, but if it has one negative it’s that rearward visibility isn’t great. The addition of parking sensors should make supermarket car parks a far less stressful place to be.

Active city stop – £200

No matter how capable a driver you might be, anyone can become distracted for just a second – more than enough time for a car ahead to suddenly stop or a pedestrian to run out into the road. By scanning for potential hazards ahead, Active City Stop is able to provide a warning to the driver if a collision is likely, and can even perform an emergency stop automatically if it feels sufficient action has not been taken in time. For £200, equipping your Focus with a device which might save you from an accident is a no-brainer!

Metallic paint – £525

Unless you’re happy with a flat shade of red, you’ll certainly need to fork out extra for metallic paint. There are eight paint shades available at extra cost for the Focus, and we at carwow love a bit of blue, so Deep Impact Blue is our pick!

For full details of the colour range, check out our Ford Focus colour guide or, for more information on the different types of car paint, read our handy guide.

Useful Options

Satellite Navigation – £500

For anyone who frequently travels to unfamiliar places (or for anyone who would likely lose their head if it wasn’t screwed on properly) then a satellite navigation system can be a nifty companion. For an extra £500 on Style and Zetec models, and only £250 on Titanium models, it’s quite a bargain too.

Gadget fans will be happy to hear that, in combination with the sat nav, it’s possible to add a reversing camera for an extra £165 too.

Door edge protectors – £85

These handy little devices are perfect for those with clumsy kids (or clumsy adults) in the family. On opening any of the side doors, a hinged strip of rubber pops out over its trailing edge, preventing chips and scratches from any absent-minded examples of ingress or egress.

Appearance pack – £600

If you’re looking to add a little extra dose of style to your Focus, then the Appearance Pack might be just the ticket. With a set of alloy wheels one inch larger than standard items, LED daytime running lights and rear privacy glass, it won’t quite add the style to rival the understated class of a Volkswagen Golf, but it will make it look a little more special than a regular model.

Frivolous Options

Heated steering wheel – £95

While there are several gadgets on the Focus’ options list which aren’t vital, many of them are so cheap that it wouldn’t be a massive pain to specify them. The heated steering wheel is certainly a feature that falls into that category.

Getting up on a cold winter’s day has few charms but, if you stump up £95 (on Titanium and Titanium X models), at least your Ford Focus might make the experience a little more bearable. Power up the car, and within seconds you’ll feel like your hands are greeted with a reassuring hug. It’ll encourage you to keep your hands on the wheel too, which is no bad thing.

Adaptive cruise control – £250

We’re sure adaptive cruise control – which uses sensors to synchronize your road speed with the vehicle ahead – might come in handy if you spend a large portion of your time driving motorway miles. For most other people, we’d suggest that regular cruise control (or, indeed, your right foot) will do the job just fine.

Convenience Pack – £450

There’s plenty included in the Convenience Pack, some of which will be sure to muster a giggle or two. In addition to electrically folding door mirrors and front and rear parking sensors, Active Park Assist is the one to try if you’d like to impress – or perturb – your friends and family.

Capable of scanning the car’s surroundings in search of a potential parking space, the system is able to steer the car between two parked cars (whether in a parallel or bay manoeuvre). All you need to do is control the pedals. Creepy at first, but very impressive once you’re used to it.