Ford Focus Active estate review: it's time to ditch that SUV

The Ford Focus Active estate is all the family car you'll ever need. This is why we think the rugged Focus combines the best of an estate car with some of the style and capability of an SUV.

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It’s true that ride and handling balance aren’t top priorities for many family-car buyers, but don’t underestimate the value of a model that feels right on the road. The Ford Focus Active estate inspires confidence, making you more connected to what’s going on, and everyday driving becomes less of a chore as a result.

The estate bodystyle costs £1,160 more than the Focus hatchback and if you value extra space in the rear, it seems a sensible option. The big, uniformly shaped load space has a few little tricks up its sleeve, too. You can remove the roller-blind parcel shelf and store it under the main boot floor.

When that underfloor space is empty, it serves as a waterproof storage area, with the lid becoming a dividing wall that clips into place to separate your muddy boots in the front part of the boot from the stuff you’d rather not get grubby at the back. It’s not a bad device when you’re loading the boot with supermarket shopping bags, either, because it provides a bit of support to stop them spilling their contents all over the load bay on the way home.

So the Focus Active estate really does prove to offer the best of both worlds. Another example of why the fanciest option isn't always the one to go for.

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