Ford Focus Estate (2011 - 2018) practicality

• Five-star rating from Euro NCAP
• Lower insurance premiums Active City Stop
• Spend extra on the Driver Assistance Pack

Safety is at the forefront of many family car buyers’ minds, so it’s reassuring that the Ford Focus Estate scored the full five-stars when crash tested by the experts at Euro NCAP.

There’s a raft of crash-prevention kit fitted including all-round airbags, electronic stability control and Isofix child-seat mounting points. For extra cash you can also specify the Driver Assistance Pack comprising of blindspot monitors, lane-keeping assist to steer you gently between the white lines and automatic main beams for the headlamps.

You may also find your insurance premiums are reduced by opting for the autonomous emergency braking system – Active City Stop – which takes over the braking effort if its sensors detect the driver’s not doing so quick enough.

• Boot space is reasonable, not class-leading
• Cabin isn’t the most spacious
• Door-edge protectors invaluable

Practicality is increased over the hatchback courtesy of the Ford Focus Estate’s 20cm extra length at the back.

With the rear seats up there’s 476 litres of space, increasing to 490 litres if you substitute the spare wheel for a tyre repair kit.

Fold the 60:40 split rear seats over – they don’t fold completely flat, annoyingly – and the total capacity increases to 1,502 litres (or 1,516 litres without the spare wheel).

For passengers the Focus’s extra width has liberated a little more should room making it feel less claustrophobic than its predecessor.

The estate’s more horizontal roof makes it feel more spacious in the back compared with the hatch, too.

A novel – but optional – feature are the door edge protectors. They pop out and wrap around the outer edge of the doors providing a rubber strip to protect your paint. If you have kids and a narrow garage they’ll prove beneficial.