The all-new Ford Focus is lighter, sleeker and more advanced than its predecessor, offering excellent safety and connectivity features, as well as a new range of petrol and diesel engines.

Pricing has already been announced for the UK, where the all-new Focus range (5-door and estate body styles) will start at £17,930, which is more than £2,000 less than the outgoing model. Deliveries are set for September as orders can already be placed.

Ford is calling the 2019 Focus their most “accomplished and technically-competent Focus ever”, with the car boasting a new human-centric design philosophy meant to unite exterior styling with class-leading aerodynamics and a more spacious and well-built interior.

“We wanted our all-new Focus to be a product customers fall in love with, and stay in love with,” said Ford Europe design director, Amko Leenarts. “Inside and out, our new design philosophy is about creating memorable moments of interaction that build and maintain the relationship between human being and machine.”

By extending the wheelbase a full 53 mm (2.08 inches), designers managed to position the wheels higher up into the sheet metal, this reducing the perception of overall length and mass. Add the short overhangs and rearward cabin position and you end up with a dynamic-looking hatchback, one that is said to deliver “class-leading aerodynamic efficiency”. As for styling, even though Ford went with a recognizable front fascia, the rest of the car looks significantly different than the outgoing model, regardless of version.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder

Speaking of versions, right now the all-new Focus can be ordered as a Vignale, ST-Line, Active and Titanium, in either 5-door or Estate form. The Vignale was given elegant ornamentation such as the satin aluminum finishes for the roof rails, fascia and rocker inserts, as well as a signature grille mesh. The ST-Line on the other hand looks more aggressive with its large diffuser and functional roof spoiler – it also comes with signature lower wing elements. Then there’s the Focus Active, boasting a bespoke front end design, more ground clearance, protective black wheel arch and rocker claddings, plus front and rear skid plates and rocker inserts in contrast silver.

Customers will be able to order their new Focus in one of 13 exterior colors, including Orange Glow, Desert Island Blue and the Vignale-exclusive four-coat dark Mulberry.

Moving on to the interior, this is where passengers should notice the less cluttered design, giving way to a more calming atmosphere – or at least that’s what the automaker would have us think. Visually though, the entire dashboard looks more straight forward than before, which in turn should make the cabin feel more spacious. There are soft touch materials on the upper instrument panel and doors, while polished glass and brushed finishes can be found on the door trims and air vent registers.

“Those ‘busy’ areas where different structures and materials meet within a space are gone,” added Leenarts. “Instead, materials are specifically chosen to better blend and complement each other, emphasizing the improved craftsmanship and quality.”

Safer than the average Ford

The all-new Focus features a wide range of advanced technologies, among them Level 2 automation and several systems meant to make driving the car a more comfortable and less demanding experience.

For example, Ford Co-Pilot360 technologies enhance safety, driving and parking, while ACC with Stop & Go, Speed Sign Recognition and Lane-Centring will make long journeys less stressful. The ACC works at speeds of up to 200 km/h (125 mph).

Then there’s the Adaptive Front Lighting System with Predictive curve light and Sign-based light. This tech pre-adjusts headlight patterns for maximum visibility before reaching a curve, intersection or roundabout. The new Focus is also the first Ford vehicle in Europe to feature a Head-up display (HUD). The automaker says their HUD is among the brightest available, adjustable in 16 increments up to 10,000 candela per meter squared.

As for the rest of the car’s active safety features, here’s a quick rundown of what you can expect to see: Active Park Assist 2, Park-out Assist, Pre-Collision Assist with Pedestrian and Cyclist Detection, Evasive Steering Assist, Blind Spot Information System with Cross Traffic Alert, Rear wide-view camera, Wrong Way Alert, Ford MyKey and Post-Collision Braking. Ford expects the all-new Focus to earn a 5-star safety rating during crash tests. They’re basing their expectations, in part, on the 40% increase in front crash load capability coming from the new C2 platform.

*Developing story + full gallery coming soon