2020 Ford Focus gains mild hybrid options, new Zetec variant

Ford has expanded the Focus range in Europe for 2020, ushering in a new Zetec trim option, enhanced infotainment and mild-hybrid technology that’s said to improve efficiency by up to 17%.

The existing 1.5-litre Ecoboost petrol engine is being phased out to make way for a hybridised version of the Focus’s 1.0-litre Ecoboost unit that, paired exclusively with a six-speed manual gearbox, raises power 5bhp to 153bhp and emits 116g/km of CO2 on the WLTP cycle. It’s available on ST-Line trim upwards from £24,580.

A 123bhp version, priced from £24,260, is also available. Both units are capable of 51.4mpg, a noticeable increase on the old engine’s 48.7mpg.

The Ecoboost Hybrid engine uses a variation of the existing 1.0-litre engine but swaps that unit’s alternator for a belt-driven integrated starter/generator, which recovers energy when braking and coasting to charge a 48V lithium ion battery.

Stored power is then used to provide extra torque while driving, as well as to run the car’s ancillary systems. The system automatically determines when to store and when to send its power reserves to a low-output electric motor, which supplements the torque of the petrol engine, boosting output by up to 50% at low revs. 

The battery pack is located under the front seats, which, according to Ford, means cargo and passenger space is unchanged over the existing car's. 

The engine itself has been modified for optimal efficiency and uses a lower compression ratio and a larger turbocharger, with the electric motor’s torque used to mitigate the effects of turbo lag.

Ford has also upgraded the car’s stop/start system to minimise fuel wastage. The engine will now restart in just 350 milliseconds after a stop and a new stop-in-gear function deactivates the engine when coasting to a stop with the clutch depressed.