Skip advert
Advertisement

Ford Focus review – MPG and running costs

High MPG and low running costs mean the Focus is still a strong value proposition

Evo rating
  • Gets the fundamentals right; handles well; impressive new interfaces
  • It’s maybe a bit austere, despite it now being quite expensive

While the purchase price of cars have gone up, running costs haven’t and in the case of the Focus remain low due to inexpensive servicing and parts pricing.

MPG figures on this latest Focus are also impressive, ranging between 47 and 52mpg for the 124bhp non-MHEV manual and 48 to 52mpg for the 124bhp MHEV dual-clutch. The more powerful 153bhp MHEV variant is even more efficient at 51-54mpg for both transmissions.

Things change considerably for the Focus ST, which swaps the clean three-cylinder for a more brutish 2.3-litre four-cylinder engine that’s used across Ford’s global products, finding homes in the Ford Mustang, Ranger and even the previous-generation Focus RS. As such, MPG figures sit in the low-to-mid 30s, with the seven-speed auto knocking a few more MPG off the total.

Advertisement - Article continues below

Consumables like tyres and brakes will be at the lower end of the price scale due to their relatively conservative sizes, and gives the Focus another advantage for the mainstream everyday car buyer as these will retail far below the bloated sizes you’d need to source for a crossover or SUV. 

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

Tesla Model Y review – the cure for range anxiety?
Tesla Model Y
Reviews

Tesla Model Y review – the cure for range anxiety?

You’ll struggle to drive any distance without seeing a Tesla Model Y, but there is good reason for that
7 Aug 2026
The ultimate supercars of the 1990s – car pictures of the week
'90s supercars
Features

The ultimate supercars of the 1990s – car pictures of the week

Our Eras tests travel to the 1990s, where the genre evolves beyond all recognition compared to two decades earlier
8 Aug 2026
Lotus Elise (S3, 2010-2021) review – lithe, lightweight and extinct
Lotus Elise S3
In-depth reviews

Lotus Elise (S3, 2010-2021) review – lithe, lightweight and extinct

There was nothing like the Elise before it arrived in 1996 and surely, there will be nothing like it ever again
7 Aug 2026