2018 Ford Focus review – fun, but no longer flawed, the Focus back to its best - Design

Despite all the changes under the skin, the first thing most will notice is the massive change to the new Focus’s look. Along with the new chassis, Ford has dramatically changed the shape, losing the previous car’s mono-box design and instead following most of the hatchback crowd by going with a more Golf-like two-box shape, pulling the windscreen back and pushing the C-pillars into a more upright position.

The nose is now much more pronounced, with a large grille flanked by various designs of halogen or optional LED headlights, the latter available in standard, or active form. You can make up your own mind about whether you think the design is successful, but it is quite angle-sensitive, looking broad-shouldered and squat from some angles, and gawky and unrefined from others.

ST-Line cars also give us a glimpse into the next-generation Focus ST, as like the Fiesta it will share front and rear styling with the ST-Line, although a new exhaust system and bigger wheels will still make the full-fat ST distinct from lesser models.