Used Ford Focus Active for sale: everything you need to know

It’s become a tried and tested formula: Take your family car, give it some taller suspension, and clothe it in bumpers and arch extensions that suggest it can take a few knocks. Ford calls it the Focus Active, and it’s an appealing take on the already appealing Focus hatchback and estate.

The Focus Active went on sale in 2019, with a facelift in 2022 that moved the Ford badge from the bonnet to the grille and got a simplified bumper design. Some mild-hybrid engines were introduced at the time too, and while we’ve concentrated on earlier models here as those are most numerous on the market, the Focus Active is a solid choice whichever model you go for.

The rugged off-road-style look is also available on cars like the all-wheel drive Volkswagen Golf Alltrack and Skoda Octavia Scout, as well as the smaller Ford Fiesta Active. If you’re prepared to look at older models, cars like the Audi A4 Allroad also fit the bill.

Should you buy a Ford Focus Active?

The Ford Focus is already one of the easiest family cars to recommend, as it does almost everything well. Opting for the more rugged styling and raised ride height of the Active requires effectively no compromises - so if you want a Focus that’s a bit more interesting to look at than the norm, and shrugs off lumps in the road that little more easily, the Active could be the one to go for.

All the regular Focus qualities are present and correct. An extra 30mm of ride height gives you extra peace of mind over speed bumps and potholes but doesn’t seem to affect the Focus’s excellent handling, and it rides well too. You won’t be able to get stuck into ‘proper’ off-roading of course, but Slippery and Trail driving modes help the car find traction if you do venture onto loose surfaces.

The interior has been left behind a little by some other cars in this class in both design and quality, but all Active models get an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system which is simple enough to use. The boot is a bit pokey by the standards of the class (especially with the option of a full-size spare), but you can get the Active in estate form which gives you more options, and rear seat space is good.

The Volkswagen Golf Alltrack and Skoda Octavia Scout are the closest alternatives to the Focus Active. Both are estate-only, but lean into the pseudo off-road thing more too, as both have all-wheel drive, unlike the front-driven Focus. There’s also the Fiesta Active if you want something smaller, while SUVs like the Ford Puma and Ford Kuga are another option if ground clearance is your goal.

A Ford Focus Active not for you? We've got 1000s of used cars for sale to suit all budgets and needs.

What’s the best used Ford Focus Active model to buy?

There’s no need to hunt down the more powerful 150PS petrol and diesel models in the Active. They do have more performance of course, but the 125PS Ecoboost and 120PS Ecoblue diesel still do the job and are both more frugal than their more powerful counterparts. As usual, we’d prioritise the petrol if you tend to drive locally, while the diesel makes sense if you spend your life on the motorway. If you can stick to the manual, all the better, as it’s more efficient with both engines.

The Active comes in two trim levels of its own, Active and Active X. Since the regular Active is already several rungs up the Focus ladder, equipment levels are fairly generous, with features like electric driver seat adjustment and heated front seats, so unless you need the Active X’s extra kit or you find a particularly good deal on the higher-spec model, you can save some money here.

Used Ford Focus Active fuel economy and performance

• Ford Focus Active 1.0 Ecoboost 125: The Active gets the 125PS version of Ford’s 1-litre three-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine as its entry point, with six-speed manual and eight-speed automatic transmission options. The manual gets from 0-62mph in 10.3 seconds and the auto in 11.7, with up to 49.6mpg and 42.8mpg combined respectively.
• Ford Focus Active 1.5 Ecoboost 150: The more powerful 1.5-litre 150PS Ecoboost drops the 0-62mph time down to 9.1 seconds for the manual and 9.7 for the auto, with economy of 46.3mpg for the manual and 40.9mpg for the automatic.
• Ford Focus Active 1.5 Ecoblue 120: In 1.5-litre diesel form with 120PS and a manual gearbox, the Active accelerates from 0-62mph in 10.8 seconds, while the automatic is actually a tenth quicker. Economy is 62.8mpg with the manual, dropping to 54.3mpg with the automatic.
• Ford Focus Active 2.0 Ecoblue 150: The top diesel makes 150PS and again has manual and automatic options. The manual manages 0-62mph in 9.1 seconds and gets 57.6mpg, and the auto’s figures are 9.3 seconds and 51.4mpg.

What used Ford Focus Active trim levels are available?

While the Active is itself effectively a trim level in the regular Focus range, Ford has split Active equipment into two variants, with ‘X’ models getting extra toys just as they do when the letter is appended to Titanium or ST-Line models.

• The Ford Focus Active features 17-inch alloy wheels, a 30mm raised ride height, new front and rear bumpers, scuff plates, new sills and wheel arch trim, twin exhaust pipes, privacy glass, a 4.2-inch display in the instrument cluster, an 8-inch touchscreen, a six-way power adjustable driver’s seat, heated front seats, and dual-zone air conditioning.
• The Ford Focus Active X steps up to 18-inch alloys, a panoramic roof, auto wipers, parking sensors, heated and folding electric door mirrors, keyless go, and part-leather trim.

Used Ford Focus Active dimensions and boot size

The Ford Focus Active’s dimensions are:

• Length: 4397mm
• Width: 1844 (without mirrors), 1979mm (with mirrors)
• Height: 1502mm

The Ford Focus Active’s boot size is:

• 341 litres (273 litres with full size spare)
• 1320 litres with the rear seats folded (to roof, 1250 litres with full size spare)

Used Ford Focus Active road tax

Almost all Ford Focus Active models attract a flat rate of VED, currently £180 a year, though this is likely to rise in future government budgets.

How much is it to insure a Ford Focus Active?

With the 125PS Ecoboost petrol engine, the Focus Active starts in insurance group 13, and rises to group 18 for the 150PS diesel. That’s a fair bit less than the Volkswagen Golf Alltrack, which sits in insurance group 26, though the Alltrack offers a lot more power (200PS) and has all-wheel drive, unlike the Focus.

Read our full Ford Focus Active review