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

Ford has offered estate versions of its mainstream family cars for decades, making the Focus Estate the latest in a very long line. It’s also one of the best, giving the already excellent Focus hatchback even more practicality, and remains a fine alternative to crossovers and SUVs for ferrying the family (and their stuff) around.

The Focus Estate arrived in 2018 in its latest generation and was updated in 2022, the latter being the car we’re focusing on here in terms of engines and specifications. With petrol and diesel, mild hybrid and performance models, you really aren’t short of choice.

Alternatives to the Focus Estate include estate versions of almost all the mainstream family cars on the market, including the VW Golf, SEAT Leon, Skoda Octavia, Kia Ceed, Peugeot 308, and Vauxhall Astra - while SUVs and MPVs like Ford’s own Kuga and S-Max are also an option.

Should you buy a Ford Focus Estate?

Crossovers and SUVs might be the more popular choice these days but a lot of people still prefer a conventional estate - and if that sounds like you, then the Focus Estate is a pretty good option. It has all the qualities of the Focus hatchback (long one of the UK’s best-selling cars) but with extra space, and some might even say a dash more style.

The regular Focus hatchback’s 358-litre boot isn’t much to write home about, but with the Estate you get 593 litres (or a little less in models with the upgraded B&O audio), with no real compromise - the Estate drives just as well as the hatch and is available in nearly as many variants.

In fact, the Focus is still one of the best cars in its class to drive, full stop. Not many alternatives have such a well-judged balance between ride and handling, and only the hot ST model feels possibly a little too firm - something you may be willing to put up with in an obviously performance-focused car.

The Ford’s cabin isn’t quite as classy, nor as flashy as some rivals, but it’s comfortable and the ergonomics are all as they should be. Ford improved the infotainment system over time, giving the Focus bigger touchscreens but more importantly, better hardware and software, so bear this in mind when looking at used models. Overall reliability is a mixed bag, but buy the best you can afford and the Focus should prove dependable.

Depending on age and spec, notable alternatives for the Focus Estate include the Volkswagen Golf Estate, Skoda Octavia Estate, and SEAT Leon Estate - all of which are related, but have different styling, kit levels and slightly different driving experiences. The Vauxhall Astra Sports Tourer and Peugeot 308 SW are also related to each other and have a quality feel, while Korea fields the Kia Ceed Sportswagon and the more rakish Kia Proceed.

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

The Focus Estate lineup changed a bit over time, even in later models, so not all trim levels and not all engines will be available for a given age of car. But you can’t go too far wrong with the 1-litre Ecoboost petrol models in either output (and either standard or mild hybrid), as they’re all punchy and frugal. The diesel is surprisingly refined but probably not worth seeking out unless you’re a high-mileage driver. The ST is a lot of fun, but obviously not an essential buy.

You get a pretty decent equipment list even in the basic Titanium trim, so as a pragmatic buy you don’t need to spend more money for one of the fancier variants. That said, we’d not steer you away from one of the ‘X’ versions if you find a good deal.

Used Ford Focus Estate fuel economy and performance

• Ford Focus Estate 1.0 Ecoboost 125PS: The basic 1-litre turbocharged three-cylinder petrol makes 125PS, and with a standard six-speed manual gets the estate from 0-62mph in 10.5 seconds. Combined economy is up to 52.3mpg.
• Ford Focus Estate 1.0 Ecoboost mHEV 125PS: With mild hybrid assistance and a seven-speed automatic the 125PS Ecoboost delivers 0-62mph in 10.4 seconds, and up to 52.3mpg combined.
• Ford Focus Estate 1.0 Ecoboost mHEV 155PS: The more powerful mild hybrid Ecoboost makes 155PS, and has manual and automatic gearbox options. The manual goes from 0-62mph in 9.1 seconds and the auto in 8.6, with 54.3mpg and 53.3mpg economy respectively.
• Ford Focus Estate 1.5 Ecoblue 115PS: The only diesel in later Focus models is a 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder, making 115PS. With an eight-speed auto, 0-62mph takes 12.1 seconds and combined economy is 57.6mpg.
• Ford Focus Estate 2.3 Ecoboost 280PS: The Focus ST Estate came in manual and automatic forms, its 2.3-litre turbocharged four-cylinder making 280PS. Both reached 0-62mph in 5.8 seconds, the manual getting 35.3mpg and the auto 35.8mpg.

What used Ford Focus Estate trim levels are available?

The Focus Estate came in a wide range of trim levels. The lineup looks confusing but it’s relatively simple in practice - Titanium is the standard variant, Active a pseudo off-road style model, ST-Line a sporty model, and ST the proper hot variant. Titanium, Active, and ST-Line all come with ‘X’ versions which broadly adds the same equipment to each, including Bang & Olufsen audio and artificial leather seat trim.

• The Ford Focus Estate Titanium gets 16-inch alloy wheels, electric and heated door mirrors, a heated windscreen, auto lights and wipers, fabric seat trim, a 13.2-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and dual-zone climate control.
• The Ford Focus Estate Titanium X upgrades to 17-inch alloys, privacy glass, Sensico artificial leather upholstery, 10-speaker B&O audio, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, wireless phone charging, and 60/40 split rear seats with a ski hatch.
• The Ford Focus Estate Active features a different 17-inch wheel design, unique front and rear bumpers, badges, side skirts and wheel arch trim, slightly raised suspension, and blue and black fabric trim.
• The Ford Focus Estate Active X adds 18-inch alloys, plus all the equipment from the Titanium X.
• The Ford Focus Estate ST-Line gets 17-inch alloys, an ST styling package with unique bumpers and badges, black fabric trim with red contrast stitching, a flat-bottomed sports steering wheel, and an ST-Line gearknob with an aluminium finish.
• The Ford Focus Estate ST-Line X steps back up to 18-inch wheels, as well as alloy pedals, red painted brake calipers, a rear spoiler, and all the equipment from the other two ‘X’ models.
• The Ford Focus Estate ST is the dedicated performance model, with 19-inch alloys, specific front and rear bumpers, matrix LED headlights, sports suspension, a rear-view camera, an ST exhaust, and Ford Performance seats in artificial leather and artificial suede.

Used Ford Focus Estate dimensions and boot size

The Ford Focus Estate’s dimensions are:

• Length: 4693mm
• Width: 1825mm (without mirrors, Active 1844mm), 1979mm (with mirrors)
• Height: 1494mm (Active 1532mm, ST-Line and ST 1485mm)

The Ford Focus Estate’s boot size is:

• 593 litres
• 1620 litres with the rear seats folded

Used Ford Focus Estate road tax

All but a handful of highly-specced Focus ST Estates sneak under the £40,000 mark, which means just a small number of models will set you back a whopping £570 per year in VED. For the rest of the range, you’ll pay either £180 per year for petrol and diesel models, or £170 for the mild hybrid variants.

How much is it to insure a Ford Focus Estate?

The bulk of the Focus Estate range falls into insurance groups 13-19, with a 1.0 Ecoboost Titanium at the bottom of the pile and the 155PS mild hybrid in Titanium X, Active X and ST-Line X at the top. The Focus ST Estate sits right at the top in group 27. These groups are pretty similar to rivals like the Volkswagen Golf Estate, so a Focus Estate won’t be unusually expensive (or unusually cheap) to insure.

Read our full Ford Focus Estate review