Focus: the real 5-year cost
Ford's decision to end the Focus makes the 2024 car a last-of-the-line buy, and that shapes its running costs in an interesting way. Five years of ownership at 8,000 miles a year costs £28,397 — around £473 a month — before you pay anything for the car itself. At £26,495 new, the Focus undercuts the Golf on purchase price, and its 48.7 mpg combined figure holds annual fuel to roughly £1,083. Insurance runs about £612 a year, maintenance £456, and road tax £190: tidy numbers for a car this comfortable and capable.
Parts will stay plentiful for years and independent Ford specialists are everywhere. The real question is whether a discontinued model holds its value — and the honest answer sits in the verdict below.
| Purchase price | £26,495 |
| Fuel (5 yrs) | £4,856 |
| Insurance (5 yrs) | £3,060 |
| Maintenance (5 yrs) | £2,280 |
| Road tax (5 yrs) | £950 |
| Minus estimated resale value | −£9,803 |
A discontinued badge usually nudges residuals down a little, but the Focus is such a known quantity in Britain that fleet and private demand should cushion the fall. Buyers who plan to keep the car long term are the real winners here: the 1.0 EcoBoost is proven, servicing the mild-hybrid system adds no drama, and parts prices are already at rock bottom. To trim costs further, run tyres at eco pressures, compare insurance every year at renewal instead of auto-renewing, and fix stone chips early to protect the paintwork.
Our verdict: the Focus is arguably the last genuinely great-value family hatchback — cheap to buy, cheap to run, and now keenly priced because of a badge that says discontinued. If you like the car, do not let the badge put you off; let it bring the price down.