• Cabin overhaul as part of the 2014 facelift
• Uplift in quality with reduced switchgear
• ST models barely feel different to lesser Focuses

A quick survey of the Ford Focus Estate interior highlights a huge number of buttons and switches, with many housed on the steering wheel.

This is an improvement over how things were, however, as the amount of switchgear was reduced as part of the 2014 facelift. This was when the 8.0-inch touchscreen debuted, upgraded from Sync2 to Sync3 at the start of 2017. It’s a step in the right direction but it lacks the Golf’s and Astra’s elegance.

Pity there’s not more than heavily bolstered seats, some obliquely-angled ancillary instruments on top of the dash and a liberal sprinkling of ST logos to differentiate the sportier models’ cabins. That trio of extra dials displays oil temperature, turbo boost and oil pressure, but are too small to interpret their readouts quickly..

• One of the most comfortable estates
• No adaptive suspension option, though
• Little sign of harshness with the sportier ST

There isn’t much that gives reason to complain about regarding the comfort on offer in the Ford Focus Estate, with plenty of support and adjustment in the front seats, although the rear ones are less well-shaped and make you feel like you’re sat more upright.

Ride quality really impressed us – this is one of the most compliant estates in this segment riding on conventional metal-sprung suspension. Newer, adaptive systems, such as those in the Golf Estate, have the edge, though.

While engine and road noise are well suppressed, you can hear wind rushing around the square-edged door mirrors. No double-glazing or noise-cancelling speakers like on the larger Fords here.

Sportier ST remains comfortable

You’d be forgiven for expecting the ST Estate to be very firm, yet it remains impressively supple, even across broken surfaces. Only along really poor asphalt and ironworks at low speeds does it jostle about. You could easily use it for daily family activities without it feeling compromised.

Its sports seats hold you reassuringly when cornering and while most will get along just fine with them, those on the broader side may find they squeeze a bit too much over longer journeys.