• Boot space is reasonable for most people
• Cabin isn’t the most spacious in the rear
• Door-edge protectors invaluable

The Ford Focus Mk3 is perfectly-sized for most families, with a nice, wide cabin, giving excellent shoulder room, boosting the car’s comfort for its occupants. Legroom front and rear is ample, although the lower roofline does hamper headroom for taller passengers on the back bench.

One really useful feature to look for on the forecourt: door edge protectors pop out and wrap around the outer edge of the doors providing a rubbery shield to protect your paintwork – they were an option when new, but invaluable if you have kids and a narrow driveway.

The boot is reasonable at 316 litres, but with all the rear seats down you’ll get 1,215 litres at your disposal. It’s not as good as a VW Golf (380 litres with rear seats up and 1,270 with rear seats down) or a Vauxhall Astra (370 litres and 1,210 litres).

Be aware that if you choose a Focus RS, its all-wheel drive system impinges on boot space thanks to the mechanical gubbins under the floor, reducing capacity to 260 litres seats-up, 1,045 litres when folded.

Safety

• Rated five stars by Euro NCAP when tested in 2012
• Active City Stop reduces insurance costs
• Extra surety of all-wheel drive for RS

Ford Focus safety was class-leading when launched in 2012. It was awarded a full five stars for crash protection by Euro NCAP, which specialises in assessing cars’ crash protection.

The Focus is fitted with several crash-protection features as standard including driver’s, passenger and side airbags. The inclusion of stability control and Isofix child-seat fittings as standard is to be applauded, but if safety is your priority you can seek out cars fitted with the Driver Assistance Pack that includes blindspot warning, lane-keeping assist that steers you between the white lines, traffic sign recognition and automatic high beam headlights.

The high-speed Focus RS features a couple of additional safety elements: all-wheel drive enhances traction at low speeds, in spite of the handling histrionics introduced in some of its racier driving modes, and bi-xenon headlamps are included, too, for safer night-time driving.