Since it arrived in 1998, the Ford Focus has been one of the best family hatchbacks you can buy. It was practical, had a wide variety of trim levels to suit every need and above all, was genuinely fun to drive.
However, as with the Fiesta and Mondeo a couple of years ago, Ford has decided to pull the plug on the car, despite its incredible success, and production will halt later this year.
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You might think the void left by the Focus means there’s nothing left for the traditional hatchback buyer – but let us prove you wrong as here we list some great alternatives, several offering conservative bodystyles and powertrains, plus others that may tempt you into the fashionable land of SUVs, fastback saloons and even EVs.
Volkswagen Golf
Prices from £27,760
Even when the Ford Focus was dominating the market, the Volkswagen Golf was never far behind, and the two had quite the rivalry over the years. The Ford may have been better to drive, but you could always rely on VW to put together the classiest cabin in this segment.
The Golf range starts at £27,760 in Life trim and as you’d expect from a VW it comes with a load of kit as standard, including built-in sat-nav, keyless start, adaptive cruise control, a 12.9-inch touchscreen and a wireless smartphone charger. Like a few of the cars on this list, the Golf is also available with a more practical estate body, and there’s a decent selection of powertrains; hot hatch enthusiasts are well catered for by the GTI and R variants.