2012 Ford Focus

Ford Focus

Ford’s Focus never really got the crowd numbers of a Polo or a Corolla hatch, but it earned its stripes with people who actually like to drive. There’s a reason you spot more Polos in Sandton, yet ask anyone who’s wrung out a Focus on the N3, and you’ll hear about steering, not resale. Nowadays, pickings are slim — only 13 used cars listed, with prices sitting between R74,500 and R249,500, and a sweet spot just above R130k. No new stock in sight, so you’re left trawling classifieds while everyone else flocks to newer metal. Be ready to wait if you want the right one. Most examples you’ll see were built between 2007 and 2018, and they’ve done an average of 163,114 km — you’re not getting showroom-fresh, but the Focus never pretended to be a garage queen. The ST1 2.0 EcoBoost is the hero here at R249,500, packing the sort of punch you used to read about in CAR magazine group tests. Go basic and you’ll find 1.6 Ambiente or 1.8 Si for R74,500 — honest cars, but don’t expect miracles from ancient plastics or tired seats. If you pack smart, the 1.0 EcoBoost at around R135k gives you a turbo triple that actually sips fuel on the R21, and that counts for more than ever. On paper at least, what made the Focus special in SA was how it handled our battered roads — sharper than a Polo, more connected than a Mazda3 — and that’s the point.