Ford confirms end of Focus production in November as popular hatchback discontinued in UK

The American carmaker confirmed that production of the Ford Focus will cease in November, marking the end of nearly three decades of the popular hatchback’s presence on UK roads.

The decision is part of Ford’s ongoing transition to electric vehicles (EVs), which has already led to the demise of several iconic combustion-engine models. The Mondeo was discontinued in April 2022, followed by the S-Max and Galaxy MPVs a year later. In July 2023, Ford ended production of the Fiesta—despite its status as Britain’s best-selling small car—with no direct replacement planned. Now, the Focus is next on the chopping block.

Ford’s European communications manager, Finn Thomasen, confirmed to Motor1 that production will officially end at the Saarlouis plant in Germany in November. “Sadly, there are no plans for a direct successor as the car maker concentrates on its transition to EVs, which is heavily biased towards new SUV models,” the company stated.

Customers can still place orders for a new Focus, but with production set to wind down, order books will soon close. After manufacturing ceases, remaining inventory will be available for purchase until stocks run out.

Currently, the Focus is priced from £28,500 in Britain. The standard model features a 1.0-litre three-cylinder EcoBoost mild-hybrid petrol engine, while the high-performance Focus ST is still available with a 2.3-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine producing 280hp, starting at £37,705.

First launched in 1998, the Focus won European Car of the Year in 1999, the same year Prince William was photographed learning to drive in one. The car quickly became a best-seller, topping the UK sales charts for a decade until 2008, when it was overtaken by the Fiesta. Despite declining sales in recent years, the Focus remains a popular choice, with approximately 1.3 million examples still registered in the UK, making it the second most common car on British roads after the Fiesta.

Ford had already announced in 2022 that it would cease Focus production in Saarlouis, despite its ongoing popularity. At the time, then-Ford of Europe boss Martin Sander stated: “In the long run, we are still deeply convinced that EVs will be the future and we will see a significant increase in volume. By the end of this year [2022], we will have a full range of electric vehicles—both in the passenger vehicle sector but also in our commercial vehicle business line—and we are quite flexible to adapt to market demand. For the next couple of years, we have a broad choice. Basically, our customers have the power of choice to pick what they want.”

However, just a year after overseeing the Fiesta’s discontinuation, Sander left Ford to take up a senior sales and marketing role at Volkswagen. With the Focus soon to be gone, Ford’s remaining combustion-engine offerings in the UK from November will be limited to the Puma crossover, currently the nation’s best-selling new car, and the larger Kuga SUV.

The rest of Ford’s UK lineup will be made up of electric models, including the Explorer, Mustang Mach-E, and the controversially named Capri SUV.

In 2024, Ford dropped to fifth place among the best-selling car brands, registering 109,995 new vehicles, accounting for just one in 20 new cars on British roads. Once a dominant force in the market, Ford has now been overtaken in sales by Volkswagen, BMW, Audi, and Kia.

A decade ago, Ford was Britain’s most popular car manufacturer. In 2014, it sold 326,643 cars in the UK, making up nearly one in seven passenger vehicles sold that year.