WELCOME TO the world of 2.4 children, a Labrador and a semi-detached house in the suburbs. This could well spell modern-day middle Ireland, writes Michael McAleer, motoring editor.
When market surveyors paint a stereotypical Irish family, there's a Focus in the driveway. And it's been there for some time, save for when Toyota's Corolla was parked up every couple of years.
Now we've got a slightly revised Focus and a seriously revised price list. Is the typical Irish driveway going to change? Not for the foreseeable future.
However, this time next year Ford - and other most industry watchers - reckon there will be one notable difference. The morning chorus in housing estates across our red-bricked semi-detached suburban land will echo to slightly gruff low-pitched diesel drones rather than eager, enthusiastic petrol whines.
It has been well-flagged that diesel will replace petrol as the fuel of choice for new car buyers and it's not just the family saloon cars that will opt for oil burners.
Hatchback owners will be heading for the black fuel pipe at filling stations as well.
It seems like we have been harping on about the tax changes for several decades now, but the big day is only 19 days away. If you're buying your Ferrari or 6-litre petrol SUV, then get your skates on. If you are buying anything else, then it's time for some careful assessment.
Some of the car firms have released their prices: others have not. That means with just over a fortnight to the changes, it's still not possible to offer buyers a comprehensive picture of the impact the VRT changes will have in each segment.
This is at a time when some industry figures are complaining about confusion in the marketplace over the tax changes. Whatever about the Government's lacklustre attempts to inform the public, the car industry bears a great deal of the blame for being tardy with their new pricelists.
Praise, however, to those that have released their prices. Ford is one of these and so its buyers can now make some educated decisions. Looking down the list, there are some notable savings to be made.
Our test car, the 1.8-litre diesel with Ghia specification is currently selling for €27,465, but come July 1st the price drops by a substantial €4,280. That's a hefty price drop for a car that's well equipped and comes in cheaper than the equivalent 1.6-litre petrol model, yet it has more power and better fuel economy. You'd need to be virulently anti-diesel to ignore these facts.
There is one big question remaining, however, regarding Ford's post-July 1st offering? Where has the 1.6-litre diesel engine gone? It would seem that under the new tax regime the 1.6-litre engine would actually be lower priced than the current entry-level 1.4-litre petrol model.
That means people would opt for the diesel, but dealers would be left with a significant batch of 1.4-litre petrol models on their forecourts. Our advice: if you want a petrol model then go for the 1.4-litre petrol: if you want a bargain, wait for the 1.6-litre diesel to arrive. Catch-22 is that you probably have to hope no one else knows about it and waits, as Ford dealers are unlikely to stock it until they shift more 1.4-litre versions.
In the meantime, this 1.8-litre diesel will be the Focus flag bearer. So what is the engine like? Well, by now most of you will have driven a diesel or at least been a passenger in one. This engine isn't terribly revolutionary in that it offers all the attributes of diesel power and some of the annoying traits.
It's smoother than many of you would be used to if your only experience of diesel is in old Dublin taxis, but there is still a degree of cabin noise emanating from up front, particularly when cold.
The good news is that the diesel punch far exceeds its petrol equivalent. That's the beauty of diesel: there's a greater power surge. Get it up and running and for those few seconds of optimum revs a diesel will outrun a petrol. The downside is that it runs out of puff at about 4,500rpm requiring you to change gear, while a petrol engine has longer legs between changes.
There's ample power in this 1.8-litre and stick it on a motorway run and it devours long distances. For years Irish motorists have compromised, watching as once small cars got bigger and more spacious, but still having to opt for the smallest engine due to our punitive tax regime. Now we've got the chance to buy larger - but cleaner - engines which means we have the power to match the cars. This is what our continental cousins have been buying for years. What's more, these cars are designed with these big markets in mind.
This combination of large hatchback and 1.8-litre diesel engine is a big improvement, made all the more sweet by a price tag that's €4,280 less for this Ghia five-door version and even better an annual road tax bill of €150 after July compared to €530 at present.
Of course, it's not just the Focus that will benefit. Diesel rivals like the Golf, Auris, 307, Mazda3 and the smart Korean newcomers of Hyundai i30 and Kia C'eed all benefit. Yet the Focus remains the top-selling car in Ireland and that means that Ford's take on the diesel engine in this category has most relevance for Irish buyers.
The good news, outlined above, is that it packs ample punch for a car of its size. It's its main vice is a degree of turbo lag. This doesn't arise on the open road or even on back roads, but around town in traffic it can be annoying. Lift off in second gear and leave the engine to pull you along for a few seconds. Then, when an opening occurs in front of you kick down. In this car there's a noticeable turbo lag, which in layman's terms means a slight intermission between your right foot hitting the floor and the car leaping forward. When it does the power is impressive, but that delay is annoying and something that surely could be ironed out by engineers at one of the world's largest car firms.
That said, it's as good as any of the rivals on the market, particularly in terms of engine torque and the slight increase in weight up front actually adds to the already positive steering of the Focus, the best handling car in its class. It's also the most fun to drive.
As for the latest Focus look, it incorporates Ford's new design look, first introduced in the new Mondeo. That means more muscular lines on the wheel arches, a new grille up front, fancy new light clusters at the rear and revised switchgear inside.
It's nice, but it isn't very different from the previous version. Some nice touches with the switchgear give it a more premium feel, but the silver plastic that's carried from the new Mondeo still looks rather cheap.
On a more positive note, the switchgear is well positioned and the overall package fits the overall impression of a well-engineered car. The Focus remains our favourite in this class, simply for its on-road ability. It has all the usual family attributes people look for in these cars: a decent boot; roomy rear seating; and comfortable driving position. Ford also needs to be commended for making ESP stability control standard across the range. Helping prevent a car from skidding out of control, these systems save lives. The clinching feature is the way the Focus drives.
Ford's range has done well from the tax changes. This Focus 1.8-litre engine is just one of a litany of diesel engines that are going to benefit and in the end that means benefits for Irish motorists as well. And in these more chastened times, a saving of €4,280 on the old price and €380 every year on road tax is not to be sniffed at.
Factfile: Ford Focus 1.8 TDCi Ghia
Engine:1753cc; four-cylinder common-rail turbocharged diesel engine putting gout 513bhp @ 3,700rpm and 290Nm of torque @ 1,900rpm
Specification:front driver and passenger airbags; front and rear side impact airbags; front and rear curtain airbags; ESP stability control with traction control and emergency brake assist; ABS with brake force distribution. Style version gets heated windscreen and remote controls for radio/CD. Zetec model adds 16" alloys; air-con; sports suspension; front foglights. Ghia version adds: chrome-surround on grille and on rear; cruise control; cooled glovebox; leather steering wheel and gear knob.
L/100KM (mpg):urban: 6.7 (42.1); extra urban: 4.3 (65.6); combined: 5.2 (54.2)
CO2 emissions:137 g/km
Annual road tax:€150 (down from €530 before July 1st)
Price:€23,185 (pre-July 1st this Ghia 5dr h/back is €27,465)