Ford Just Pulled The Plug: This Popular Model Is Finished

The Ford Focus has been dead in America for a few years now, but the small hatchback just said its final goodbye in Europe too. According to Motor1, the last Focus (a white hatchback) just rolled off the assembly line at Ford's Saarlouis plant in Germany. The Focus was discontinued in the United States back in 2018, with Ford removing themselves entirely from the small car market and leaving only the Mustang to represent the non-truck and non-SUV side of their business. The removal of the Focus from the lineup was sales-driven; Ford wanted to turn its gaze to more profitable vehicles like crossovers and pickup trucks.

In a statement to Motor1, Ford of Europe's Manager of Corporate Communications, Volker Eis, said that the last Focus was produced on Friday, November 14th. It's not exactly a day that will live in infamy, but it's worth marking the occasion, especially when you consider just how popular the Focus was in its day. Over its nearly 30 years in production, Ford sold over 12 million examples of the Focus worldwide, ranging from the utterly basic to the high-performance sublime.

Affordable small cars are becoming harder and harder to find these days, with most car companies shifting their attention to larger, more luxurious vehicles. But there's still a need for small, inexpensive cars like the Focus. There were sedan, two-door, and five-door hatchback versions of the Focus during its run, providing a body style for just about every lifestyle. There were several everyday versions of the Focus, but there were some really iconic versions as well like the high-performance ST model and the super-hot-hatch RS.

When it was still on sale as a new car back in 2017, we thoroughly enjoyed the Focus RS' turbocharged 2.3-liter engine, its joyous six-speed manual, and its fun-to-drive antics. If Ford were to bring one back today (we don't expect they will be anytime soon) the RS would be in good company with cars like the current Honda Civic Type R and Toyota GR Corolla – but any rumors of the Focus' return are likely just that — rumors.

Used versions of the Focus are still worth considering if you're looking for an inexpensive used car with decent fuel economy, though reliability is a primary concern with certain powertrains. If you do want to purchase one, be sure to avoid some of the more problematic model years like the 2012 and 2014 models.