2019 Ford Focus vs 2018

What's the difference?

You've got to feel for the marketing peeps at Ford tasked with cooking up a catchy one-word description for the new Focus Active.

The others models in the range are easier, of course. The Focus ST-Line? "Sportiness", says Ford. The Titanium trim? "Elegance", they shout.

But the Active? "It's like a hatchback, but with more capability..." It isn't quite as catchy, is it?

That capability they speak of arrives in the form of more ride height (30mm at the front and 34mm at the rear), as well as standard roof rails and two new drive modes, Slippery and Trail, which are designed to help the front-wheel-drive Focus better handle light off-road conditions like sand or icy roads.

But the weird thing here is that, for a car so focused on light off-roading, the place the Active really shines is glued firmly to the tarmac.

It feels like the current LZ version of Ford’s Focus RS has only been around for five minutes, and already it’s got one foot out the door.

Actually, after much anticipation, it arrived in July last year, and this final batch of 500 limited edition models marks the end of its run in Australia.

It’s more expensive than the ‘standard’ RS it replaces, but Ford will look you straight in the eye and tell you that thanks to a bunch of extra tech and standard features it represents better value-for-money.

The RS LE is underpinned by hardware upgrades designed to appeal to track day devotees, so it’s no surprise Sydney Motorsport Park was the venue for our local launch drive.

And the harbour city turned on more than enough rain to make the circuit greasy, and turn the skid pan into a sand pit for grown-ups. Perfect.