Ford’s staple small car looks set to gain a new jumbo-sized infotainment screen, shared with its maker’s latest electric vehicles sold overseas.
The facelifted 2022 Ford Focus small car appears set for a major technology upgrade, with new spy photos pointing to the fitment of a supersized infotainment touchscreen inspired by Tesla.
Two updated Focus prototypes were snapped testing by our spy photography partners overnight, a high-spec ‘standard’ Focus and the high-performance ST – but it’s the regular model that’s of most interest, as visible through the front-left side window is a large new freestanding infotainment screen that protrudes from the dashboard.
While the perspective of the image makes it difficult to confirm, it appears the Focus will be the latest Ford model to gain the brand’s latest Sync 4 infotainment system housed within a Tesla-like portrait touchscreen, as employed by the latest Mustang Mach-E electric SUV and F-150 Lightning electric pick-up offered in the US (pictured in the gallery below).
Above: 2022 Ford Focus prototype.
Above: 2021 Ford Edge (Endura) touchscreen.
Above: 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E touchscreen.
Above: Current Ford Focus interior.
Whether the Focus will feature the full-size 15.5-inch screen seen in the Mach-E, or the smaller (but still portrait-oriented) 12-inch unit in the updated Edge (or Endura) SUV in the US, isn’t clear, though either way expect wireless Apple CarPlay, wireless Android Auto, satellite navigation and digital radio on flagship grades, along with over-the-air updates.
Images of ‘base’ 2022 Focus prototypes on steel wheels show the existing 8.0-inch screen used in the current model – suggesting the supersized 12- or 15.5-inch display will be exclusive to flagship variants in Australia and elsewhere, including the ST.
Aside from the new screen, spy photos reveal the facelifted Focus will benefit from mild exterior changes, with slimmer LED headlights, new LED tail-light signatures, and a new front bumper with a larger upper grille and tweaked lower intakes.
Similar changes are bound for the flagship ST, along with a new ‘Mean Green’ exterior colour debuted on the Puma ST hot SUV, and Pirelli P Zero tyres (replacing Michelins) for the hot hatchback’s 19-inch grey alloy wheels.
Under the bonnet, it’s expected the updated Focus will carry over its predecessor’s engine range with no changes, meaning a 134kW/240Nm 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol three-cylinder in ‘standard’ ST-Line and Active variants in Australia, and a 206kW/420Nm 2.3-litre turbo four-cylinder in the ST locally.
An eight-speed automatic transmission should carry over in regular models, with six-speed manual and seven-speed automatic options to continue in the ST.
Ford of Europe has committed to offering a plug-in hybrid or all-electric version of every vehicle it sells by mid-2026, a deadline that conveniently follows after the expected end of the current-generation Focus’s life cycle – suggesting a hybrid or electric option isn’t in the plan for the small car.
However, the availability of 2.5-litre hybrid and plug-in hybrid options on the larger Escape mid-size SUV – which rides on the same ‘C2’ platform as the Focus – could open the door for similar powertrains under the skin of the updated Focus.
Given the light camouflage worn by the prototypes, the 2022 Ford Focus and 2022 Ford Focus ST will likely be unveiled in full within the next six months. Australian launch timing is yet to be confirmed, though a local launch by the end of 2022 is likely.
It remains to be seen whether Australia will continue to receive standard 1.5-litre ST-Line and Active variants of the Focus, or whether it will go ST-only Down Under – as per the latest-generation Fiesta city car – in light of slow sales.
A total of 611 examples of the Focus were recorded as sold from January to July 2021, placing it well behind sales titans including the Toyota Corolla, Hyundai i30 and Kia Cerato, and a few hundred units behind the similarly-priced Volkswagen Golf and Skoda Scala.
The 2021 Range Rover Evoque is posh, premium and packed with tech, but it’s not perfect.
What we love
Styling is sleek and elegant
New infotainment system is a winner
Warranty is longer than its main rivals
What we don’t
The drive doesn’t inspire
No ports for back seat passengers
Once you start adding options it becomes very pricey
Introduction
The 2021 Range Rover Evoque is one of the more posh-looking cars in the luxury medium SUV segment. It’s not just its style that’s worth boasting about, though, it’s a pragmatic vehicle too.
The previous model of the Evoque offered a far more complicated line-up. Similar to when you go into a restaurant and are handed a menu with far too many choices, it can be quite the head-scratcher.
Thankfully, the new Evoque range has been refined with four versions on offer – all with the sportier-looking R-Dynamic design package fitted as standard. The fresh model also scores snazzy doorhandles, a new-look infotainment, and new underpinnings designed for the overseas hybrid models.
It kicks off with the S that has a starting price of $67,415, followed by the mid-spec SE from $74,849 for the petrol, also offered in a diesel from $76,685, and tops out at $79,538 for the range-topping HSE. All prices are before on-road costs.
The model we had on test was the 2021Range Rover Evoque R-Dynamic SE D200. Options were plentiful with ClearSight interior rear-view mirror ($1230), black contrast roof ($1050), cabin air purification system ($777), privacy glass ($690), DAB radio ($400), and premium carpet floor mats ($290) – bringing the total test model cost to $81,122 before on-road costs.
The SE D200 packs a four-cylinder turbocharged diesel mild-hybrid engine paired to a nine-speed automatic gearbox and is all-wheel drive. More on the drivetrain later.
The Range Rover Evoque sells, and fairly well I might add. But its numbers don’t quite match up to the high flyers of the class in the Audi Q5 and BMW X3. Style is a personal preference, so you can be the judge of which you like the most, but let’s delve into the price tag.
In comparison, for around $74,900 plus on-roads you can pick up the Audi Q5 2.0-litre 40 TDI Sport or the BMW X3 2.0-litre xDrive20d. While pricing for these is slightly lower in comparison to the Range Rover, once you start adding options to any of these, it’s much of a muchness.
Though the prices are similar, it may just come down to the badge or personal choice in terms of style. Another thing to keep in mind is that the Evoque sits in the medium SUV segment and therefore has competition from within, with the Land Rover Discovery Sport and slightly larger Jaguar F-Pace and Range Rover Velar overlapping on price. So, when you’re shopping in a Jaguar Land Rover showroom, there’s a heap of choice.
Standard feature highlights in the Evoque include a powered tailgate, 14-way power-adjustable front seats, automatic high-beam headlamps with auto-levelling LED daytime running lights, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, flush exterior doorhandles, leather steering wheel, 3D surround camera and 20-inch wheels.
It’s worth noting the exterior styling of this car that is bold and no doubt a head-turner on the road. The standard R-Dynamic design gives it that extra edge adding a black grille and mirror covers, black bonnet and side vents, body-coloured lower front bumper, and burnished copper exhaust tips.
Key details
2021 Range Rover Evoque R-Dynamic SE D200
Price (MSRP)
$76,685 plus on-road costs
Colour of test car
Fuji White
Options
ClearSight interior rear-view mirror ($1230), black contrast roof ($1050), cabin air purification system ($777), privacy glass ($690), DAB radio ($400), and premium carpet floor mats ($290)
You’ll want to spend plenty of time in the Evoque cabin. It all looks rather swanky with its sloped dash and premium-looking materials throughout including leather seats and gloss trims. Our interior was kitted in ebony grained leather with ebony interior, but there’s also the cloud/ebony combination available.
The leather steering wheel has a real presence carrying that familiar luxe-looking Range Rover badge, while the steering wheel touch buttons not only look plush in a piano black, but are also easy to use.
The storage isn’t bad – while the storage compartment underneath the centre console is decent, there’s no other space up high to store anything, so I found myself throwing a lot of items into the cupholders, of which you get two, plus an extra in each of the door bins. This car doesn’t get a wireless charger, but there is a USB-A, USB-C and a 12-volt socket up front.
The back seats are roomier than I initially suspected. For a car of this size, the back gets enough leg and head room, which my passengers found extremely comfy on trips through the week. It’s certainly a car you want to pick your friends up in, and even with two taller adults in the back, I didn’t hear any complaints.
The back row also has a pull-down armrest with two cupholders, dedicated air vents, door bins and seat back pockets. They don’t get to charge their phone, though, missing out on USB ports.
The boot is accessed via a power tailgate, and in terms of size it’s 20cm wider than its predecessor and measures 591L. So while it’s not overly deep, it’s wide enough and includes a full-sized spare, lights, and hooks on either side for added convenience.
Overall, aside from lacking a few niceties, I really enjoyed sitting inside this cabin on test. It’s plush, stylish, comfortable and has just enough space, even if you were looking at it as a potential family SUV.
2021 Range Rover Evoque R-Dynamic SE D200
Seats
Five
Boot volume
591L
Length
4371mm
Width
1996mm
Height
1649mm
Wheelbase
2681mm
Infotainment and Connectivity
The new infotainment system is a real asset to this car. It scores the company’s Pivi infotainment system that allows simultaneous Bluetooth connection with two phones, integrated Spotify with music streaming, and over-the-air software updates via an in-built data connection. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are packed into this.
The layout looks really snazzy, too, with a 10.0-inch display on top as your main touchscreen and a climate-control screen just below, which also houses your vehicle settings. It’s all designed perfectly in terms of placement and the size of the controls – in particular, the temperature dials that are large and within easy reach.
Phone pairing is simple, and if you’re a fan of a good sound system, I’m happy to report that the 180W sound system is of great quality. The camera is exceptional with both on- and off-road views, and with 3D capability it made parking in tighter spots a lot easier. The reverse sensors’ noise is a little overpowering, but other than that they’ve done a great job not only with presentation, but with the quality of the system.
Safety and Technology
The Evoque is packed with plenty of advanced safety features including adaptive cruise control, driver-condition monitor, emergency braking, blind-spot assist, wade sensing, clear-exit monitor, lane-keep assist, front and rear parking aid, front and rear parking sensors with autobrake, rear collision monitor, rear traffic monitor, traffic sign recognition and adaptive speed limiter customer. I must mention the nifty fixed speed camera alerts that chime and pop up on the infotainment screen when driving, which I haven’t had the pleasure of experiencing too often.
It also has six airbags, two ISOFIX points and three top-tether points, and scored the maximum of five ANCAP stars when it was tested in 2019.
It wasn’t too long ago that Range Rover stepped it up a notch and adopted a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty (previously three). A good move that puts them ahead of main competitors in BMW and Audi who are both still only offering three. Servicing will cost you $1950 as a part of the five-year plan.
In terms of consumption, Land Rover claims 5.7L/100km, and we weren’t too far off by returning a reading of 6.3L/100km. The driving during testing was a mixture of freeways and urban.
At a glance
2021 Range Rover Evoque R-Dynamic SE D200
Warranty
Five years / unlimited kilometres
Service intervals
12 months – condition-based
Servicing costs
$1950 5yr/102,000km
Fuel cons. (claimed)
5.7L/100km
Fuel cons. (on test)
6.3L/100km
Fuel type
Diesel
Fuel tank size
65L
Driving
As mentioned, this particular model packs a four-cylinder turbocharged diesel mild-hybrid engine paired to a nine-speed automatic gearbox and sends power to all four wheels. It delivers 150kW of power and 430Nm of torque. Respectable numbers, but this car feels anything but powerful.
The Evoque is slow off the mark, and when the power eventually kicks in it feels inconsistent. With peak torque available in the lower range, it sounds almost angry when it hits higher revs.
It does perform better if you kick it into Sport mode and even engage the paddles, which offers a much sharper drive. What’s more, while Comfort mode wasn’t the most polished around the urban streets, the drive felt a lot more refined cruising along freeways.
One thing that irritated me that I had not yet encountered was the brake hold, which has both an auto hold and manually engaged operating mode.
Basically, the brake hold function will hold the brakes on after you’ve come to a complete stop, but even with the auto hold function switched off, it’ll manually engage brake hold with a moderately firm press on the brake pedal when fully stopped. It made a few situations like reversing into a park rather trickier than usual, when you expect the car to creep by itself but it doesn’t.
The function may be a little redundant, as this works as an off-road assistant for a car that may never go off-road. Speaking of which, I didn’t get to try this off-road myself, but it does offer a variety of programs if you’re wanting to venture off the beaten tracks, including grass, gravel, snow, auto terrain, sand and mud ruts.
On a brighter note, the suspension is decent and supple enough to handle rougher surfaces. The steering is light and handling exceptional with the Evoque able to glide easily through tighter corners.
Land Rover has set this car up to make it more approachable, which I can appreciate; however, the feedback and response that you get don’t inspire the drive.
Key details
2021 Range Rover Evoque R-Dynamic SE D200
Engine
2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo diesel mild-hybrid
Power
150kW @ 3750rpm
Torque
430Nm @ 1750-2500rpm
Drive type
All-wheel drive
Transmission
Nine-speed torque converter automatic
Power to weight ratio
82.7kW/t
Weight (tare)
1814kg
Tow rating
2000kg unbraked, 750kg braked
Turning circle
11.9m
Conclusion
The Range Rover Evoque is a stylish, sophisticated and good-looking SUV. Its latest upgrades have made it even better, with highlights such as the standard R-Dynamic package and infotainment system that I couldn’t fault.
I’ll give it to the brand for making this car practical, and even one I’d recommend to a friend. It’s packed with safety, great tech, and has all the attributes for a superb medium SUV. If the drive were a touch more refined, it would be the perfect, pretty package.
The new Nissan Qashqai will ditch its predecessor’s ageing 2.0-litre petrol engine in favour of a frugal new 1.3-litre turbo unit – though an upcoming E-Power hybrid expected later in 2022 promises to sip even less fuel.
The new-generation 2022 Nissan Qashqai due in showrooms early next year will debut a new 1.3-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine for the Nissan brand, replacing the ageing 2.0-litre ‘MR’ engine in service in various forms for nearly 15 years.
Filings on the Australian government’s Road Vehicle Certification System (RVCS) website confirm the outgoing Qashqai’s 2.0-litre non-turbo four-cylinder petrol engine will be axed, instead making way for a new 1.3-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine offered in overseas versions of Nissan’s small SUV since 2018, and in a number of small Renault and Mercedes-Benz vehicles locally.
Australian models will develop 110kW – a minor bump over the 106kW of the 2.0-litre engine, and splitting the 103kW and 116kW versions of the 1.3-litre mill available in Europe. The RVCS listing doesn’t quote a torque figure, though the 260-270Nm developed by European models suggests a notable increase over the old non-turbo four-cylinder’s 200Nm.
Above: Australian-market Nissan Qashqai, pictured in Nissan Australia’s Victorian headquarters.
Crucially, locally-delivered 2022 Qashqai models are likely to eschew the 12-volt ‘mild-hybrid’ system fitted as standard in Europe – given Australian cars’ which recovers and stores energy under deceleration to power auxiliary systems, and can switch off the engine below 18km/h to save fuel.
Despite the lack of a mild-hybrid system, the new 1.3-litre will likely record a moderate improvement over the 6.9L/100km combined fuel consumption claim of the 2.0-litre engine, which has been in use in Australia in the Qashqai since 2014, or since 2007 (albeit without direct injection technology) in the Dualis, the name under which the Qashqai was previously sold.
Drive in all 1.3-litre Australian models will be sent to the front wheels through a CVT automatic transmission only – spelling the end for the six-speed manual transmission option locally, offered only on the entry-level ST variant, priced $2000 lower than the CVT at $28,590 before on-road costs.
While yet to be officially confirmed, the new 1.3-litre turbo engine is expected to be joined later in 2022 by an ‘E-Power’ hybrid variant. Debuting the technology for Nissan in Australia, the Qashqai E-Power can’t directly drive the wheels with its petrol engine – instead, the engine acts as a generator, powering a 140kW electric motor that spins the front wheels.
Pricing for the new Qashqai is yet to be locked in, though the axing of the manual transmission – combined with a larger body, all-new interior and a slew of new convenience and safety technologies – will likely see the price of entry rise into the low-to-mid-$30,000 region before on-road costs.
A set of 17-inch alloy wheels and LED headlights are standard on the entry-level model, the RVCS listing confirms – the latter item previously restricted to the flagship variant – with higher-grade models gaining 18- and 19-inch wheels (though the 20-inch alloys available overseas will be off-limits Down Under).
For comparison, the current Qashqai starts from $28,590 before on-road costs for the entry-level ST manual, or $30,590 before on-road costs (or just under $35,000 drive-away) for the ST automatic – so a price rise to the tune of a few thousand dollars is a fair estimation.
The flagship Ti currently asks for $39,090 before on-road costs – and with a fully-digital instrument cluster, colour head-up display and other features all offered on top-tier Qashqai variants overseas, a starting price for the new range-topping model in the $40,000s is likely.
While full local specifications are yet to be confirmed, features available on certain variants will include a 9.0-inch infotainment touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and wired Android Auto, a 12.3-inch digital instrument display, multi-zone climate control, 10-speaker Bose premium sound system, quilted nappa leather seats, and a full suite of driver assistance aids, including adaptive cruise control, lane-centring assist, and blind-spot monitoring.
Full details of the 2022 Nissan Qashqai will be confirmed closer to its Australian launch in early 2022, with the launch date confirmed earlier this year (click here to read the full story).
For everything you need to know about the new small SUV’s exterior, interior, technology and engines, click here to read our full reveal story.
