KEY POINTS:
Ford is the first of the mainstream carmakers to offer a vehicle that ticks all the boxes with the new thinking at local and central government fleet level: a medium-sized, five-door turbodiesel station-wagon.
The oil-burner is the only diesel in a line-up of eight improved Focus models - and it has been positioned and priced for fleets facing pressure from central government to cut global-warming CO2 emissions.
Market leader Toyota will next month offer a turbodiesel Corolla and RAV 4. Rival Nissan has a diesel for its X-Trail.
Diesel engines as a rule use less fuel and emit about 20 per cent fewer CO2 emissions from the tailpipe than petrol. Smaller petrol engines are more fuel- and emissions-efficient than bigger petrol engines.
The New Zealand Government has a discussion paper in circulation looking at ways to introduce a fuel economy and emissions standard by 2015.
The planned 170g of CO2 per kilometre will apply to all vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes entering the Kiwi fleet, including used Japanese imports.
But the Motor Industry Association wants the Government instead to accept an industry-led scheme it calls "burden sharing", where each carmaker has to improve its CO2 exhaust emissions.
A 1.8-litre Ford Focus diesel with CO2 emissions in 2015 of 130g/km would be balanced against the 200g/km a go-fast, petrol-powered 2.5-litre XR5 Focus might emit in seven years.
Average emissions of both cars would therefore be 165g/km - 5g/km under the Government's proposed limit. Extend that across a fleet made up of more fuel-efficient, smaller-engined cars than big and the 170g/km target remains in reach.
The MIA is reasonably comfortable with the 170g/km limit. But it wants the Government to go about it another way: adopt the burden-sharing idea rather than what's in the discussion document - an across-the-board 170g/km limit with optional penalties between $100 and $200.
Take a two-car Ford family in 2015, for argument's sake. Mum has a Ford Focus that emits 130g/km and Dad runs a Ford Falcon that is rated at 210g/km. Total: 340g/km, or a household average of 170g/km across two cars. The MIA would be happy with that. Not Government. Under penalties in the document, Dad would have to pay Ford an extra $4000 or $8000 for the Falcon - $100 or $200 for every gram of CO2 above the 170g/km limit.
Those who genuinely need large cars or commercials that don't meet the emissions standard would be hit hard in the pocket. The result will be chaos, says the industry. Customers would no longer have a choice.
Engine and exhaust technology will, however, leapfrog itself over the next seven years. New vehicles in 2001 - particularly cars - were nowhere near as fuel-efficient or as clean-burning as they are today.
The Ford Focus range in this country in 2002 wasn't as efficient as the new line-up. Ford is claiming 5.3 litres/100km (53mpg) and emissions of 189g/km for the 1.8-litre, five-speed manual diesel wagon.
The 1.6-litre petrol-powered manual and automatic Focus hatches and wagons consume between a claimed 6.7 litres/100km (42mpg) and 7.7 litres/100km (37mpg).
The 2-litre engine in the Focus hatch is good for 8 litres/100km (35mpg), says Ford. The boosted 2.5-litre unit in the XR5 turbo swallows a claimed 9.3 litres/100km (30mpg).
All Focus engines meet Euro IV emissions standards and the range has a maximum five-star crash rating. Electronic stability is standard equipment, along with six airbags.
The updated Focus range is priced between $26,190 and $44,990. The hatch has always had a standout chassis - Ford says the facelift is better still.
