Like many Kiwis, this writer long had a thing for Ford’s hotter versions of its small passenger vehicles. This fancy has over the years been partially satisfied, once by owning a Laser S and soon after an Escort XR3i. But for each occasion my wants were appeased there have been other fast Fords that I have regrettably never tasted. I’m not alone in my passion either, there’s something in the sporty Fords that really appeals to us here in NZ. Is it the reasonable priced attainability? Or is it the sleeves-rolled-up, blue-collar nature of these machines?
The answers may lay with Ford’s current go-fast offering in NZ – the Focus XR5 Turbo. While it’s not the top-spec Focus RS, which never made it here, the XR5 is no softie and I had a weeklong date with the hot hatch. So we set off on a quest to see if the XR5 shares the same 
assets of its revered ancestors.
Now in its second generation the Focus has undergone a facelift that has brought with it a more purposeful aesthetic. While only sharing minimal design DNA with its Escort forefather the XR5 has a refreshed face with reworked headlights and a flatter looking grille. At the rear it’s all business with a new tailgate and diffuser-styled bumper sitting above the twin exhaust outlets that signal speedy intent. Finishing the athletic look is a wide body-kit and distinctive Y-spoke 18-inch alloys. Overall, the XR5 is a real looker; it encompasses all the muscular styling cues hot hatch buyers look for and despite being in the latter stages of its lifecycle appears modern and suitably aggressive.
While the upgrades are deeper than a new front end, that’s where the most noticeable change exists. The new ‘jet fighter’ front grille is robbed off the Lancer and although you couldn’t call it pretty, it gives the Outlander a purposeful, staunch presence. Other exterior updates include a new bonnet with character lines that lead into the grille, colour-coded door mirrors, side-sills and a new rear bumper. Our VR model test vehicle was finished off with silver integrated roof rails, front fog lamps and smart 18-inch alloys. Overall, the Outlander is a handsome SUV, it makes use a fairly standard boxy shape but the upgrades have helped release individuality from those confines.
the Sportivo to see what’s new and what lays ahead for this Aussie born battler.
