Ford has revealed a revised version of the Focus with sleeker looks, new engines and new technology.

It appears to have a lower, wider stance, with a new bonnet, front fascia and grille. Slimmer, more chiselled front headlamps and more rectangular, elongated fog-lamps enhance a more upmarket look.

The dashboard has a more intuitive layout, complemented by a steering wheel and central stack with fewer controls and switches. The new black satin trim and chrome detailing contribute to a cleaner, more modern look, and more intuitive functions.

The Focus will be the first vehicle in Europe to offer Sync 2. Ford’s in-car connectivity system features a high-resolution, eight-inch colour touch screen and advanced voice control for easier access to audio, navigation, climate control and compatible mobile phones.

Ford of Europe's product development chief Joe Bakaj said that when the previous generation Focus was introduced in 2010 it was the most advanced car in its segment. "What we needed to do was make the best even better this time around," he added.

"We want to blow people away with this model and as well as the technologies we have made a number of significant changes to improve the driving experience, to make it more fun with better handling and better connection to the road."

Engineers have increased the structural stiffness at the front of the car, revising the suspension geometry, increasing lateral stiffness of ‘steering-relevant’ suspension bushes, retuning the shock absorbers and incorporating a new electronic stability programme to try to improve the feeling of engagement for the driver. The electric power steering also has been retuned.

The new Focus offers improved fuel efficiency on many versions compared to the current model thanks to new powertrain options.

The new Focus will be the first vehicle in Europe to offer the fuel efficient new 1.5-litre Ecoboost (150hp and 180hp) petrol engine and also will be offered equipped with the new 1.5-litre TDCi (95hp and 120hp) diesel engine.

The Focus will continue to be offered with the 1.0-litre EcoBoost petrol engine (100hp and 125hp) that last year was chosen by a third of Focus customers across Europe. There will also be a new version of the 99 g/km CO2 1.0-litre EcoBoost (introduced in January), the first non-hybrid petrol family car in Europe to offer sub-100 g/km CO2 emissions.

The new Focus also will be available with paddle-shift controls that enable drivers to control gear changes while keeping their hands on the steering wheel. Paddle-shift controls will be available as an option with all automatic transmissions, both diesel and petrol.