Road Test: Ford Focus 1.6 Edge 5dr

If you hate the taxman, diesel particulates and alloy wheels, this Focus may interest you. Why? Because it emits a mere 88g/km of CO2 into the atmosphere - making it the most efficient model in the line-up.

Your wallet will thank you for that, as the CO2 figure makes it road-tax-exempt. And if you want this estate as a company car - handy when the load bay expands to 1,502 litres with the seats down - you'll pay the least amount possible for a diesel car.

However, you will have to live with the basic Edge trim level, as it's the only one available.

That carbon figure was achieved by remapping the ECU, adding active aero, smoothing out the underbody airflow, wrapping low-rolling-resistance tyres round steel wheels and lengthening the gear ratios - a mod that leaves you rummaging around the 'box to find the 199lb ft of torque on offer.

The result is a claimed 83.1mpg... if you have feather feet. Us? We got high fifties.

It's got tough competitors, too. Toyota's Auris Hybrid is claimed to be slightly more efficient, Hyundai's i30 Tourer has a bigger boot and the Volkswagen Golf Estate looks better. But consider it as an overall package, and the Focus takes quite a bit of beating.