Codenamed C170 during its development, the original Focus took its eventual name from a Ghia concept car which was shown at the Geneva Motor Show in 1991.

Certain elements of the design had been seen even earlier in prototypes used by Ford to demonstrate forthcoming safety features, such as the eye-level rear lighting clusters.

[3][4][5][6] The styling had been overseen by Jack Telnack and executed by Claude Lobo and Australian designer, John Doughty, concluding in January 1996 upon program approval.

Previous attempts to achieve this had met with limited success - the concept for the original 1981 Escort had infamously mutated into two entirely different cars for Europe and North America with only superficial similarities between the two.

[9] Focus models had been designed under the directorship of Richard Parry-Jones and were noted at introduction for their styling, class-leading[10] rear suspension and tall interior packaging  – as well as a stiff and light body structure, low-friction steering and suspension, and extensive safety and convenience features including driver and passenger airbags, available head-and-chest side air bags, rear ISOFIX child-safety seat attachments, safety belt system with pre-tensioners and load-limiting retractors, battery saver to automatically switch off lights after 10 minutes, interior light dimming feature, and flip-up/flat-folding rear seat cushions.

[2] In 2000, Karl Brauer, writing for Edmunds.com described the styling: "While ergonomically sound, the Focus' interior, like its exterior, displays much of Ford's New Edge philosophy that had editors split on loving or hating it.

"[11] Sherri Koucky, writing for MachineDesign.com said the styling "mixes round shapes with funky geometric ones and adds sharp angles, somehow making them all work together.

"[13] After the international Ford Focus, which shared styling with North American models, had won the prestigious European Car of the Year (1999), William Diem of the New York Times wrote, "To some extent, the prize vindicates Ford's risky design for the Focus, especially the New Edge styling -- a combination of straight lines, curves and planes.

The system was developed from that used in the CDW27 Ford Mondeo estate, but with various modifications to make it simpler and cheaper to build and therefore economically viable on a mass-market vehicle.

Unlike conventional multi-link suspension, Control Blade features a wide, simple, uniform thickness, pressed steel trailing arm with hub carrier – taking the place of two longitudinal locating rods, eliminating an expensive cast knuckle, and offering the same level of body control – with a lower center of gravity, reduced road noise, and at lower production cost.

In testing the suspension in 2000, Motor Trend writer Jack Keebler noted "The Focus' average speed of 62.6 mph through our slalom makes it faster around the cones than a $62,000 Jaguar XJ8L and a $300,000 Bentley Continental.

The impression is of having plenty of wheel travel for gobbling the larger stuff and big-car, full-frame isolation when encountering expansion joints and smaller road imperfections.

However the sixth and final generation of the Escort remained in production in Halewood until 2000 as a budget alternative to the Focus, and the van versions continued until 2002 until its replacement by the Focus-based Ford Transit Connect.

Interior details included sport bucket seats with diamond, silver-masked instrument cluster, radio bezel, door accents and a silver shift knob.

S2: The Focus S2 (2001), available only in the three-door ZX3 model, featured European-tuned suspension, grey body trim with unique front spoiler and rocker panels, color-keyed bodyside moldings and S2 badging, rear spoiler, six-spoke 16-inch aluminum wheels and chrome exhaust tip, six-disc in-dash CD changer, sport bucket seats with diamond-patterned inserts, and exterior colors including CD silver, Sangria Red and a Focus Liquid Grey.

The European Appearance package (or EAP for short) included all available options listed above, plus full black perforated leather Recaro seats/door panels and fifteen-spoke Dark Argent colored wheels.

Following discontinuation of the North American SVT Focus in 2004, Ford introduced the ST variant of the ZX4 for 2005–2007, with a 2.3-liter, 151 hp (113 kW) (154 lbf⋅ft (209 N⋅m) (SAE) Torque) Duratec driving a five-speed MTX-75 manual transmission with reverse lock-out.

The ST featured a unique interior, 16-inch (410 mm) wheels with Pirelli P6 Four Seasons tires, spoiler, color-keyed fascia, a color keyed grille, and four-wheel anti-lock disk brakes.

Adapted from the Facelift Mk 1 Focus, the ST170 had the following cosmetic revisions: 17 in (430 mm) Multi-Spoke Alloy Wheels; Alarm; Side Airbags; Optional 1/2 (in non-UK markets) and full Recaro leather seats; Optional 9006 Stereo system with bespoke Subwoofer; brushed aluminium door releases; honeycomb 'tech flec' front grills, round projector style fog lights, color-coded bumper and side beadings & door handles; and Locally developed bodykit (Australia only).

Upgrades included: High-flow aluminium cylinder head; Variable valve timing; Dual stage intake manifold; Stainless steel exhaust system and exhaust manifold by Cosworth; Sports catalytic converter; Larger brake discs (300 mm front, 280 mm rear); Getrag 6-speed manual M6 gearbox; Revised power steering 'falling-flow' pump and close ratio steering rack.

It would generate a steady 0.98G in lateral acceleration due to racing parts such as Sachs dampers, lightweight O.Z Alloy Wheels and a Quaife ATB Differential.

Mechanically, most notably, the car incorporated a Quaife automatic torque biasing differential to improve traction from the front-wheel drive setup.

The instruments have a blue background and in place of the coolant temperature gauge, the RS was equipped with a boost pressure indicator (up to 1.5 bar).

All-around performance was roughly equal or better to its other competitors, including hatchbacks such as the Honda Civic Type R and some four-wheel drive cars in the same price field.

[citation needed] Power was a diminished priority and the handling on a track, courtesy of the front differential, was considered by most observers to be its strongest characteristic.

It was inspired by 1999 Ford Focus WRC with unique bodykit and powered by a Cosworth-developed 2.0-liter turbo-charged and inter-cooled Zetec-E engine that produce more than 200 PS.

McRae gave the Focus its first win two events later on the Safari Rally Kenya finishing over 15 minutes ahead of the second placed Toyota of Didier Auriol.

In Europe, where the Focus was positioned at the heart of the largest market segment by volume, Ford's overall market share had declined by 25% between 1995 and 2000 as the aging Ford Escort failed to match up in technological terms to the Vauxhall/Opel Astra and Volkswagen Golf without being able to achieve compensating sales volumes in the low price sector where Korean manufacturers, in particular, were becoming increasingly competitive.

Automotive Loyalty Award for highest percentage of repeat buyers, four years running, from 2000 through 2003 – the Focus did experience numerous recalls early in the car's life.

[59] By 2005, the Focus received a Consumers Digest Best Buy Rating,[60] (taking numerous factors into consideration, including reliability and recall history) as well as the Strategic Vision 2005 Total Quality Award.