THE Ford Focus Active is just like the normal hatchback or estate with raised suspension and body cladding to give it a tougher Crossover look.

The greater ride height makes it even better to drive on our testing roads and it is a great all-rounder and one of the best family cars you can buy.

It is a very good package with a lot of standard kit and it also boasts a chassis that helps it to stand out from its competition as it handles superbly.

It features a mild-hybrid 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine that makes it perform well and at the same time deliver good economy.

It produces 155ps and reaches 62mph in 9.7 seconds before going on to a possible131mph.

And it does all this with combined CO2 emissions of 118g/km and up to 61.4mpg.

There is enough room for four adults to travel in comfort and its stylish looks are enhanced by 17-inch five-spoke alloys with a machined finish.

The ride is supple and smooth even on our poor roads and the seats are really comfortable.

Built to stand up to family life, the interior is finished in good quality materials and it offers all the creature comforts you need.

A large 13.2-inch screen controls most features and I did find it a bit fiddly at times. The chunky steering wheel is a nice touch and there is also a 4.2 colour TFT analogue cluster with a trip computer.

You also get dual air conditioning, heated front seats, heated steering wheel, navigation, reversing camera, privacy glass, rain sensing wipers, power folding mirrors with puddle lights, front and rear parking sensors and a superb sound system with 10 speakers.

It also has keyless entry and push button start/stop, as well as Ford's brilliant Quickclear heated windscreen which is great during the winter months.

Other features include selectable driving modes, Apple Carplay and Android Auto.

The Active is great to drive and handles really well.The steering is very sharp and while the ride is firm it is not uncomfortable. It corners well with little roll and there is stacks of grip even in the recent very wet conditions.

As well as the special Moondust paint at £575, the car came with a blind spot information system with trailer coverage at £450, a Driver Assist Pack that provides driver alerts, traffic sign recognition and adaptive cruise control at £575. It also had a parking pack costing and additional £550 taking the total price to £31,940