FORD FOCUS ESTATE THE FOCUS has never lacked family appeal but Ford has gone even further – by sticking the boot in.

An estate has joined the new range and is expected to become the UK's favourite mid-sized load lugger.

It looks good, too. The days when mid-sized estates looked like a hearse are gone forever. Ford's designers have added a racy slope to the long roofline, that's mirrored by the chrome window trim, helping to disguise the visual bulk of the hefty boot. The tailgate drops off steeply, emphasising the car's sporty appeal, and from the front it looks just like the Focus hatch.

Of course, the Focus Estate has to be supremely practical as well as good looking.

With the seats up there's a 476-litre load space. Fold the rear seats down and the luggage area increases to 1,502-litres – enough for even the largest of loads. Chrome roof rails are fitted as standard but it's highly unlikely you'll ever need them.

Eagle-eyed Focus fans will spot the change to the fuel filler cap. The hatchback's cleverly disguised filler has been replaced by a standard flip-open cap.

Inside, Ford has adopted the same design philosophy first seen in the Fiesta, with a similar dashboard layout that's inspired by a mobile phone, and careful use of silver trim to lift the otherwise dull blacks and greys.

The chunky multi-functional steering wheel feels good in the hands and the driving position is flawless. This is a car built for long-distance work.

Despite the extra length the estate is only 26kg (or a bag of cement) heavier than the hatch. Performance is, therefore, pretty much identical.

As you'd expect of a car with best-seller credentials Ford has brought the estate to market with a full range of diesel and petrol engines.

The petrols are cheaper but, in a car like this, the extra torque of a diesel is likely to come in handy when you're hauling a big load (and if you're not then you should be buying the hatchback and saving £1,100).

If you can stretch your budget then, the turbocharged engines make more sense.

The Focus Estate is good-looking, nice to drive and very practical. If you've no need of seven seats it makes a convincing alternative to a people carrier, although its a bit pricey – so make sure you haggle.