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Ford Focus vs Toyota Corolla

What's the difference?

VS
Ford Focus
Ford Focus

$19,990 - $42,888

2021 price

Toyota Corolla
Toyota Corolla

$29,270 - $40,450

2025 price

Summary

2021 Ford Focus
2025 Toyota Corolla
Safety Rating

Engine Type
Turbo 3, 1.5L

Inline 4, 1.8L
Fuel Type
Unleaded Petrol

Unleaded Petrol/Electric
Fuel Efficiency
6.4L/100km (combined)

4.0L/100km (combined)
Seating
5

5
Dislikes
  • Optional advanced safety
  • Better tyres would be nice
  • Too many optional colours

  • Cabin not as practical as rivals
  • Tiny boot volume
  • Ageing interior
2021 Ford Focus Summary

Ford's small hatch, the Focus, is criminally under-bought in Australia. The latest model is  one of the best hatchbacks on the road and when you chuck in the decent price, impressive equipment and absurdly powerful engine for its size, it's a winner.

But you lot? You don't buy it in nearly the kinds of numbers it deserves. Partly because there isn't a bait-and-upsell boggo model to lure you in, partly because it's got a badge that is not exciting Australians any more and partly because it's not a compact SUV.

Or is(n't) it? Because alongside the ST-Line warm hatch is the identically priced and therefore technically a co-entry level model; the Focus Active. Slightly higher, with plastic cladding, drive modes and a conspicuous L on the transmission shifter, it's a little bit SUV, right?

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Interested in a Ford Focus?
2025 Toyota Corolla Summary

Up until 2024 when its title was nabbed by the Tesla Model Y, the humble Toyota Corolla has been the world’s best-selling car for quite some time. 

A reputation for reliability, affordability, efficiency and in its current guise, being fun to drive, the Corolla has seen off all comers to retain the title of the most popular small car on Earth.

The current twelfth-generation Corolla is now seven years into its life cycle having landed in mid-2018. In that time scores of buyers have moved across into small SUVs, and the Corolla’s competitor set has shrunk dramatically as car brands pull out of the small passenger car segment.

But as we gear up for the next-gen Corolla, is the existing one still worth considering against some newer rivals? And should you look at this instead of a small SUV?

I lived with the mid-range Corolla SX hatchback for a week to find out.

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Interested in a Toyota Corolla?

Deep dive comparison

2021 Ford Focus 2025 Toyota Corolla

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