From the side, the first thing that strikes you about the new Ford Focus Ghia 1.6i 16v TDCi, which was launched earlier this month, is that the distinctive chop off' angular rear end has disappeared.

In its place is a softened, tapered rear with a small spoiler at the top of a raked back window, writes Andy Bloxham.

By removing the characteristically sharp angles, which made its predecessor so immediately identifiable, the car becomes less aggressive but blander and, probably, gains a wider appeal.

It has become the kind of car that your friends will tell you looks like' another car, particularly those rounded bullet' shapes so loved by modern automobile designers.

All in all, the car seems to have been redesigned to be more family friendly' while upgrading features that will make it appeal more to the businessman, hinted at by the Mondeo-style lines at the front.

I intended to take the car for a blast north through the Lake District National Park and, on a morning thick with frost, the heated front and rear windscreens quickly got to work.

By the time I'd turned on the engine in the drive and found my coat and gloves, the only frost traces that remained were beads of water easily flicked away by a swish of each set of wipers.

Leaving the automatic headlights and rain-sensing wipers to do their own work, I fed six compact discs into the stereo, familiarised myself with the controls and set off.

Inside, the work that has gone into improving the model began to show, although I didn't need the bong' of the internal warning system to tell me it was low temperature outside'.

The sunglasses' holder on the dash came in handy, as the low sun sliced through the windows then disappeared behind the fells on the fast road past Thirlmere.

The driving position was comfortable and roomy, even for a tall person, with plenty of scope for adjusting the steering column, without obscuring the instruments, as can often happen if you are more than 6ft tall.

Such was the level of luxury, with walnut (or walnut effect) dash detailing, trip computer and cruise control, that I was disappointed not to find heated seats to keep me toasted as I motored past the last pockets of snow on the fells.

The Focus's cornering was tight and responsive, with firm suspension complementing confidence-inspiring steering, superb forward visibility and a zesty engine (albeit with fairly narrow torque bands), to produce a very enjoyable experience behind the wheel.

However, the gearbox seemed to require a bit more effort than it should and, more than once, a firm push rather than a gentle guide was needed to shove the, admittedly new, lever into place.

While I'm having a gripe, the advertising bumph for this car boasts of the "reassuringly solid clunk of the doors closing". To my ears, it was more timid click than reassuring clunk!

Ford have engineered tighter fitting body panels for this model and put in thicker glass in the front side windows to cut out noise so the car is quieter but those innovations still cannot hide the clatter of a distinctively Diesel engine at low speeds.

A glance at some of the optional extras suggests the kinds of people the Ghia 1.6i is aimed at: keyless ignition; Bluetooth hands-free phone and voice control system; DVD system; and navigation system.

This is a fun, comfortable vehicle with more than a splash of luxury- the new Ford Focus Ghia 1.6i 16v TDCi is a great all-rounder.

The manufacturer's figures for fuel consumption are 45.6mpg (urban), 70.6mpg (extra urban) and 58.9 (combined), with acceleration given as 0-62mph in 10.9 seconds.

The model tested was a Ford Focus Ghia 1.6i 16v TDCi from Pye Motors, Mintsfeet Industrial Estate, Kendal. The estimated on the road' retail price is £15,970, and the insurance group is 7E.