The Ford Focus is a compact car (category C in Europe) , manufactured by the Ford Motor Company since 1998 . Ford began sales of the Focus to Europe in July 1998 and in North America during 1999 for the 2000 model year.

In Europe , South America, North America and South Africa , the Focus replaced the various versions of the Ford Escort and Ford Laser sold in those markets . In Asia and Australasia , it replaced the Ford Laser. From the first half of 2012 , the Focus overtook Toyota Corolla to become the best selling nameplate in the automotive world . The Focus has been considered one of the 50 greatest cars of the last fifty years of the British magazine CAR.