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MAX FACTOR

Models Covered: five-door MPV - 2006 to date (2.0, 2.5 petrol, 1.8, 2.0 diesel [LX, Zetec, Titanium] )

BY ANDY ENRIGHT

* Introduction It seems that there are some smart guys in the Ford product planning department. They tapped into the fact that there is a whole swathe of thirtysomething parents who don’t actually want to look as if they’ve totally given up to the call of pipe and slippers. Just because you need a vehicle big enough to haul the family and its paraphernalia around doesn’t necessarily mean you need something totally boring. The S-MAX is a people carrier with a welcome bit of attitude and one that’s surprisingly good to drive. It’s been a huge hit and used examples are now starting to appear in meaningful numbers.

In developing the S-MAX and MK3 Galaxy twins, Ford decided that it needed a greater element of control over the build of its large MPVs than it enjoyed with the previous generation Galaxy. This was built alongside Volkswagen and SEAT products in the Autoeuropa factory in Palmela, Portugal and the mix of Volkswagen and Ford parts was never a happy one, the old Galaxy being plagued by reliability issues that gradually got ironed out as it was developed. With the S-MAX, Ford took control, moving production to the Genk plant in Belgium. An instant success, the S-MAX narrowly pipped the Opel Corsa and Citroën C4 Picasso to the 2007 European Car of the Year title. It arrived in UK dealers in summer 2006 and registered some serious success. In May 2007, Ford added the 130bhp TDCi 2.0-litre diesel engine to Durashift automatic models in the S-MAX line up. ESP stability control was also fitted across the range, the Titanium model received an improved driver control system and there was also an optional Sport pack for Zetec and Titanium models. In mid-2008, flexifuel and 2.2-litre TDCi models were added to the range along with equipment upgrades.

Let’s get to the heart of any MPV style vehicle – the seats. Ford’s designers appear to have become fed up with Vauxhall taking all the plaudits for clever seating solutions and have come up with a system of their own. FFS (Ford FoldFlatSystem before you attribute a baser meaning to that acronym) allows 32 different seating permutations. The second and third rows of seats all fold flat to form a genuinely huge load floor that measures 2.0 by 1.15 metres which is about as big as a double bed. In addition to the Ford FoldFlatSystem, a number of lashing points are located across the floor and on the cabin sides, helping to prevent your belongings from destroying themselves if you do fail to resist the Ford’s sporty character. The perennial complaint of seven-seat vehicles, namely that there’s no room for luggage when all seven seats are occupied, is partly addressed by the S-MAX which offers 285 litres of space with all seats in place. This is up 18 per cent over the old MK2 Galaxy. The real answer to this question however, is staring buyers right in the face. Buy a decently sized roofbox for those rare occasions that you are going to be loaded to the gunwales by seven people and their tat. If you do wish to run the S-MAX in removal van mode, it’ll heave around up to 2,000 litres of goods with all the rear seat folded flat. There are also no fewer than 26 different cubbies located around the cabin so you’ll need to know where you left that key/credit card/wedding ring or it could be a lengthy search. In total, there’s a full 90 litres of oddment stowage in total. The fascia design of the S-MAX reflects the exterior lines in its calm maturity. The riot of bisecting lines, angles and arcs that used to typify Ford dashboards was replaced by a quietly-styled dashboard with classy materials and no outrageous gimmicks or cheap attempts at creating showroom impact. Some of the silver plastic finishes may be prone to scratching over the longer term but overall the cabin is a step removed from the ‘mainstream’ norm. The double windscreen pillar can make three quarter visibility a bit touch and go at roundabouts but aside from that, Ford have really committed to safety with this model. An ultra-rigid passenger cell is a good start point, but there’s also a recently-developed Interactive Vehicle Dynamics Control (IVDC) system that controls all of the other safety systems in a cohesive manner. When those include Continuously Controlled Damping (CDDC), Electronic Stability Program (ESP), Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) with Forward Alert (FA) and Collision Mitigation By Braking, that’s quite some integration task. Factor in the anti lock braking system, Hill Launch Assist (HLA) and a Tyre Pressure Monitoring System and you have a wide array of available safety functions that have netted the S-MAX a coveted five-star EuroNCAP safety score.

Prices start from around £14,500 for an entry-level S-MAX 2.0 LX but to be honest, this is the one engine in the range we’d avoid. The diesels are a better bet and even the base 1.8-litre TDCi 125 does a good job of hauling the S-MAX around and these can be had from £15,000. Worth saving a little longer for in other words. The 2.0-litre diesels really are the plum pick though and these can be found from £15,300 for a Zetec on a 56 plate. The 2.5-litre petrol models are rather more specialist, being ferociously quick and seriously thirsty. Expect to pay from £17,500 for a low mileage 56 plater in Titanium trim. Insurance ranges from Group 11 for the 2.0-litre petrol to a modest Group 14 for the 2.5-litrre petrol cars. Not bad when you consider that a Focus with this engine finds itself in Group 17.

The S-MAX has a clean record so far as serious problems are concerned so you can buy with relative confidence. Although S-MAX interiors are well constructed, check for the usual damage wrought by children and negotiate hard. The silver-coated plastics can scratch easily and the 18-inch alloy wheels of the Sport pack are very prone to kerbing damage. Mechanically, the S-MAX is tough but clutches can take a beating in lower-powered versions, especially if you can spot evidence of a tow bar being fitted. Front tyre wear is also an issue with the diesel engines and the weighty 2.5-litre petrol unit.

(Estimated prices, based on a 2.0LX (inc VAT) A clutch assembly is around £130, an exhaust system around £800 (incl. catalytic converter) and an exchange alternator around £320. Front brake pads are around £50, front shock absorbers are about £45 and rears just under £35.

We’re unapologetically going to concentrate on the diesel engines here, as they make up the vast majority of all S-MAX sales. There are two S-MAX diesel engines on offer. The first is a 1.8-litre Duratorq TDCi unit and you’d be excused for imagining that 1.8-litres just isn’t enough to shift a vehicle of not inconsequential bulk. Excused but wrong. The 125bhp engine may not sound a whole lot to get excited about but it also features a healthy 320Nm of torque under normal driving conditions and as much as 340Nm under what Ford dubs ‘transient overboost.’ This means that when the car’s electronics detect that you’ve really given the throttle pedal a proper prodding (such as when overtaking), it’ll change the engine mapping to allow a little extra torque temporarily. This means that you’ll have less downchanging through the manual gearbox to undertake, but keen drivers may want to throw in a downshift anyway to show off their throttle-blipping dexterity. The S-MAX is one of the few MPVs that positively encourages these sort of antics. Also available is a 2.0-litre Duratorq TDCi powerplant that headlines with 140bhp but, curiously, exactly the same torque figures as the smaller capacity unit. The similar torque response from both engines means that there’s not actually a whole lot in it when it comes to their comparative performance figures, the 1.8-litre unit making 60mph in 11.1s whereas the 2.0-litre shaves this time down to 9.9s. The 2.0-litre’s extra power can really be felt at the upper end of the rev range. Where the 1.8 gets a little breathy, the 2.0-litre is still generating some meaningful pull. Fuel economy of both powerplants is excellent given the size of vehicle they’re tasked with punting up the road. Ford quotes a combined figure of 45.8mpg for the 1.8-litre model and 44.4 for the 2.0-litre. The only slight Achilles heel of these engines is refinement. While they could never be accused of being raucous, it’s unlikely you’ll forget which pump you need to be using when the time comes to refill. If you are a real lead foot, the 2.5-litre turbo model is huge fun to punt. It’s a vehicle that’s defined by that magnificent, if rather old school five-cylinder Volvo-sourced engine. Strong in low down torque but with a real swipe of top end power, it will accelerate the S-MAX to 60mph in just 7.6 seconds and won’t let up until aerodynamics intervene at 142mph. You’ll need to be extremely saintly to match Ford’s quoted combined fuel economy figure of 28mpg, while the 224g/km of CO2 isn’t going to have Al Gore dusting down his soap box.

The S-MAX is one of those rare cars that leaped straight out of the gate to become a sector leader. It’s as smart a buy on the used market as it is from new and as long as you think diesel, there’s very little cause for complaint.

SUM OF ITS PARTS…
The Ford S-MAX 2.0 is a story of two parts. Andy Enright reports

Taken as a whole, I’d have to give the Ford S-MAX 2.0-litre a solid eight out of ten. It does what it sets out to really very well. There are, however, some times when I can’t recommend a car with hand on heart and this is one of them. Intrigued? Read on.

Every now and then you drive a car that’s a mismatch. The saddest thing is when you have a fantastic engine that’s crying out for a decent car to wrap it up in. I was always left with this gnawing frustration after driving an Alfa Romeo GTV or an AMG Mercedes SLK. The Ford S-MAX 2.0-litre reverses that problem. Here is a fantastic car saddled with a distinctly underwhelming powerplant. Ford dealers the length and breadth of the country are probably spitting feathers as they read this but there is a silver lining for your shiny suited salesman. If you want the full-on S-MAX experience, you’ll just need to grease his palm with another £800 and he’ll put you in the infinitely preferable 1.8-litre TDCi diesel. So why has this engine left me so unenthused? The figures it makes seem to stack up. It’ll sprint to 60mph in 11.4 seconds and hit a top speed of 122mph making it no slouch. It’ll even manage to average 35mpg – quite some achievement for what is a proper seven-seater sized MPV. Reasonable group 11 insurance and a 194g/km carbon dioxide emissions figure also make it look relatively affordable to run and 145bhp seems a respectable output from that 2.0-litre engine. There’s also an identically priced flexifuel version of the car with this engine capable of running on any mix of bioethanol and petrol in the same fuel tank. Then you drive it. Like any S-MAX, the handling is peachy, the gearshift is crisp and the steering feelsome, but the engine is the weakest link. If you’re accustomed to driving diesels it’ll feel as if someone has slipped a 1.3-litre up front. Just where you expect a meaty surge of acceleration there’s nothing. You’ll need to really give this engine a sound kicking to make respectable progress, crippling fuel economy in the process. Crisp pull aways from a standstill seem to rely on cremating the clutch. It just doesn’t make for a relaxing drive if stop/start stuff is involved. On a run it feels a lot better, the car settling into a refined cruise with the six-speed manual box dropping the revs to an acceptable level. Let’s not kid ourselves though. This is the easy stuff and most engines will shine when asked to sit at an undemanding 70mph. If this were the only S-MAX offered, the big Ford would win my award for the most frustrating vehicle on sale today, but the 2.0-litre’s biggest problem is that every other engine in the S-MAX line up is a cracker. The 2.5-litre five-cylinder petrol powerhouse really brings the chassis alive and all three diesels are well worth having, even the base 100bhp 1.8-litre unit. This fronts up with a torque figure of 236lb/ft compared to the 2.0-litre petrol’s paltry 140lb/ft showing. This is the crux of the problem. The lack of torque of this engine makes it fundamentally unsuited to this sort of vehicle. I didn’t even get to drive the car fully laden either, something which would have only exacerbated the torque shortfall.

"The moral of this story? If a job’s worth doing, it’s worth doing properly"

So, given that you’re not going to cut corners and buy this lamentable version, let’s continue with the rest of the S-MAX, because the rest of the news is very good indeed. For a start it’s got the right sort of shape. There’s room inside for seven people but it’s a radically sportier vehicle than the latest Galaxy model with which it shares the same underpinnings. Ford point to the fact that the S-MAX in fact shares just a handful of exterior parts with the more conventional Galaxy, the headlamps and bonnet having the same part numbers. The comparative height of the vehicles (1,676mm for the Galaxy and 1,607mm for the S-MAX) shows that the sleek, hunkered down appearance of the sportier S-MAX is not merely down to clever penmanship. This is a vehicle that is the sleekest people mover this side of a Mercedes R-Class. This is a crucial time for Ford’s big MPV portfolio. It has taken command of development and production of the Galaxy – previously a job shared with Volkswagen and SEAT – and hopes to eradicate once and for all the nagging quality problems that plagued this family of cars. Then there is this S-MAX, a model that takes the company into uncharted waters. Just when we thought there were precious few niches left to plunder, Ford has come up with another. Think of it as a full-sized, sporty MPV that’s at the affordable end of the market and you’ll see why, at this level of specialisation, the market has so far gone untapped. Let’s get to the heart of any MPV style vehicle – the seats. Ford’s designers appear to have become fed up with Vauxhall taking all the plaudits for clever seating solutions and have come up with a system of their own. FFS (Ford FoldFlatSystem before you attribute a baser meaning to that acronym) allows 32 different seating permutations. The second and third rows of seats all fold flat to form a genuinely huge load floor that measures 2.0 by 1.15 metres which is about as big as a double bed. In addition to the Ford FoldFlatSystem, a number of lashing points are located across the floor and on the cabin sides, helping to prevent your belongings from destroying themselves if you do fail to resist the Ford’s sporty character. The perennial complaint of seven-seat vehicles, namely that there’s no room for luggage when all seven seats are occupied, is partly addressed by the S-MAX which offers 285 litres of space with all seats in place. This is up 18 per cent over the old Galaxy. The answer to this question is staring buyers right in the face. Buy a decently sized roofbox for those rare occasions that you are going to be loaded to the gunwales by seven people and their tat. If you do wish to run the S-MAX in removal van mode, it’ll heave around up to 2,000 litres of goods with all the rear seats folded flat. There are also no fewer than 26 different cubbies located around the cabin so you’ll need to know where you left that key/credit card/wedding ring or it could be a lengthy search. In total, there’s a full 90 litres of oddment stowage in total. Great car, rotten engine. Choose any S-MAX as long as it’s not powered by a 2.0-litre petrol engine and you’re golden.

Facts At A Glance CAR: Ford Focus S-MAX 2.0 range PRICES: £17,800-£19,300 - on the road INSURANCE GROUP: 11E CO2 EMISSIONS: 194g/km PERFORMANCE: Max Speed 122mph / 0-60mph 11.4s FUEL CONSUMPTION: (combined) 35mpg STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front, side and curtain airbags, ABS, EBA WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Heightmm 4768/1854/1607

PUTTING THE FAMILY FAST
MPVs don’t have to be the automotive equivalent of sensible shoes. Andy Enright takes a look at the Ford S-MAX 2.5T, A family friendly vehicle with a dash of style and a whole heap of attitude

By all received wisdom, a vehicle like this should not exist. If the latest birth rate figures are to be believed, targeting a product at young families is a loser right from the outset. With birth-rates per 1,000 population dropping by 32 per cent since 1960 in this country and by 51.4 per cent in Germany, 29.6 per cent in France and 45.3 per cent in Italy, simple demographics would appear to have put a nail in the Ford S-MAX 2.5T’s coffin before it’s even turned a wheel. The truth, however, is not so cut and dried.

While it’s true that the number of kids per household has dropped dramatically in the last fifty years, it’s also true that the demands we put on our vehicles has probably grown by a bigger proportion. We have more disposable income. We buy more gear and we need to cart that gear around. That’s why there’s been a massive increase in sales of niche models that don’t fit the established saloon/hatchback/estate categories. Even the traditional MPV is starting to look a bit like yesterday’s news when faced with cars like the S-MAX 2.5T. For a start it doesn’t look like a standard MPV. It snugs down aggressively onto its big alloy wheels with a stance that’s anything but the class norm. This car has attitude. The aggressive swage lines, the vents behind the front wheel arches and the sporty front spoiler all suggest a performance model. It’s not until you clock what engine this S-MAX is packing that you realise it’s something more than a sheep in wolf’s clothing. The unit in question is the very same powerplant that powers the Focus ST hot hatch, in this guise punching out a healthy 220bhp. Although Vauxhall’s Zafira VXR packs an even bigger punch, the S-MAX trumps the Vauxhall in terms of handling, styling and spaciousness. There’s room inside for seven people but it’s a radically sportier vehicle than the latest Galaxy model with which it shares the same underpinnings. Ford point to the fact that the S-MAX in fact shares just a handful of exterior parts with the more conventional Galaxy, the headlamps and bonnet having the same part numbers. The comparative height of the vehicles (1,676mm for the Galaxy and 1,607mm for the S-MAX) shows that the sleek, hunkered down appearance of the sportier S-MAX is not merely down to clever penmanship. This vehicle is the sleekest people mover this side of a Mercedes R-Class.

"If you need an MPV but want a performance car, the S-MAX 2.5T could offer a one size fits all solution"

The S-MAX 2.5T is a vehicle that’s all about that magnificent five-cylinder Volvo-sourced engine. Strong in low down torque but with a real swipe of top end power, it will accelerate the S-MAX to 60mph in just 7.6 seconds and won’t let up until aerodynamics intervene at 142mph. You’ll need to be extremely saintly to match Ford’s quoted combined fuel economy figure of 28mpg, while the 224g/km of CO2 will be enough to strike it from the lists of many curious company car user-choosers. Where this car scores is in offering a ‘one size fits all’ solution for the young family, where practicality is the key but driving enjoyment doesn’t get overlooked. With supple suspension that flows between corners, the warbling five-cylinder soundtrack and that ‘instant-on’ overtaking wallop, this is a car that makes cross country travel fast but not furious. It’s certainly an easier car to drive quickly than the Zafira VXR. It’s good value too, with the Zetec model weighing in at £21,300 or £22,800 in range-topping Titanium guise which still manages to undercut the Zafira. Ford’s designers appear to have become fed up with Vauxhall taking all the plaudits for clever seating solutions and have come up with a system of their own. FFS (Ford FoldFlatSystem before you attribute a baser meaning to that acronym) allows 32 different seating permutations. The second and third rows of seats all fold flat to form a genuinely huge load floor that measures 2.0 by 1.15 metres – that’s about as big as a double bed. In addition to the Ford FoldFlatSystem, a number of lashing points are located across the floor and on the cabin sides, helping to prevent your belongings from destroying themselves if you do fail to resist the Ford’s sporty character. The perennial complaint of seven-seat vehicles, namely that there’s no room for luggage when all seven seats are occupied, is partly addressed by the S-MAX which offers 285 litres of space with all seats in place. This is up 18 per cent over the old Galaxy. The answer to this question is staring buyers right in the face. Buy a decently sized roofbox for those rare occasions that you are going to be loaded to the gunwales by seven people and their tat. If you do wish to run the S-MAX in removal van mode, it’ll heave up to 2,000 litres of goods with all the rear seat folded flat. There are also no fewer than 26 different cubbies located around the cabin so you’ll need to know where you left that key/credit card/wedding ring or it could be a lengthy search. In total, there’s a full 90 litres of oddment stowage in total. The fascia design of the S-MAX reflects the exterior lines in its calm maturity. The riot of bisecting lines, angles and arcs that used to typify Ford dashboards has been replaced by a quietly-styled effort with classy materials and no outrageous gimmicks or cheap attempts at creating showroom impact. Some of the silver plastic finishes may be prone to scratching over the longer term but overall the cabin is a step removed from the ‘mainstream’ norm. The double windscreen pillar can make three quarter visibility a bit touch and go at roundabouts but aside from that, Ford have really committed to safety with this model. An ultra-rigid passenger cell is a good start point, but there’s also a recently-developed Interactive Vehicle Dynamics Control (IVDC) system that controls all of the other safety systems in a cohesive manner. When those include Continuously Controlled Damping (CDDC), Electronic Stability Program (ESP), Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) with Forward Alert (FA) and Collision Mitigation By Braking, that’s quite some integration task. Factor in the anti lock braking system, Hill Launch Assist (HLA) and a Tyre Pressure Monitoring System and you have a wide array of available safety functions that Ford predict will easily be enough to net the S-MAX a coveted five-star EuroNCAP safety score. The great thing about the S-MAX 2.5T is that it disguises its size so well. It looks and handles like a far smaller car than it is yet will seat five with ease and seven at a pinch. If you want a fun car to drive but need some practicality, this could well be the answer.

Facts At A Glance CAR: Ford Focus S-MAX 2.5T PRICES: £21,300-£22,800 - on the road INSURANCE GROUP: 14 CO2 EMISSIONS: 224 g/km PERFORMANCE: Max Speed 142mph / 0-60mph 7.6s FUEL CONSUMPTION: (combined) 28mpg STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front, side and curtain airbags, ABS, EBA WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Heightmm 4768/1854/1607

SMAX DOWN
Ford has decided that larger MPVs don’t have to be boring. Andy Enright takes a look at the S-MAX

I’ll be honest with you here. Most MPVs bore me to tears. Yes, I can appreciate how many hours, dollars and skinned knuckles must have been expended on developing another form of novel flipping seating system but I have no kids, I get a kick out of cars that handle well and also have an aversion for anything that closely resembles a fenestrated burger van. All the more reason to sit up and pay attention when Ford started making some big noises about its S-MAX MPV model.

This is the sort of MPV I’d design if I had any design talent whatsoever. For a start it’s got the right sort of shape. There’s room inside for seven people but it’s a radically sportier vehicle than the latest Galaxy model with which it shares the same underpinnings. Ford point to the fact that the S-MAX in fact shares just a handful of exterior parts with the more conventional Galaxy, the headlamps and bonnet having the same part numbers. The comparative height of the vehicles (1676mm for the Galaxy and 1607mm for the S-MAX) shows that the sleek, hunkered down appearance of the sportier S-MAX is not merely down to clever penmanship. This is a vehicle that is the sleekest people mover this side of a Mercedes R-Class. Recent improvements include the addition of a 175bhp 2.2-litre TDCi model, a flexifuel version (FFV) capable of running on any mix of bioethanol and petrol in the same fuel tank, plus extra equipment including Bluetooth compatibility. This is a crucial time for Ford’s big MPV portfolio. It has taken command of development and production of the Galaxy – previously a job shared with Volkswagen and SEAT – and hopes to eradicate once and for all the nagging quality problems that plagued this family of cars. Then there is this S-MAX, a model that takes the company into uncharted waters. Just when we thought there were precious few niches left to plunder, Ford have come up with another. Think of it as a full-sized, sporty MPV that’s at the affordable end of the market and you’ll see why, at this level of specialisation, the market has so far gone untapped. Let’s get to the heart of any MPV style vehicle – the seats. Ford’s designers appear to have become fed up with Vauxhall taking all the plaudits for clever seating solutions and have come up with a system of their own. FFS (Ford FoldFlatSystem before you attribute a baser meaning to that acronym) allows 32 different seating permutations. The second and third rows of seats all fold flat to form a genuinely huge load floor that measures 2.0 by 1.15 metres which is about as big as a double bed.

"The best looking MPV money can buy? Look no further"

In addition to the Ford FoldFlatSystem, a number of lashing points are located across the floor and on the cabin sides, helping to prevent your belongings from destroying themselves if you do fail to resist the Ford’s sporty character. The perennial complaint of seven-seat vehicles, namely that there’s no room for luggage when all seven seats are occupied, is partly addressed by the S-MAX which offers 285 litres of space with all seats in place. This is up 18 per cent over the old Galaxy. The answer to this question is staring buyers right in the face. Buy a decently sized roofbox for those rare occasions that you are going to be loaded to the gunwales by seven people and their tat. If you do wish to run the S-MAX in removal van mode, it’ll heave around up to 2,000 litres of goods with all the rear seat folded flat. There are also no fewer than 26 different cubbies located around the cabin so you’ll need to know where you left that key/credit card/wedding ring or it could be a lengthy search. In total, there’s a full 90 litres of oddment stowage in total. In some markets Ford also offer an innovative sliding cargo platform in place of the third row of seats. This allows the loading of shopping with ease. The tailgate flips up to reveal a tab that lets the platform to extend by 48cm, it then slides back into the car with a slick motion that will be good news for anyone who has ever suffered back problems. Leaning into a vehicle and lowering a heavy item is just about the worst ‘everyday’ action one can put onto the lower back. The fascia design of the S-MAX reflects the exterior lines in its calm maturity. The riot of bisecting lines, angles and arcs that used to typify Ford dashboards has been replaced by a quietly-styled dashboard with classy materials and no outrageous gimmicks or cheap attempts at creating showroom impact. Some of the silver plastic finishes may be prone to scratching over the longer term but overall the cabin is a step removed from the ‘mainstream’ norm. The double windscreen pillar can make three quarter visibility a bit touch and go at roundabouts but aside from that, Ford have really committed to safety with this model. An ultra-rigid passenger cell is a good start point, but there’s also a recently-developed Interactive Vehicle Dynamics Control (IVDC) system that controls all of the other safety systems in a cohesive manner. When those include Continuously Controlled Damping (CDDC), Electronic Stability Program (ESP), Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) with Forward Alert (FA) and Collision Mitigation By Braking, that’s quite some integration task. Factor in the anti lock braking system, Hill Launch Assist (HLA) and a Tyre Pressure Monitoring System and you have a wide array of available safety functions. Prices start from under £19,000 for a 2.0-litre Edge with a pair of diesel engines just above that, the 1.8 TDCi 125bhp Edge and the 2.0-litre TDCi 140bhp Edge. You can also get Ford’s 6-speed Durashift automatic allied to 2.0 TDCi 130bhp power. The 2.5-litre engine is quite a tool, in effect being an almost direct transplant of the unit found in the Focus ST. This is good for 220bhp and looks good value in either Zetec trim or range-topping Titanium guise. Most MPVs are enough to put you to sleep. In the S-MAX, Ford have developed one with a bit of personality. Let’s hope they’re rewarded for doing so.

Facts At A Glance CAR: Ford S-MAX range PRICES: £18,595-£28,745 - on the road INSURANCE GROUPS: 10-14 CO2 EMISSIONS: 164-224g/km PERFORMANCE: [2.5 Zetec] Max Speed 143mph / 0-60mph 7.4s FUEL CONSUMPTION: [2.0TDCi] (combined) 44mpg STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front, side and curtain airbags, ABS, EBA WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Heightmm 4768/1854/1607

DIESEL TO THE MAX
Diesel MPVs don’t have to be boring. Andy Enright takes a look at the S-MAX TDCi range

Ponder for a moment the Ford GT supercar. Now ask yourself what this road rocket needs to do to be successful. It has to look and sound great, do the whole go, stop and steer thing acceptably and… well that’s about it. Believe it or not, the more prestigious a product, the less tricky compromises there are to handle. Now consider the Ford Focus S-MAX diesel MPV models. These not only have to handle the varying demands of a family, they need to be good to drive, well equipped, affordable, fuel efficient, spacious, supremely safe, attractively-styled, have impeccable environmental credentials and also have to face down a set of well-entrenched rivals. While the supercars grab the headlines, the really super cars Ford makes are cars like these.

There are three S-MAX diesel engines on offer. The first is a 1.8-litre Duratorq TDCi unit and you’d be excused for imagining that 1.8-litres just isn’t enough to shift a vehicle of not inconsequential bulk. Excused but wrong. The 125bhp engine may not sound a whole lot to get excited about but it also features a healthy 320Nm of torque under normal driving conditions and as much as 340Nm under what Ford dubs ‘transient overboost.’ This means that when the car’s electronics detect that you’ve really given the throttle pedal a proper prodding (such as when overtaking), it’ll change the engine mapping to allow a little extra torque temporarily. This means that you’ll have less downchanging through the Durashift manual gearbox to undertake, but keen drivers may want to throw in a downshift anyway to show off their throttle-blipping dexterity. The S-MAX is one of the few MPVs that positively encourages these sort of antics. The 1.8-litre Duratorq models kick off at around £19,000 for an Edge model fitted with a five-speed gearbox. Pay another £200 and you can have a six-speeder instead, which seems like good business especially if you’re set to clock up quite a few motorway miles. Also available is a 2.0-litre Duratorq TDCi powerplant that headlines with 140bhp but, curiously, exactly the same torque figures as the smaller capacity unit. At the top of the range, the 2.2-litre TDCi with 175bhp comes only in Titanium form for around £24,000. If you’ve come this far then it’s probably best that you throw the S-MAX options list in the bin now. Things could get costly.

"The diesel engines have enough about them not to appear anomalies given the S-MAX’s sporty suit"

The similar torque response from all three engines means that there’s not actually a whole lot in it when it comes to their comparative performance figures, the 1.8-litre unit making 60mph in 11.1s whereas the 2.0-litre shaves this time down to 9.9s and the 2.2 down to 9.0s. The 2.0 and 2.2-litre units’ extra power can really be felt at the upper end of the rev range. Where the 1.8 gets a little breathy, the bigger engines are still generating some meaningful pull. Fuel economy of all powerplants is excellent given the size of vehicle they’re tasked with punting up the road. Ford quotes a combined figure of 45.8mpg for the 1.8-litre model, 44.4 for the 2.0-litre and 42.8 for the 2.2. The only slight Achilles heel of these engines is refinement. While they could never be accused of being raucous, it’s unlikely you’ll forget which pump you need to be using when the time comes to refill. The S-MAX is practical as well as economical. In addition to the clever Ford FoldFlat seating system, a number of lashing points are located across the floor and on the cabin sides, helping to prevent your belongings from destroying themselves if you do fail to resist the Ford’s sporty character. The perennial complaint of seven-seat vehicles, namely that there’s no room for luggage when all seven seats are occupied, is partly addressed by the S-MAX which offers 285 litres of space with all seats in place. This is up 18 per cent over the old Galaxy. The answer to this question is staring buyers right in the face. Buy a decently-sized roofbox for those rare occasions that you are going to be loaded to the gunwales by seven people and their tat. If you do wish to run the S-MAX in removal van mode, it’ll heave around up to 2,000 litres of goods with all the rear seats folded flat. There are also no fewer than 26 different cubbies located around the cabin so you’ll need to know where you left that key/credit card/wedding ring or it could be a lengthy search. In total, there’s a full 90 litres of oddment stowage. The fascia design of the S-MAX reflects the exterior lines in its calm maturity. The riot of bisecting lines, angles and arcs that used to typify Ford dashboards has been replaced by a quietly-styled approach with classy materials and no outrageous gimmicks or cheap attempts at creating showroom impact. Some of the silver plastic finishes may be prone to scratching over the longer term but overall, the cabin is a step removed from the ‘mainstream’ norm. The double windscreen pillar can make three quarter visibility a bit touch and go at roundabouts but aside from that, Ford have really committed to safety with this model. An ultra-rigid passenger cell is a good start point, but there’s also a recently-developed Interactive Vehicle Dynamics Control (IVDC) system that controls all of the other safety systems in a cohesive manner. When those include Continuously Controlled Damping (CDDC), Electronic Stability Program (ESP), Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) with Forward Alert (FA) and Collision Mitigation By Braking, that’s quite some integration task. Factor in the anti lock braking system, Hill Launch Assist (HLA) and a Tyre Pressure Monitoring System and you have an almost unparalleled array of available safety functions. The S-MAX isn’t your average run of the mill people carrier and nor are these engines bog standard diesel droners. If you appreciate a car that does a lot of the difficult things whilst making it look easy, an S-MAX TDCi is well worth a look. As a package it’s tough to beat.

Facts At A Glance CAR: Ford Focus S-MAX TDCi diesel range PRICES: £18,995-£28,495 - on the road INSURANCE GROUPS: 10-12 CO2 EMISSIONS: 164-176g/km PERFORMANCE: [2.0TDCi] Max Speed 123mph / 0-60mph 9.9s FUEL CONSUMPTION: [2.0TDCi] (combined) 44.4mpg STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front, side and curtain airbags, ABS, EBA WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Heightmm 4768/1854/1607