Ford S-MAX
When the S-MAX first went on sale in 2006, Ford proved you needn’t sacrifice family practicality for driver enjoyment – marrying the two to create one not only one of the best handling MPVs but also one of the most appealing family cars on sale.
Now in it’s second generation the Ford S-Max goes up against other seven seaters such as the Renault Grand Scenic andPeugeot 5008. However, the Citroen C4 Grand Picasso is its main rival - it does cost slightly less than the Ford and is also slightly more spacious.
The all-new S-Max is now on sale, and we’re pleased to report it’s as good as ever. It may not have the rear sliding doors of theSEAT Alhambra, or the rear seat practicality of its bigger brother, the Ford Galaxy, but it’s still an impressively well rounded family car – and a welcome alternative to the recent raft of seven-seat SUVs.
There’s just as much room inside as there was before, meaning three individual seats in the middle row, and a pair of smaller ones in the back. There are loads of cubbies and storage bins dotted around the cabin, and those in the rearmost seats even get a pair of cupholders to make longer journeys less painful for small kids. Bootspace is decent although not as spacious as the Citroen, though with all seven seats in place you’ll be restricted to a few squashy bags rather than a plethora of hard-backed suitcases.
Buyers get a choice of three trims – from the familiar Zetec, through Titanium and Titanium Sport specifications. All cars get Ford’s new SYNC 2 infotainment system and 17-inch alloy wheels, as well as parking sensors, keyless go and a DAB radio. Titanium cars add the all-important sat-nav and USB connectivity, while top-spec Titanium Sport models boast bigger wheels, a sporty bodykit, sports suspension and heated front seats. For around £2,000, customers can add the Titanium X pack, with LED headlights and electrically operated leather seats.
Safety is also an area Ford has worked hard on with the new S-MAX. Every model comes crammed with airbags and as the previous S-MAX scored the full five stars in the Euro NCAP crash test, we expect this latest model to maintain its strong safety record. Other features include traction control and stability control, while Ford has also introduced an adjustable speed limiter which automatically increases or decreases the cars speed by reading road signs and adjusting the cars seed accordingly.
There is a wide choice of engines, too: four diesels and two petrols, as well as manual and automatic gearboxes, and two or four-wheel drive. Ford expects the mid-range 148bhp 2.0-litre TDCi diesel to be the biggest seller, though the more powerful 178bhp version adds more torque and costs just £750 more. The top-spec, 237bhp petrol should be avoided though, as it doesn’t feel noticeably quicker as the diesel and will cost a lot more to run.
Ford will also be giving the S-MAX a premium makeover in the shape of a new Vignale model. Currently Ford has only applied the Vignale treatment to the Mondeo, which features a whole host of luxurious options such as leather seats, decorative stitching, exclusive styling inside and out as well as a bespoke dealer service when you purchase your vehicle. We expect the S-MAX Vignale to arrive next year and it will become the most expensive version of the S-MAX.
Styling
It’s clear that Ford thinks it’s struck gold with its latest nose design, as the big grille and slender headlights of the new S-MAX are largely identical to the front end of the Mondeo, facelifted Focus and higher-spec versions of the Fiesta.
It certainly gives the S-MAX a smart, upmarket look, with thin chrome bars framed by even more chrome trim, while the headlights add a dash of style, too. The car in our pictures featured the £1,000 adaptive LED option, bringing smart daytime running lights that turn into strobing indicators when you signal.
In pictures, the new S-MAX appears similar to its predecessor, but in the flesh, it definitely has a sportier look. Overall, it’s longer and wider than before, yet it hides its bulk well. There are sharp creases down the flanks, and the curved roof line adds a sporty touch not seen on any other MPV. The old car’s big wheelarch blisters are ditched in favour of more subtle flared arches, while the rakish rear end has a smarter, sportier look than its predecessor.
Sat-nav, stereo and infotainment
While it may not look strikingly different on the outside, the biggest changes have been made to the interior. All models get Ford’s innovative SYNC2 infotainment system – which does a good job of cleaning up the previously cluttered dash – as well as a one-touch handbrake in place of the old airline-style joystick. Quality is up, too, with a much plusher feel and swathes of upmarket materials and solid-feeling controls. Yes, the usual scratchy plastics are evident if you peer into the footwells, but it’s a big improvement over the old model.
Standard kit includes 17-inch alloys, while mid-spec Titanium cars add privacy glass, LED daytime running lights and more body coloured trim. As the name suggests, Titanium Sport models are the most athletic-looking, with 18-inch wheels, a full body kit and subtle rear spoiler.
Driving
However, all this handling prowess doesn’t mean it’s uncomfortable on motorway journeys. The compliant suspension does a great job of keeping the car in check, yet soaks up the lumps and bumps on pitted country roads. It’s remarkably composed, and will transport big families long distances from A to B without breaking a sweat.
Engines
Ford offers buyers a choice of two petrol and four diesel engines, with the mid-range 148bhp 2.0-litre TDCi expected to be the big seller. It offers a decent blend of performance (0-62mph in 10.8 seconds) versus running costs, and feels suitably nippy on the move. There’s a smaller 118bhp version (0-62mph in 13.4 seconds), but if you regularly carry seven people, it’s likely to feel a little lethargic.
The petrol models are quieter, but in exchange for some added refinement you’ll have to folk out at the pumps. We’ve not tried the 158bhp 1.5-litre turbocharged EcoBoost, but the range-topping 237bhp 2.0-litre didn’t feel nearly as fast as the figures suggest. Ford says it’ll do 0-62mph in 8.4 seconds, but the inferior torque figures mean the diesel engines feel more eager. We’d avoid it and go for one of the faster diesels instead. That’s exactly what Ford expects customers to do as well, with the manufacturer predicting almost 98 per cent of buyers to opt for the diesel models.
A six-speed manual gearbox come as standard but Ford does offer a Powershift automatic gearbox as an option. It’s smooth – although changes don’t feel as quick as those in the equivalent DSG gearbox you’ll find in the SEAT Alhambra. We’d stick with the six-speed manual unless you desperately need a self-shifter.
Reliability
The Ford S-MAX first went on sale in 2006, so its no surprise to see the old model slipping down the Auto Express Driver Powerrankings. The old MPV finished 116th overall in 2014, falling even further in the most recent survey – ending up in 132nd place.
However, as with many new cars, we expect to see the revised S-MAX jump up the list next year, remedying the old model’s poor reliability and lacklustre build quality. If the new Focus and Mondeo are anything to go by, the S-MAX should be built to last. Common faults logged by owners of the previous model included issues surrounding the engine and electronics.
Safety
The new S-MAX hasn’t been tested for safety yet, but expect it to gain the full five stars from Euro NCAP thanks when it is reviewed later this year. All cars get a host of airbags and tyre pressure monitoring, as well as ISOFIX points on all three middle row seats. Other tech includes automatic braking, variable lock steering and a system that recognises road signs and adjusts the car’s speed accordingly. Unlike rivals, however, thr S-MAX does not come with airbags in the middle row of seats, which could be a concern for parents especially if small children will regularly be on board.
Practicality
Boot
Just like the previous model, the new Ford S-MAX is a very practical car. As before, you get 285 litres of bootspace with all seven seats in place, and while that might not sound like much – it’s more than your average supermini. It’s more generous than most of its rivals, too, and should be enough for a few small bags.
However, fold the rearmost seats flat and this expands to 965 litres, increasing to a van-like 2,020 litres with the middle row folded. That final figure means the sporty S-MAX is 169 litres bigger than the Citroen Grand C4 Picasso, despite the slightly sloped roofline.
Leg room, head room & passenger space
The rearmost seats are only really suitable for children, but the Easy-Entry system fitted to the middle row allows for decent access with the bench tilting and sliding forwards in one sleek movement. All the seats fold flat individually, while buyers can spec buttons in the boot to lower them electronically – but in our opinion, this is an unnecessary option. Ford claims there are a whopping 32 seating and loading combinations in the S-MAX so a trip to Ikea with car full of people shouldn’t be too much of an issue.
If you have smaller children you’ll be pleased to hear that the three seats in the middle row also come with individual ISOFIX points which can also be used at the same time. There perhaps isn’t as much space in the S-MAX as you get in the Citroen but you’re unlikely to get any complaints from passengers back there with decent head and legroom.
The interior is packed with useful cubbies, including places to stash odds and ends and all the associated family bits and bobs. The huge airline-style handbrake has been removed in favour of a simple electronic switch, freeing up space on the new minimalist dashboard. As you’d expect, the combination of a high seating position and slim A-pillars means you get a commanding view of the road, while the seats and steering wheel benefit from a wide range of adjustment, meaning it's easy to get comfortable.
Running Costs
The Ford S-MAX has never been the most economical MPV, and that hasn’t changed with this latest iteration. While the diesels won’t break the bank – rivals like the Citroen Grand C4 Picasso cost significantly less to fuel and tax, so if running costs are of the utmost importance, you might want to look elsewhere.
The most frugal diesel is the 118bhp 2.0-litre TDCi diesel. It’ll do 56.5mpg and emit 129g/km of CO2, putting it in tax band D for annual VED of £110. Incidentally, those are identical figures to the more expensive 148bhp and 178bhp versions, but less than the more powerful 207bhp unit (52.3mpg and 139g/km). Adding four-wheel drive and an automatic gearbox does no favours for fuel consumption either – with the 178bhp 4x4 auto getting 48.7mpg on the combined cycle.
Those figures are acceptable but when you consider the most efficient version of the Citroen Grand C4 Picasso is capable of returning over 74mpg, the S-MAX starts to look a little bit weak. We’d also stay clear of the petrol models, too. There’s no surprise the 237bhp 2.0-litre petrol model – which uses the same engine from the sporty Focus ST – returns a very poor 37mpg. Even the 158bhp 1.5-litre EcoBoost is only marginally better at 43.5mpg.
As for other running costs, the S-MAX is a large car and existing owners have reported heavy tyre wear, particularly on the front wheels. Service intervals are 12,500 miles for every model, while the 650-strong dealer network means there’ll be a Ford workshop near you to fix any problems.
Source: AutoExpress
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