Ford S-MAX Review

If you’re after a practical and flexible MPV, but don’t want to sacrifice driving pleasure, the Ford S-Max is the car for you. Although it can’t offer the space and practicality of the larger Galaxy, the S-MAX has more car-like styling and handling. You can think of it as part-estate car and part-MPV.

It seats seven, although the third row is best reserved for children, and it comes with plenty of standard kit. Because it’s based on the Ford Mondeo, it’s also great to drive. Indeed, we’d say it offers best-in-class dynamics.

Although family car buyers are turning to fashionable SUVs in their droves, a 2019 facelift ensures the Ford S-MAX remains current.

Few people opted for the petrol engines, so it’s no surprise that Ford removed them from the range in 2019. The S-MAX has always been at its most convincing with a diesel under the bonnet.

The 150PS version of the 2.0-litre EcoBlue diesel engine is our pick, offering the best blend of performance, economy and price. It’s punchy enough, even with all seven seats occupied, so we don’t see a need to upgrade to the more powerful (but less economical) 190PS version. 

We’d also recommend the entry-level Zetec trim level, as Ford has loaded it with a generous amount of goodies. Just go easy on the options, because the S-MAX can get very expensive, very quickly. Keep it simple – unless you’re buying a used example, when the higher trim levels make more sense.

Because the Ford S-MAX straddles the estate car and MPV markets, it goes into battle against a wide range of competitors. The more practical and larger Ford Galaxy is the enemy from within, but it can’t rival the S-MAX in terms of style and driving enjoyment.

Direct rivals include the Volkswagen Sharan, Citroen Grand C4 Space Tourer and Renault Grand Scenic. With the seven-seat market switching to SUVs, the S-MAX also faces a fight from the likes of the Skoda Kodiaq, Peugeot 5008 and SEAT Tarraco. In common with the S-MAX, most seven-seat SUVs are best described as five-seaters with a pair of occasional chairs at the back.

The Ford S-MAX has an upmarket feel, especially once you venture beyond the entry-level trim. Not that the Zetec seems like a poor relation – the cabin is solid, while the buttons and switches feel reassuringly expensive. Sure, there are some cheap plastics in the lower reaches of the cabin, but you’ll only come across these when you're vacuuming the carpets.

Upgrading to the Titanium doesn’t mean an upshift in quality and finish, but the ST-Line and Vignale offer a genuinely premium feel. Take the ST-Line, which features a heated and perforated leather-trimmed steering wheel with red stitching, a leather-trimmed gear lever gaiter (also with red stitching), and heated sports seats with eight-way electric adjustment.

The flagship Vignale is designed to edge the Ford S-MAX deep into premium car territory. To this end, it comes with perforated leather trim, climate-controlled front seats with 10-way electric adjustment and a massage function, a leather-trimmed instrument panel, active noise control, deep-pile carpets, Vignale tread plates and classy ambient lighting.

Unfortunately, the Vignale is far too expensive when new, with a price tag that pitches it against posher rivals, including the BMW 2 Series Gran Tourer. The S-MAX can’t rival the BMW in terms of quality, image or depreciation.

The Ford S-MAX comes with an eight-inch colour touchscreen infotainment system as standard. The Sync 3 unit boasts a DAB digital radio, a CD player, eight speakers, voice control, two USB ports, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Sync 3 is far better than Ford infotainment systems of old, offering faster response times and a menu system that’s easy to operate on the move. That said, there are still too many menus, with some options requiring two or three touches before you reach them. The display also looks a little dated, but this isn’t a problem if you use Apple CarPlay or Android Auto.

Upgrading to Titanium or ST-Line adds navigation to the mix, along with a 10.1-inch semi-digital instrument cluster. Meanwhile, the Vignale trim gets a Sync 3 Sony premium audio system with 12 speakers. The Sony system is also an option on Titanium and ST-Line models.

A word on the voice control system, which is excellent in the Ford S-MAX. You can ask it to change the temperature without fear of calling Terry on his mobile, or to set the satellite navigation for home without changing the temperature to sub-zero.

All the talk of smart styling, keen dynamics and expensive kit would be needless if the Ford S-MAX failed to deliver as a seven-seater.

Thankfully, the S-MAX is an excellent MPV, albeit without the ultimate practicality of some larger MPVs. For example, while the likes of the Seat Alhambra, Volkswagen Sharan and Ford Galaxy offer seating for seven adults, the third row in the S-MAX is best reserved for children.

Meanwhile, the rear doors are of the conventional type, rather than the sliding doors offered by some rivals. It sounds like a small point, but once you’ve lived with sliding doors, you’ll wonder how you managed without them.

This is where our criticisms end, because as a ‘5+2’ MPV, the Ford S-MAX is hard to beat. The driver and front-seat passenger will enjoy the feeling of space, while there's plenty of headroom and legroom in the middle row. There are also three Isofix points along the centre row – a boon for young families.

The seats in the middle row fold and slide individually, which is great in terms of flexibility. It also means that you can slide them forward to prove a little more space for anyone in the third row. The second- and third-row seats can be folded down via levers in the boot.

In seven-seat mode, the S-MAX offers 285 litres of luggage space, which is roughly the same as you’ll find in a supermini. It’s enough room for a single suitcase, but beyond that you’ll need to invest in a roof box.

With the third row not in use, luggage capacity increases to a cavernous 965 litres, with up to 2,020 litres available in two-seat mode. This gives the S-MAX van-like qualities, which is excellent when you consider the car’s sloping roof.

There are loads of storage spaces dotted throughout the cabin, including two cupholders in the front, a huge central storage bin and a handy area behind the centre console. The third-row seats also get a pair of cupholders and storage areas, while table trays on the back of the front seats are standard on Titanium trim and above.

Diesels have always been the engine of choice in the S-MAX, so it was no surprise when Ford ditched petrol as part of the 2019 facelift. The 2.0-litre EcoBlue diesel is excellent, providing a terrific blend of performance and economy, regardless of the output.

In 150PS guise, the Ford S-MAX will accelerate to 62mph in 10.8 seconds, regardless of whether it features a six-speed manual gearbox or an eight-speed automatic transmission. The top speed is 123mph in the manual gearbox, or 122mph in the automatic.

The manual gearbox isn’t available on the 190PS version, with both the front- and all-wheel-drive cars getting the eight-speed automatic transmission. The front-wheel-drive S-MAX will sprint to 62mph in 9.5 seconds, with the all-wheel-drive version getting there a second later.

The S-MAX launched in 2015 with the option of a 1.5-litre EcoBoost petrol engine, a 2.0-litre EcoBoost unit, and a choice of 2.0-litre Duratorq TDCI engines. A slightly bonkers 2.0-litre EcoBoost with all-wheel-drive and a six-speed automatic transmission arrived soon after. It offered 240PS, to give the S-MAX hot hatchback qualities.

In 2018, Ford overhauled the engine range, with the 2.0-litre EcoBlue diesel engine replacing the old Duratorq unit. It also saw the arrival of the eight-speed automatic transmission, which is a big step up from the old six-speed auto. It’s for this reason that we’d recommend a S-MAX registered after September 2018.

The automatic transmissions are good, but the six-speed manual gearbox is surprisingly satisfying. It’s the one to choose if you want to get the best from the S-MAX driving experience.

The Ford S-MAX is a remarkably refined vehicle, with virtually no wind or road noise at motorway speeds. While the Galaxy can feel echoey and cathedral-like on the inside, the S-MAX manages to feel snug and cocooned, without feeling claustrophobic.

Predictably, the Vignale is the most upmarket of the bunch. Noise-cancelling technology and laminated side windows make the flagship model feel a notch or two more refined than the lesser versions. The premium leather seats also look and feel the part, adding an extra layer to the feeling of refinement.

The engine and transmission play a crucial part in this, with the 2.0-litre EcoBlue diesel only sounding vocal when you push it hard, although this is less of an issue in the 190PS version.

Equally, the eight-speed automatic is smooth and efficient, although it can be a little slow to react to sudden inputs. On the plus side, you’ll barely notice the shifts through the gears – the transmission wouldn’t feel out of place in a luxury car.

The Ford S-MAX was awarded a five-star safety rating when it was crash tested by Euro NCAP in 2015. The individual ratings were 87 percent for adult occupant protection, 87 percent for child occupant protection, 79 percent for pedestrian safety, and 71 percent for safety assist systems.

All versions come with driver and passenger airbags; front side impact airbags; driver’s knee bolster airbag; driver and passenger first, second and third row side curtain airbags; and rear side impact airbags.

All models also come with Ford’s Curve Control system, which controls understeer by reducing engine torque and applying the brakes. There’s also active rollover protection across the range, along with three Isofix points on the second row of seats, front and rear parking sensors, pre-collision assist and cruise control.

Lane-keeping assist, traffic sign recognition and LED daytime running lights are standard on all except the Zetec model. Other assistance systems, such as active park assist, blind spot information and adaptive cruise control are available as an option pack.

Only the Vignale trim gets a rear-view camera and adaptive LED headlights as standard.

The insurance groups for the Ford S-MAX range from 16 for a 2.0-litre TDCi Zetec, to 34 for an ST-Line (Lux Pack) 2.0-litre EcoBlue 240PS automatic and Vignale 2.0-litre EcoBlue 240PS automatic. Overall, buying an S-MAX in Zetec trim with a 2.0-litre diesel or 1.5-litre petrol engine will ensure you pay the least amount for insurance cover.

To provide some context, the insurance groups for the Ford Galaxy range from 17 to 31, so the cost of insurance should be roughly the same. The groups for the Volkswagen Sharan are 15 to 25, so the Volkswagen should be cheaper to insure.

Buy a new Ford S-MAX after 1 April 2020 and the rate of Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) varies according to the engine output. For example, the 150PS version of the 2.0-litre EcoBlue diesel incurs a ‘showroom tax’ of £215.

The rate for the same engine with the eight-speed automatic transmission increases to £540, which is the same rate for the 190PS version of the diesel engine with the manual gearbox. Meanwhile, the ‘showroom tax’ for the flagship 2.0-litre EcoBlue 190PS with an eight-speed transmission and four-wheel-drive is £870.

From year two, the annual rate of VED drops to £150, regardless of the CO2 emissions. This is the same rate for all S-MAX models registered on or after 1 April 2017.

The entry-level Zetec trim is arguably the S-MAX range sweet spot. Standard equipment includes 17-inch alloy wheels, an eight-inch colour touchscreen infotainment system, front and rear parking sensors, cruise control, dual-zone climate control, automatic wipers and three Isofix points.

Upgrading to the Titanium trims adds front LED fog lights, LED daytime running lights, automatic headlights with auto high beam, rear privacy glass, silver roof rails, satellite navigation, keyless start and go, interior ambient lighting and a 10.1-inch semi-digital instrument cluster.

The ST-Line is the sportiest trim level, boasting 18-inch alloy wheels, LED rear lights, body kit, rear spoiler, red brake calipers, sports suspension, black roof rails, leather-trimmed steering wheel, heated steering wheel, electric adjustable seats and a host of ST-Line cosmetic upgrades.

Finally, the Vignale boasts 19-inch alloys, adaptive LED headlights, rear-view camera, electric tailgate, Sony audio system, premium leather trim, climate controlled front seats with massage function, active noise control, enhanced ambient lighting and a host of Vignale exterior and interior upgrades.