Exterior Design

When it comes to the styling, Ford has gone down the slightly plain looking path. The new S-MAX looks a lot like the facelifted C-MAX. Which, in turn, looks like a Ford Focus. Which itself copies the Fiesta. When will it end. It feels like it's lost some of the impact of the original, especially at the front end. But the basic profile remains very similar, with a sloping roofline helping to avoid the unwanted boxy look of traditional people carriers. There are plenty of positives though.

Interior Design

Being a family car, it's as practical as you'd expect. All models come with seven seats and the five in the back can be folded down - all at once if you so desire - with just the touch of a button. One neat feature is an electric tailgate which can be opened by kicking your foot under the rear bumper - very handy if you have your hands full of shopping.

The driving position is slightly lower, so you don't feel like you're driving an MPV, and there's lots of adjustment in the steering column and seat. As a result, it's very much like being in a Mondeo. The 3D effect instrument cluster works well and the central touchscreen SYNC system is a vast improvement on what Ford had before. The 'stadium' style seating means kids in the back can still see forward, essential to help prevent car sickness, plus the seats have been redesigned to be more comfortable.

In fact, comfort has improved throughout the S-MAX. The seats are thinner which means more legroom, plus the second row slides back and each seat reclines individually as before. Those in the back get their own climate control settings with air vents in the roof, plus there's an advanced filtration system that blocks 99% of pollen and all nitrogen dioxide - the nasty stuff that triggers asthma.

The interior follows on - not unsurprisingly - from the Mondeo with a similar central stack and instrument cluster. The jury is still out on how successful this is. It loses lots of nice details of the old S-MAX - such as the circular air vents and gloss black finish - and while the quality is very impressive with high quality soft touch plastics, it has a rather American feel to it.

What's also impressive is the lack of noise. Ford has added extra sound insulation and improved things like the door seals, all of which reduces road and wind noise on the move. At motorway speeds, it makes for a luxury car-like experience of relaxed calm. You can happily cruise along, covering big miles safely in that knowledge that you can hear your children fighting in the back that is a bit clearer.

What to look out for

The lack of noise is helped by Ford's refined 2.0 TDCi engine. It's available in various outputs in the S-MAX starting with a 120PS version in the Zetec model and going up to a very quick 210PS bi-turbo version that comes with the PowerShift automatic box as standard. In between these sit two more versions - one with 150PS and a 180PS version. It's these that make the most sense blending strong in-gear pulling power with a decent economy. Both come with a positive shifting six-speed manual as standard or the PowerShift automatic as an extra. Interestingly, there's also the option of all-wheel drive on both, making the S-MAX even better when it comes to traction. Fitted with cold-weather tyres, this would be ideal in the winter.

The 2.0 TDCi is the perfect engine for the S-MAX and the 150PS could be considered as the best of the bunch when it comes to value. It has plenty of torque with 350Nm and returns the same 56.5mpg as the other versions when fitted with the six-speed manual. It's quiet from inside the car and feels responsive when you need it, while at motorway speeds it's barely breaking a sweat.

There have been some significant changes under the skin with a new electric power steering set-up and rear suspension, the latter of which is lighter than before. The ride quality is improved over the old car and while it's not quite as sharp as the previous S-MAX, this new car is still good to drive and belies its size, feeling more like an executive saloon than a people carrier. The steering is responsive and there's very little body roll, even when you tackle tight corners with gusto.

What we think

Ford has managed to improve the S-MAX in all the key areas without losing any of the strengths that made the original so popular. Ford S Max is a good value for money, especially when you look at the standard equipment on the Zetec trim which includes front and rear parking sensors, the touchscreen SYNC 2 system plus DAB. The S-MAX it seems, looks set to continue its success.

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