Category: Large MPV 
Price Range: £19,895 to £28,750
Good fun to drive, excellent 2.5 turbo engine, sporty yet practical, cheap to buy and run.
Not quite so much fun for passengers with the hard-riding, stiff suspension. Not that much rear headroom or luggage space.
Drop the kids off at school and then have a blast on the way back. But if it's sheer practicality, space and comfort you're after, you'd be better off with the Galaxy
The S-MAX, like the Galaxy, is built on the all-new platform that will underpin the next-generation Mondeo, as well as various upcoming Volvos. So there's no previous form to judge it on, although the 2.5 five-cylinder engine is already well proven (Focus ST, Volvo S40/V50 etc) and the other engines are updated versions of familiar units, so should not be problematic.
The S-MAX and Galaxy are built together in Ford's Genk factory in Belgium, which has a generally good reputation. Some of the pre-production Galaxies at the launch had a few glitches, but the S-MAXes had a better standard of fit and finish. Some of the plastics in the cabin could be easily scratched and marked, but the interior otherwise looks well done and is pleasantly minimalist and monochrome in its design.
Latest Readers' Drives About the Ford S-MAX
wrote on 01 05 2007
wrote on 21 09 2006