I?ve recently changed my car to a Ford S-Max and here are my thoughts after my first month.
I have come from a BMW 320d touring, 2004 and 119,000 miles. In that time NOTHING went wrong, not even a bulb blew. However, with a new baby and starting up a part-time photography business, I needed more space than the ?lifestyle? German estates could offer. I looked at a lot of cars, including the Touran, Grand Picasso, Verso, Grand Scenic, Mercedes B Class, as well as other estate cars.
I drive 40,000 miles per year so comfort is important as well as fuel economy. I pay for all my own fuel and therefore economy is something I couldn?t overlook. I also needed a practical car to carry all my photo gear and baby ?stuff?. I didn?t need 7 seats, just 5 seats and a huge boot.
The S-Max I chose was a 1.8TDCi Titanium X. The options I added were metallic paint and ESP. I find it absolutely ridiculous that Ford penny pinch by not fitting ESP as standard onto what is quite obviously a family car. This has now been rectified from cars manufactured May 07 onwards. I have now driven 3,300 miles in my S-Max.
Performance and Economy
Most of my driving is on the motorway at about 70MPH. I do mostly long distance, the engine always fully warms and I don?t really ?stretch? the engine. I chose the 1.8 diesel over the 2.0 as it delivers everything I want from it. Sure, it?s nowhere near as quick as my old beemer but it never lacks for normal driving and overtaking. I have been told that the 2.0 is considerably more ?punchy? than the 1.8 I have but I?m certainly not complaining. I have it 6 up and the engine didn?t struggle at all. I guess if I was towing, the 2.0 plant would be the one to go for. One thing I?ve discovered is that sitting higher up than I used to, I can generally start my overtaking earlier than I could in my old BMW. In reality thin means that my slower S-Max can take all the overtakes that my old BMW could. The flip-side of this smaller engine is fantastic economy once you completely disregard the fuel computer. It is one lying son of a gun, upto 20% out!!! Last fill-up, it thought I was getting 54 MPG, I was actually getting 45MPG. Now 45MPG in a car of this size is fantastic. Like I said, I do mostly motorway work but this economy is terrific. When the car first came it delivered about 42 MPG but this has been creeping up tank by tank to the current 45MPG. I expect it to keep increasing until the engine is fully loosened up, I guess that?ll be about 10,000 mils for a diesel. I?m hoping to get to 48MPG but even if it stays at 45MPG, I can?t really complain. The gearing is about 34MPH/1000RPM in sixth. I can use 6th quite comfortably from about 50MPH provided I don?t come across a steep hill.
Ride and Handling
Simply a revelation!!! For a big car, this really dances. OK, it?s FWD rather than RWD but this is one entertaining car. It would be good even if it was a saloon, the fact it?s an MPV ? that?s a neat trick Ford have pulled off. It you like to have fun in the twisties, I?m an ex-biker, this is the ONLY MPV to go for. Forget your Zafira?s and the like, this is the one. Coming from a lowered BMW 3 series with sports suspension, this car is only a small sacrifice in handling vs. that car.
The ride was also quite a revelation. I have the 18? alloys fitted and it still rides considerably better that my BMW used to. I hear the bumps, feel them slightly but it?s still very good. The turning circle of the car on 18? wheels is limited over those cars on 16? wheels (steering rack limiter so the wheels don?t hit the internal wheel arches) and isn?t that great in a tight car park.
Refinement
This is a good long distance car. Seats are much more comfortable than the BMW, not quite as good as a Volvo though. The front seats are sports seats with bolstered side cushions and really do hold you well. Noise from the large windscreen isn?t too bad and is probably what I expected. The gearbox is quite notchy until it is fully warmed (10 miles or 15 minutes) and requires a firm shove to put it into gear. Once the gearbox fluids are fully warmed, the gearbox is a delight and slots home really nicely.
Quality
This was the real area I was concerned over coming from 3 German cars (BMW 3 series, Audi A4, VW Golf Mk IV). Yes, it is a step down from those cars. You most notice it in the doors when they shut, they don?t have that Germanic thud I?m used to. The plastics used in the car are varying. Up front, they are quite close to what I?ve been used to. The switches, although not quite as tactile as German cars, move with precision and have a nice feel to them. It does get worse as you move back through the car. The plastics do have a cheaper feel the further back you go; my old BMW had the quality throughout the car. It?s the silly things that make the difference like the BMW had a hydraulic strut to lift and hold the bonnet open. In the S-Max, you use your own muscle to lift the bonnet and prop it open with a metal strut. Silly, I know but small things like this make the difference. However, let?s be realistic. If this car was made by BMW or Audi, it wouldn?t have had a list price of £24500, it would be nearer £34500!!!
Behind the Wheel
I?ve read all the reports that say this is the least MPV-like of all the MPV?s and I was expecting to sit a lot lower than you actually do. You do sit above most of the traffic and it does offer a fantastic view ahead. Not to sure about the view to the side and forward though, the A-Pillars are quite thick and you could easily lose a motorcyclist in them. I guess that?s the price to pay for 5 star safety, active safety vs. passive safety equation is a bit skewed. It is a big car but when you are going along the road, you don?t really notice the bulk. The headlights on this car are a sensation. Mine has the AFS option that use your steering inputs the bend the lights around corners. It sounds like a marketing ploy but it really is good. Once you get used to it, you don?t want to go back and I reckon all cars will have these in the next few years. My car also has the panoramic roof. Panoramic is subjective here, Peugeot owners wouldn?t call it panoramic as it starts just above your head and also has a central strut in the middle for torsional rigidity. Also, it comes with 2 MANUAL blinds, the front one you can open whilst driving but no chance with the back one. Surely these blinds should be electric and this is Ford penny pinching again. Ford have also penny pinched on one of the switches inside the car. The master control of the electric windows has an illuminated switch to let you know if you have disabled the rear windows or not. Unfortunately the illumination is only on the right side of the switch and it can?t be seen due to the door handle!!!! On LHD cars, you would be able to see the light. Come on Ford, this is basic stuff. Another moan, whilst I?m at it ? do I really need SIX buttons for the cruise control ? I don?t think so!!! I?m all for steering wheel controls but I have SEVENTEEN buttons on my steering wheel including the horn, quite excessive really. I also think only 2 power points, one up front, one in the boot is a bit mean.
Space and Practicality
Let?s get one thing straight right now ? THIS IS NOT A MID-SIZE MPV. If you think it is, you haven?t been inside an S-Max. It is huge. It is both longer and wider than the old Galaxy/Sharan (as well as the Citroen C8/Pug 807 and Renault Espace). This car is a full size MPV that has just been ?styled?. The roof slopes down at the back and that means that the rear 2 seats don?t? have the same room as the full sized MPV?s mentioned above. When you compare the S-Max to the Touran, Zafira, etc they are just not in the same class. The second row of seats has legroom to rival a limo. I don?t really need the rear 2 seats, although I have used them, so this presents no problem. You can get adults in the back two seats but I?d say for an hour at most. Kids won?t have any issues in the back. Also, when the rear two seats are in place, I can still get my daughter?s ?Jane? pram behind the seats. This car is also very wide. It has three full size seats across the second row and you can get a child seat on each. Not many cars will comfortably take three child seats. Whilst I don?t want my loins to be that active, I?m sure that is of interest to some of you reading this!!! Watch the width in car parks though ? modern car parks aren?t designed for cars this wide and you may end up with dented/scratched doors as other cars open their doors up on your car!!!
Summary
All in all this is a great car. It is designed for the family that has upto 3 kids and needs to transport all their rubbish around as well. When the kids aren?t in the car, it delivers as a fine driving machine as well. Quality is good, not quite as good as a BMW but MUCH better than I was expecting from a Ford. It?s economical; 45MPG for this size of car is amazing. It also has plenty of go, my 1.8TDCi isn?t slow but if you need more get the 2.0TDCi. I have no problem recommending this car. If you need more info, go to www.smaxownersclub.co.uk and I can be contacted there if you want any specific information, my user name is a900ss.
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