Ford C-MAX

• Rating:
• Latest deal price: from £14,270 to £18,508
• For : Fun to drive, good looking, well made and flexible
• Against : Firm ride, centre seat is tight for space, expensive options

Smartly styled, great fun to drive and with a wide range of powerful but economical engines, the Ford C-MAX is an excellent addition to the line-up, bridging the gap between the Focus and larger MPVs. It’s well made and has a clever rear-seat arrangement. But it can be pricey with options added and rivals such as the VW Touran and Renault Scenic are more flexible. Ford also offers a larger Grand C-MAX that seats seven.

Our pick: 113bhp 1.6-litre TDCI Zetec  

Video: watch CarBuyer's video review of the Ford C-MAX

Styling

Whereas the Focus looks awkward in places, the C-MAX is a much more handsome machine, despite its taller roof. It won’t turn heads on the high street, but with a sleek shape that boasts neatly styled headlights and taillights, and athletic proportions, the C-MAX is stylish enough not to scream MPV from every angle.

Interior

Like the new Focus, the Ford C-MAX gets a very classy and modern cabin with a neat piano-black centre console, smart dials and very high quality materials and switchgear. Yes, it can get a bit over complicated if you add some extras but it’s a nice place to be and much more stylish than that of a VW Touran and Renault Scenic. Reach and rake steering, plus an elevated driving position, means getting comfy and seeing out is a doddle. Equipment levels are good: entry-level Zetec models come with air-con, Bluetooth, alloys and heated front windscreen while Titanium-trimmed cars add a fully integrated Sony audio system, climate control and hill-hold assist.

Driving and Performance

If you’re looking for a family car that handles as well as most sporty models from other manufacturers, test drive a Ford C-MAX. There’s lots of grip from the new front-wheel drive platform, the steering is accurate and tells you everything you need to know about the road surface while torque vectoring – a neat system that sends power to the wheel which can most deal with it – is an excellent standard feature. The ride is firmer than you would get in a Renault Scenic, but it’s still comfortable. As for engines, the 148bhp 1.6 Ecoboost is smooth and has lots of shove, but the 1.6-litre diesel will be the pick for most buyers. With wind and road noise suppressed and sensible gearing, the C-MAX munches miles with ease whatever the engine though.

MPG and running costs

With efficient new engines, running a Ford C-MAX shouldn’t cost too much. Our pick, the 113bhp 1.6-litre diesel returns 61.4mpg and thanks to 116g/km of CO2 has a 13 per cent company car tax rating. If you’ve got the cash, the £19,745 148bhp 1.6 Ecoboost turbo petrol model is much faster and even smoother, and returns 42.8mpg combined and emits just 154g/km of CO2.

Practicality

Like its predecessor, the C-MAX can be ordered with a clever rear bench. It splits 40/20/40, and the centre seat can be folded away with the outer seats slid backwards and inwards to create a very spacious 2+2 layout. The downsides are that in three-seat mode, shoulder room is tight in the middle, and although the seats tumble easily and can be removed, they are heavy. There’s plenty of luggage room – 471 litres with the rear seats in place, 1,723 litres with them removed. Plus, there are options such as Active Park Assist, which automatically parellel parks the car, and a Family Pack which comes with a powered tailgate and rear sunblinds.

Safety and reliability

There’s no doubt the C-MAX is a very safe car. Like the Focus it's based on, it achieved a maximum five-star Euro NCAP crash test rating thanks to standard passenger and curtain airbags along with traction control, electronic stability control and a new torque vectoring system, which helps to boost grip further. Factor in excellent quality throughout and we expect the C-MAX to be easy to own and unlikely to require much more than routine maintenance.

Model Variants and Specifications

• Ford C-MAX Zetec 1.6 Ti-VCT 105PS £17195
• Ford C-MAX Zetec 1.6 TDCi 115PS £18695
• Ford C-MAX Titanium 1.6 Ti-VCT 125PS £19195
• Ford C-MAX Titanium 1.6 EcoBoost 150PS £20195
• Ford C-MAX Titanium 1.6 TDCi 115PS £20195
• Ford C-MAX Titanium 2.0 TDCi 140PS £21195
• Ford C-MAX Titanium 2.0 TDCi 140PS Powershift Auto £22445