Ford Grand C-MAX

• Rating:
• Latest deal price: from £14,270 to £18,508
• For : Well-equipped, quality cabin, flexible seven-seater
• Against : Unstylish, tight in rear, small boot in seven-seat mode

Like Renault with its Scenic and Grand Scenic line-up, the Ford C-MAX range is split into two distinct models – with the Grand C-MAX answering one of the biggest criticisms of the previous car by offering seven seats and sliding doors. It gets a similarly strong line-up of Ecoboost turbo petrols and turbodiesels, a quality cabin and driver-pleasing handling. 

Our pick: 138bhp 2.0-litre TDCI Zetec

Styling

While the standard five-seat C-MAX is a handsome machine, the same cannot be said of the Grand C-MAX. It looks a little ungainly thanks to its high roofline and extra long wheelbase while those sliding doors haven’t been particularly well integrated into the rear end of the car. At least it looks good at the front, with the familiar Ford family face.

Interior

Classy, modern and comfortable – that’s the Grand C-MAX. The new dashboard is very cool with its blue backlighting and piano black centre console (even if it can get busy with too many buttons), while the driving position is first class, being highly adjustable thanks to reach and rake but raised enough to allow you a commanding view. Thin A-pillars also help navigation. Equipment levels are good – even entry-level Zetec trimmed models get alloy wheels, air-con, a DAB radio, rear parking sensors and Bluetooth. Options include automatic lights and wipers, cruise control, climate control and a hill-start assist system.

Driving and Performance

The Grand C-MAX is noticeably softer than the five-seat C-MAX, but it still puts a smile on your face in the way few MPVs can. It’s agile and has great steering – its slightly more compliant ride lending it a more grown-up, but still enjoyable, demeanour. The engine line-up is impressive too. Diesels include a smooth and punchy 113bhp 1.6-litre diesel, although we’d go for the faster 138bhp 2.0-litre diesel, which will cope better when the Grand is fully laden. If you fancy a petrol, there’s a 148bhp 1.6-litre Ecoboost turbo which is smooth and powerful and does 0-60mph in less than 10 seconds – about as fast as the range-topping diesel. Standard transmission is a six-speed manual, while Ford’s smooth Powershift dual-clutch automatic is a £1,000-plus option.

MPG and running costs

Like its C-MAX brother, the Grand is a very frugal MPV thanks to Ford’s excellent range of efficient petrol and diesel engines. Cheapest to run is the 1.6-litre TDCi which emits just 129g/km of CO2 and returns 57.7mpg, while the punchier 2.0-litre diesel is much faster and still returns 53.3mpg with CO2 emissions of 139g/km. The 1.6-litre Ecoboost is more expensive to run but it’s still impressive, posting 40.9mpg and 159g/km.

Practicality

Is the Grand C-MAX a proper seven-seater? Well, you will be able to seat seven but there’s only enough space in the final row for a couple of small children. This is a problem that affects the seven-seat VW Touran too, although the Renault Grand Scenic has more room. If you want even more space, you’re better off buying an S-MAX. However, there’s lots of room in the second row for three adults and those sliding doors really do aid access in car parks. There’s also a neat ‘walk-through’ feature, where the centre middle seat can fold away allowing easy access to the final two seats. As for luggage space, in seven-seat mode there is just 115-litres of room – barely enough for the weekly shop. Fold the third row and that expands to 432-litres – bigger than a Focus – while if you fold the seats flat there’s an enormous 1,732 litres of space.

Safety and reliability

The old C-MAX was a pretty reliable machine so we’d expect more of the same from this new model. It’s extremely safe too, with a five-star maximum Euro NCAP crash safety rating. There are loads of airbags, traction and stability control to maximize grip and options such as blind spot warning.

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