Ford Galaxy review - Interior, design and technology

When a car’s job is to cram in seven seats and maximise interior space at all costs, something has to give.

In the case of large MPVs, a boxy silhouette is pretty much a given, and the Galaxy is no different. However, Ford has done a great job of giving it an upmarket look.

Up front, the chrome grille has been sharpened and stripped of its Ford badge, which now sits on the edge of the bonnet. Mid-level Titanium models come with LED daytime running lights, while silver roof rails, extra silver window trim and tinted rear glass add to the upmarket look. The standard 17-inch wheels appear small, but Ford offers 18-inch alloy wheels as an option on Titanium models.

At the rear, the large tail-lights have a black outline and they merge with the rear window, which also forms the upper edge of the number plate recess. Overall, the Galaxy looks upmarket, although the single standard colour is a rather drab dark blue – white paint costs around £250, metallic finishes are about £550 and special ruby red paint is about £800.

The interior is not only made from better quality materials than its predecessor, but looks bang up to date. A chunky brushed aluminium trim and a host of smart geometric shapes – such as the air vents – give the interior a fresh, upmarket feel, while the optional full-length panoramic glass roof floods the interior with light and makes it feel twice as big again. It's so good that it's the same dashbard layout that's used in the S-MAX, while anybody driving a Ford Edge SUV or even a Mondeo will be familiar with the layout, too.

Sat-nav, stero and infotainment

The Galaxy comes with Ford’s Sync 3, an eight-inch high-resolution central touch screen system with voice control, as standard. This includes a DAB radio, aux and USB sockets, Bluetooth, an SD card slot and eight speakers. The touchscreen system means there aren’t too many buttons all over the dash, so the display is cleaner.

Mid-level Titanium models add Ford’s sat-nav system, while an optional digital display that fits snugly across the instrument cluster and into the dials is a useful addition, and can be fully controlled by the multifunction steering wheel.