Review of the new Ford C-MAX range

Families are one big headache for car designers. These are groups of people with contrasting views and needs who all share the same car. While one family member wants a vehicle to look good and drive with a little verve, another might want seats that are easy to fold down and lots of storage space. Certain factions in the family won't give two hoots about any of that. They'll be are more interested in the maximum volume of stereo system, the quantity of 12-volt charging points for games consoles, whether their bikes will fit in the boot or how long it takes to colour-in the back of the headrest with a felt tip pen. Pleasing all of the family all of the time sounds impossible but Ford's C-MAX MPV is up for giving it a good go.

The original C-MAX was always at a disadvantage compared to rival models in the compact MPV class. It only had five seats so while the sharp handling and attractive design garnered some plaudits, it was immediately disregarded by buyers who wanted space for six or seven. Some even questioned whether Ford's MPV really offered that much more practicality than the five-door Ford Focus hatchback or the Focus Estate, cars that it shared a platform with.

The latest C-MAX moves to address these points, predominantly by being available either in five-seat C-MAX form or as a seven-seat Grand C-MAX. This enables to the five-seater to pursue a sportier and more dynamic direction with its styling and driving experience, leaving the larger model free to concentrate interior space and versatility. Ford is also keen to point out, however, that the advanced seating systems and thoughtful cabin design make this generation of C-MAX more user-friendly in all its forms. Could this be the MPV to quell your family's grumblings?

There's nothing old fashioned about the C-MAX engine range, Ford having fitted a collection of leading edge powerplants littered with the kind of technology that the layman has no hope of understanding. There are 1.6-litre Ti-VCT petrol units with independent variable camshaft timing and 1.6-litre EcoBoost SCTi engines that also run on unleaded but also feature a low-inertia turbocharger. The diesels are 1.6 or 2.0-litre in capacity and share Ford's TDCi high pressure common-rail direct injection technology.

"The family buyers that the C-MAX is targeting are a demanding bunch"

The EcoBoost units are likely to be the choice of those who want some zip in their driving experience. There are 148bhp and 178bhp versions to consider, the latter producing its 240Nm maximum torque constantly between 1,600 and 4,500rpm. That spells good flexibility and there's even an overboost feature which increase torque to 270Nm for short periods of hard acceleration.

Many MPV buyers automatically home in on anything with a diesel engine and with good reason. When the running costs are totted up, oil-burning makes real sense in a family car, provided it's being done by the engine and not the wayward 10-year-old in the third row. The 1.6 TDCI comes in 94bhp and 113bhp forms with the later trumping the most powerful petrol engine with its torque output. The real big hitters are the 2.0-litre TDCi units in 138bhp and 161bhp states of tune with up to 340Nm of pulling power available.

It's a while since we've been surprised by the looks of a Ford product but the 'kinetic design' themes that have been rolled out across the model range are far from unattractive so we'll forgive the lack of adventure on the part of Blue Oval designers. By the standards set by other compact MPVs, which aren't always the highest, the C-MAX is a handsome devil. Avid Ford watchers will recognise the trapezoidal grille, the swept back headlights and the sharp line around the bonnet and the flanks. What's also obvious is that there are marked differences between the five and seven-seater models.

The standard C-MAX is very similar in size to the model it replaced and features a curving roofline that drops away towards the rear for a sporty look. The Grand C-MAX is fully 4,520mm long with a wheelbase increased by 140mm compared to the standard car. It's also 40mm taller and these extended dimensions allow it to cram in that third row of seating.

The roof line is flatter and the window pillars are thinner to enhance the view out of the Grand C-MAX but the other major difference is that, while the C-MAX has conventional rear doors, the Grand C-MAX employs sliding doors on its flanks. This creates wider apertures for improved access to the rear seats and eliminates the risk of children clouting adjacent cars when they clamber out in the car park.

The design inside the C-MAX looks slick. In line with the other modern Fords, there's plenty of metallic detailing and the quality of fit and finish seems high. It's the C-MAX seats that will provoke the most interest, however, as the designers clearly did a lot of work on maximising versatility.

In the Grand C-MAX the sliding side doors mean it's possible to access the third row without sliding or tilting the outer seats in the second row. There's also a clever feature where the centre seat in the second row can collapse under the right hand seat, giving a six-seater layout with walk-through access to the rear. The 5-seat models don't miss out. They get the same seats which tumble down individually in one motion to create a flat floor: there are just less of them.

Naturally, there's a whole range of features available to C-MAX customers via the trim level range and the options list. It's possible to replace the standard manual gearboxes with a Powershift dual-clutch automatic and a wide range of safety features are offered, including a automatic parking system known as Active Park Assist and a rear-view camera. The cabin environment can be lightened by the fitment of a panoramic glass roof and there's a powered tailgate to help when you've got an armful of shopping.

Standard equipment on all models includes alloy wheels, air conditioning, leather steering wheel, Thatcham category one alarm, DAB radio/CD and Bluetooth with USB connectivity and voice control. Grand C-MAX has powered child-proof locks on the rear dual sliding doors, and rear parking sensors.

Like any MPV, the C-MAX is designed to keep running costs manageable. That sleek exterior design has the added benefit of low aerodynamic drag with Cd values of 0.30 and 0.32 for the five and seven-seaters respectively. The engines are also very efficient with even the 178bhp EcoBoost unit capable of nearly 43mpg and 154g/km emissions. Pick a 1.6-litre TDCi diesel and the combined cycle economy figure is 62.8mpg while emissions dip to 119g/km.

It was clear what the Ford C-MAX needed to really make it big in the compact MPV sector and that was seven seats. Today, the Grand C-MAX fulfils that requirement, leaving the standard model free to tread a smaller, sportier path. The family buyers that the C-MAX is targeting are a demanding bunch but the good looks, spacious cabin and eye-opening versatility of the current range seems certain to convince a fair number of them.

TOP 5 C-MAX DEALS

The results below show the top C-MAX deals on buyacar

Ford C-MAX 1.6 TDCi Titanium 5dr Diesel Estate
Price £16,667 Read C-MAX Reviews	Save £3,778
Ford C-MAX 1.6 EcoBoost Titanium 5dr [Start/Stop] Estate
Price £16,846 Read C-MAX Reviews	Save £3,794
Ford C-MAX 1.6 TDCi Zetec 5dr Diesel Estate
Price £15,508 Read C-MAX Reviews	Save £3,437
Ford C-MAX 2.0 TDCi Titanium 5dr Powershift Diesel Estate
Price £18,468 Read C-MAX Reviews	Save £4,272
Ford C-MAX 2.0 TDCi Titanium 5dr Diesel Estate
Price £17,499 Read C-MAX Reviews	Save £3,991
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