Review of the new Ford Galaxy 2.0 EcoBoost SCTi

An improved engine range - now in place - was the only thing Ford's second generation Galaxy really needed to perfect its offering in the large MPV sector. It may not be quite as sporty as its S-MAX sister vehicle but it's certainly the better large MPV, delivering more space and greater practicality, the things that most people carrying people prioritise. It's arguably at its best in the 2.0-litre petrol EcoBoost SCTi guise we test here.

For over a decade from the mid-Nineties, Ford's large Galaxy people carrier was little more than a rebadged Volkswagen or SEAT. The Ford bit of it - the drive experience - was well judged but practicality-wise, the design left a bit to be desired, most notably with the fact that to get a lot of stuff in, you had to chuck all the seats out. Eventually, the Blue Oval brand lost patience, deciding, rightly as it turned out, that they could do a better job on their own. The resulting 2006 second generation Galaxy model was a revelation, even better to drive and much easier to use, all five of its rearward seats folding flat into the floor.

All that really needed improvement lay beneath the bonnet. Most Galaxy buyers would have chosen diesel anyway but any waverers usually had their minds made up if they sampled the elderly 2.0 and 2.3-litre normally aspirated petrol engines that Ford initially served up with this model. The 2.0-litre EcoBoost SCTi unit we test here is far better and with this in place, plus tweaked looks and the addition of some hi-tech features, Ford feels confident that this Galaxy offers an even stronger family buying proposition in the large MPV sector. Let's find out if they're right.

Ford alone provides large MPV buyers with a choice of two completely different designs, the same platform (and the same Genk factory in Belgium) offering not only this Galaxy but the more sportily-orientated S-MAX model. The S-MAX is an MPV for enthusiastic drivers who don't really want a people carrier and a surprising amount of its dynamic personality has been transferred across to this Galaxy intact, despite this car's higher centre of gravity and softer ride.

"You could easily make a case for this improved Ford Galaxy being a better car than its S-MAX sister vehicle, particularly in 2.0 EcoBoost SCTi guise."

Essentially, what you lose on corner turn-in and body-control, you gain in smoothness and comfort, but even so, this can still be a rewarding car to drive, seeming to shrink around you on the open road. As a result, large MPVs handling better than this one are a rare breed indeed, especially if you opt for the clever CCD active suspension system that gives the Galaxy additional agility and sure-footedness, particularly when it's heavily loaded.

The two Fords now share exactly the same engine range too, the big news being the introduction of the 200bhp Ecoboost SCTi turbocharged 2.0-litre petrol unit that we look at here. Even with the standard Powershift 6-speed twin-clutch automatic gearbox sapping a bit of its power, sixty from rest, courtesy of a solid 300Nm of torque, occupies a mere 8.5s on the way to 135mph. That's significantly quicker than the fastest diesel option, yet this petrol variant gets within 12mpg of that model's fuel returns while being significantly more refined.

There are some minor styling tweaks to this revised model but what really matters is how this car performs as a family workhorse. Well, we've tested it on trips long and short, laden and unladen, packed with kids and loaded with luggage and there are a few things we've noticed. The excellent ride quality, for example, is particularly useful when it comes to avoiding car sickness in small passengers. Then there's the way that the huge glass area lights up the cabin and ensures that everyone gets a clear view out.

It also means excellent visibility from behind the wheel from where it's easy to find the ideal driving position thanks to the amount of seat and wheel adjustment provided. Rather ambitiously, Ford wants this car to appeal not only to someone who might be considering another large people carrier but also to owners of prestigiously-badged executive estates, hence the high quality of fit and finish around the cabin. In the rear middle row, there's decent room for three adults and the width of the cabin comes in handy if you're trying, for example, to fit three child seats back here.

Even as an adult cooped up in the in the back row, there's little feeling of claustrophobia, with the Galaxy's designers having made good use of the space available, the 6 inches of height this car gains over its S-MAX stablemate being put to good use. The cabin floor even slopes up slightly towards the rear so that people in the back can see what's going on up front. When you're not using third or second row seating, the innovative FoldFlatSystem (which offers no fewer than 32 seating permutations) enables all rearward chairs to retract flush into the floor to present a vast double bed-sized 2325-litre flat load area (325-litres more than you'd get in an S-MAX) with lashing points to keep stuff in place if you do fail to resist this Ford's sporty character. Even with all 7 seats occupied, there's still 308-litres on offer.

List pricing suggests that you'll pay somewhere between £27,000 and £30,000 for your Galaxy 2.0 EcoBoost SCTi. Pricewise, that puts this Ford just above top versions of frumpier large MPVs like VW's Sharan and SEAT's Alhambra. Whichever version you choose, you should find it to be reasonably well equipped. Standard kit runs to dual-zone climate control, front and rear parking sensors, Bluetooth options for your mobile 'phone, a heated windscreen and all-round electric windows, though this colour touch screen is a pricey option.

Safety-wise, there's front and side airbags for those at the front, plus an airbag to protect the driver's knee, while window airbags cover the first two rows. ABS and ESP are standard. Depending on the model you choose, further features like Hill Launch Assist (for uphill junctions), tyre pressure monitoring, runflat tyres and Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) with Forward Alert (FA) and Collision Mitigation By Braking offering extra peace of mind, as does the Blind Spot Information System borrowed from Volvo that stops you changing lanes in front of other cars.

Despite its extra 40bhp, the modern 2.0-litre Ecoboost engine with an automatic gearbox can match its older 140bhp 2.0-litre normally aspirated manual transmission stablemate on emissions (189g/km) and marginally beat it when it comes to combined fuel consumption (34.9mpg). Such is progress. Insurance on the group 1-50 ratings is group 24, plus there's the usual 3 year 60,000 mile warranty.

When you consider the kinds of buyers who actually go out and purchase big seven-seat MPVs and the things they actually need, you could easily make a case for this improved Ford Galaxy being a better car than its S-MAX sister vehicle, particularly in the 2.0 EcoBoost SCTi guise we've been looking at here. Where the sportily-styled S-MAX majors on combining driving vigour with MPV practicality, this Galaxy just gets on with the job in hand, that of fulfilling the traditional people carrying role. It's immensely practical, well built and it still drives better than most of its rivals.

With an engine range that at last matches the quality of the rest of the product, this big Ford now has all the tools it needs to take on all-comers in the large MPV sector. Yes, it certainly could and perhaps should be more affordable, but if you get the right deal and don't want something so large that it's almost bus-like, then this car is hard to overlook in this sector. Whether you'd be prepared to pay the premium for one over the equally impressive S-MAX is of course another question. Still, one thing's for certain: buyers who need seven seats in their large people carrier will find it hard to look beyond their local Ford dealership.

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