Ten Second Review

There's more to Ford's clever Grand C-Max than extra seats and space. It's claimed to be both more practical and more driveable than Renault Megane Scenic or Vauxhall Zafira, a package that at last offers its maker the prospect of the class leadership it's enjoyed with larger people carriers.

Background

Ford has traditionally been a market leader in 7-seater MPVs - but only when it comes to the bigger ones. Move away from their big Galaxy and S-MAX people carriers into the volume Scenic-sized mini-MPV sector and the brand has traditionally been much less effective. Indeed, it took until 2003 for Ford's first generation C-MAX to respond to the Renault Scenic and Vauxhall Zafira models launched five years earlier. And even then, it only offered five-seats at a time when both rival brands could give buyers space for seven, a format which now takes nearly 60% of the UK compact people carrying segment. In the end, it took until the end of 2010 for Ford to catch up with a second generation C-MAX range offering not only a 5-seater model but the car we're looking at here, the 7-seat Grand C-MAX. Still, there are advantages to being fashionably late to the party. You wouldn't really site any of the current crop of compact 7-seaters as being particularly good to drive. And some of them could do with being a bit more practical, too. Clear opportunities then, for this Grand C-MAX to offer families a more effective option in a quickly growing market.

Driving Experience

Under the bonnet, Ford's engineers have developed all manner of hi-tech engines for this car, including both conventional and plug-in hybrids and even an ultra-low emission 1.0-litre 3 cylinder Ecoboost petrol unit, virtually all mainstream buyers will be opting for more conventional 1.6-litre power. For petrol people, that'll mean a 125PS 1.6, though the better heeled will be well-served by paying the premium for the much high-tech 1.6-litre Ecoboost unit, offered with either 150 or 180PS, with even the least powerful version capable of sixty from rest in under 10s on the way to 126mph. Most customers though, will choose another 1.6, the TDCi unit with either 95 or 115PS, in which guise there's up to 285Nm of torque, hence the prodigious braked towing capacity of 1200kgs. Enough to make you question the need to spend more on pricier 2.0-litre TDCi diesels that offer either 140 or 163PS, though one reason why you might do just that is the entitlement they bring of specifying the optional 6-speed Powershift semi-automatic gearbox with its clever twin-clutch technology automatically selecting your next gear before you've even left the last one. One thing the original C-MAX was very good at was rewarding you once you'd dropped the kids off at school and were taking the twisty way into work. Settle into the raised 'command bridge' driving position with its high-mounted 6-speed gearshift and centre console and it's very much business as usual. Thanks to taut chassis and clever control blade suspension, the Grand C-Max manages the difficult trick of being both supple over bumps yet stable through the bends. More good news. The electrically assisted power steering has good feel, a rare thing in an age of PlayStation-like steering response from systems like these. And something called Torque Vectoring Control - a feature more usually found on supercars and extreme hot hatches - makes the car feel more 'planted' and hug the road as you power through tight corners. True, not something you'd likely notice in the everyday, but on those occasions when you're running late for the school play or just want to get home, you'll feel the difference as the system lightly brushes the brakes on the inside front wheel so that more of the power goes to the other side - where it's really needed. Clever.

Design and Build

It's a handsome-looking thing, at least for an MPV - and there's the expected 2+3+2 seating layout you'd normally find in a compact 7-seater of this kind. But look a little closer and the clver seat-eating seat mechanism swallows up the admittedly rather narrow centre perch in the middle row to provide a clear walkway into the rear. Third row occupants are unlikely to be especially comfortable if they're of basket ball-playing height or overly familiar with the offerings of Colonel Sanders. These perches are intended for children, or reasonably agile adults on shorter journeys. As for luggage space, well there's not much point in moaning that there isn't much - as little as 56-litres - with all 7 seats in place. If that's an issue, you really should be looking at a larger S-MAX or Galaxy-class MPV. No, most people who buy a C-MAX will be using the 3rd seating row only occasionally and for the rest of the time, flipping them flush into the floor and enjoying anything between 439 and 755-litres of space, depending on whether you specify a space-saving rear wheel and whether you load up to parcel shelf level or fully onwards to the roof. With all but the front seats folded flat, 1742-litres of space can be released, not too far off a larger, pricier MPV from the next class up. At the wheel, Ford has succeeded in achieving designer Martin Smith's goal of creating a 'premium feel', thanks to expensively slush-moulded soft-touch plastics. Metal and piano black detailing add to the up-market feel, as does the classy-looking bespoke Sony-developed infotainment system. Oddments space is fairly basic on entry-level versions, but higher series models have a larger centre console unit with a sliding armrest cover and a roof-mounted overhead console

Market and Model

List pricing sees Grand C-MAX customers pay a £1,500 premium for their 7-seat practicality over pricing for equivalent 5-seat C-MAX models. Which means that most examples of this car will sell somewhere in the £19,000 to £24,000 bracket, with the diesels that most will want starting from around the £20,000 mark. And rivals? Well, there are entry-level petrol alternatives - Vauxhall's Zafira, Peugeot's 5008 and the Citroen C4 Grand Picasso for example - that will save you a bit, though the equivalent Renault Grand Scenic is slightly more. But most will want diesels and here, the Grand C-MAX pricing looks sharper. Compared to the volume 1.6 TDCi version of this Ford, most mainstream rivals offer base diesel engines with less power and are only a few hundred pounds less, a premium I think many buyers will gladly pay for this C-MAX's extra versatility. Whichever version you choose - standard or Ecoboost 1.6-litre petrol or either 1.6 or 2.0-litre TDCi diesels - you should find your Grand C-MAX to be decently equipped. Standard kit across the range includes alloy wheels, air conditioning, a decent quality 6-speaker Sony MP3-compatible digital CD stereo with DAB tuner, Bluetooth and USB connectivity with voice control, a leather steering wheel and rear parking sensors. Desirable options include an Active Park Assist system that can help you slot the car into the tightest spaces, a rear view camera and a panoramic glass roof. Safety wise, twin front, side and curtain airbags are all standard, along with stability control and all the usual electronic traction and braking aids. There's also an optional Blind Spot Information system to stop you inadvertently but dangerously changing lanes in front of other drivers.

Cost of Ownership

Ford wouldn't bring a family-oriented vehicle to market unless it had keenly addressed the issue of running costs and the Grand C-MAX is no exception. The company cites combined savings of around £800 a month over the previous model. ECOnetic technologies, including 'Ford Eco mode' and smart regenerative charging, account for some of them, enabling the strongest selling 1.6-litre TDCi diesel variant to return a combined cycle fuel economy figure of 57.7mpg and a CO2 rating of 129g/km. Petrol people will be better served by opting for the 150PS 1.6-litre Ecoboost variant rather than the entry-level 125PS 1.6, provided they can stomach the higher upfront asking price. This more modern engine does, after all, return the same 159g/km of CO2 figure and a slightly better combined consumption of 41.5mpg. On the ABI 1-50 insurance scale, Grand C-MAX ratings have reduced by up to five points versus the old C-MAX, with even the top of the range Grand C-MAX 2.0-litre TDCi only reaching 20E thanks to a Thatcham category one alarm. Residual values will exceed most expectations too, independent experts reckoning an improvement of up to 15% over one year or 20,000 miles over the old model - or around 10% better over three years or 60,000 miles. Oh and C-MAX construction is eco-friendly, with over 300 parts produced from recycled materials.

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