Ford C-Max Review | The Most Dynamic MPV

  / robabooth  

Ford C-Max Review

Nowadays, the compact-MPV market is one of the fastest moving areas in automotive manufacturing. This wasn't always the case: In 1996, the French car-giant Renault released their Scenic, instantly voted "European Car Of The Year", it single handedly created it's own niche market. Several years later and the compact-MPV market is one of the most densely populated with the likes of VW, Peugeot, Citroen and Opel. Ford released their Focus C-Max in 2003 and it proved to be a great hit with young families, so much so that Ford released the second generation in 2010 by removing the Focus part of the name, giving the C-Max it's own unique identity.

Styling -- The first thing you notice when looking at the C-Max is the fact that it looks so damn nice! The front shares the same grille as rest of the Ford family, the multitude of panel creases help keep the admiring eye busy and the pert bottom with modern light clusters detach the C-Max from normal humdrum MPVs. This C-Max really does represent Ford's Kinetic Design philosophy.

Interior -- The C-Max has an elevated driving position and Van-like pedal setup meaning that driving is very comfortable accommodating people of all statures thanks to an abundance of seat and steering wheel adjustments. The C-Max prides itself for being very spacious meaning that driver and passengers have ample legroom and headroom both in the front and in the back for a 6-footer like myself. The C-Max isn't the widest of all cars and this does have an effect on the rear centre seat which can feel a little cramped. The dashboard is covered in a range of gloss black and soft touch plastics, it's also covered in a lot of buttons. Build quality is good, especially for this price point rivalling VW-Group cars. The C-Max comes in three trim levels: Zetec, Titanium and Titanium X, entry-level versions come with 16-inch alloys, front fogs, air-con and a DAB radio. Titanium cars get 17-inch alloys, automatic lights and wipers, climate control, a start button and cruise control, whilst the top of the range Titanium X cars add things like bi-xenon headlights, a panoramic sunroof, part-leather seats and heated front seats. The car we're in today is the Titanium and is what we feel is the best blend of equipment and price.

Practicality -- Compact-MPVs pride themselves on their flexibility, and the C-Max is no exception. There a plenty of compartments in the front with even a space for you sunglasses( puts sunglasses on and walks out). The boot is a useful shape with 471L which beats cars like the Scenic. A little downside of the C-Max is that none of the rear seats recline but they do come out altogether, but that requires quite a lot of strength as they do weigh quite a lot. What you end up with is a near-flat surface and a total volume of 1,732L, which should be more than enough for all of your Ikea and furniture needs.

Refinement - As with most Fords, refinement is pretty good on this C-Max, wind noise, road noise and general NVH levels are very respectable for a car in this class, even rivalling the Merc B Class, something Ford should be very proud of. This generation of C-Max has a massively revised chassis meaning that ride quality is very good, if a little firm and body-roll is very limited, adding to the C-Max's playful side. This vehicle is propelled by a 1.6 TDCI engine which is smooth and refined and is inaudible at motorway speeds. The good refinement of the C-Max makes it a very easy car to live with.

Performance and handling -- The 1.6L fitted to this car mixes a good blend of performance and economy: Developing 115 BHP and 270 NM of torque pushing this near 1.4T car to sixty in 11.3 seconds reaching a top speed of 114 MPH. Other engines include 5 petrol engines and 4 other diesel engines including the range-topping 163 BHP 2.0 TDCI. Where the C-Max really excels though is on the handling front where it is the car to beat in this sector thanks to it's clever torque vectoring system boosting grip at all times. Driving controls also aid the driving pleasure thanks to nice accurate steering and a quick 6-speed gearbox. In terms of driving dynamics, the C-Max is "best in class".

Safety -- The Ford C-Max is an extremely safe car, being awarded with the maximum 5 Euro NCAP stars, Ford does this with a multitude of airbags ensuring that all interior occupants stay protected from any impacts.

Conclusion -- So if you're in the market for a compact-MPV with lots of space, a nice cabin and punchy performance but don't want the stereotypical slab-sided looks and boring driving dynamics, look no further than this, the Ford C-Max.