Overview
What is it?
Remember MPVs? They used to be all the rage before Mum and Dad decided what they really needed to ferry their kids around was a supposedly sexier, but less practical pseudo-SUV.
The steady uptick in popularity of crossovers over the last decade or so led many manufacturers to abandon MPVs entirely, preferring to dress their seven-seat family cars up as SUVs instead. But there are still a few clinging on, selling in comparably small numbers, and delivering for their owners the kind of practicality and versatility a crossover couldn’t hope to match.
The Ford S-Max, for example. When it was launched in 2006 the S-Max was a bit of a revelation. Closely related to the bigger Galaxy, here was an MPV that wasn’t totally embarrassing to be seen in and drove really very well indeed. Like a Ford ought to. You could even get one with the 220bhp 2.5-litre five-cylinder engine from the contemporary Focus ST hot hatch.
SO HOW ABOUT TODAY’S S-MAX?
The second-generation S-Max, launched in 2015 and still closely related to the Galaxy, is not the car it once was. But it remains an excellent MPV, with a massive, versatile interior and more about it dynamically than you might think.
WHAT ENGINES CAN YOU GET?
Not more hot hatch engines we’re afraid. Of the three available engines in 2021 two are diesels – both 2.0-litres, one with 148bhp and the other with 187bhp. The lesser diesel comes with front-wheel drive and either a six-speed manual or an eight-speed auto, whereas the punchier motor gets the option of all-wheel drive and the eight-speeder as standard. The third option, and the most recent addition to the line-up, is the S-Max Hybrid.
Not a plug-in hybrid like the Kuga, but a “full” hybrid or “FHEV” more akin to a Toyota or Lexus so-called “self-charging” hybrid. Simply put, you can’t charge the S-Max Hybrid from the mains, and it has no meaningful electric range, but can still drive on e-power for short distances. The tiny battery is constantly charged (by the 2.5-litre petrol engine and regen-braking) and discharged as you drive along, with the car’s computers deciding how best to trade petrol and electric power for max efficiency. It works – more under the Driving tab.
WHAT’S IT LIKE INSIDE?
Massive. There’s seating for seven, and all that glass means it feels light and airy. The rearmost seats are really only for kids, but they fold flat into the floor and are brilliantly straightforward to erect and stow. I reckon there’s enough space to get three full-size kids seats across the middle row – try this out at the dealer before committing – where the three seats all slide and recline individually. The only real problem in here is the design – this generation of S-Max has been around since 2015, so of course its cabin and infotainment are going to feel a bit dated. The flipside is you get actual buttons for all the major controls, because it pre-dated the industry’s fascination with all things touchscreen. More under the Interior tab.
Our choice from the range
Ford
2.5 FHEV 190 ST-Line 5dr CVT
£38,375
What's the verdict?
“If you have a big family and aren't dead-set on a crossover, go look at an S-Max. Not glam, but good to drive and hugely practical”
If you have a big family and aren’t dead-set on a crossover, the S-Max is worth a look. Good as crossovers and SUVs are nowadays, they can still struggle to match the sheer versatility of a more traditional MPV. The S-Max is exceptionally spacious, practical and comfortable, and drives better than an MPV strictly needs to. Sure it’s been around for a few years now and feels its age in some areas, but the touchscreen sceptics among you may like its comparatively plain, but very easy-to-fathom dashboard and infotainment. The Hybrid is especially refined and over-delivers on Ford’s claimed economy figures – the one to have.
Driving
What is it like to drive?
The S-Max has always been much less of a bus to drive than many of its competitors. The steering is accurate and easygoing and it doesn’t wallow or roll – in fact ride comfort and damping are generally excellent whatever kind of road you’re on, even on the ST-Line’s slightly firmer suspension. It feels like… a Ford, which is a Very Good Thing. An especially good long-distance cruiser, with comfy seats and well-suppressed wind/tyre noise.
WHAT ENGINES CAN YOU GET?
Like the SUVs and crossovers that are stealing away their customers, traditionally diesel has been the MPV’s fuel of choice. S-Max buyers can pick between two – one with front-wheel drive, 148bhp and either a six-speed manual or eight-speed automatic transmission, the other with the option of all-wheel drive, 187bhp and the eight-speeder as standard. The most recent addition to the line-up is the S-Max Hybrid, which has a 2.5-litre petrol engine allied to a small electric motor via a CVT transmission.
You can’t plug it in, and it has no meaningful electric-only range. Instead the tiny battery is routinely topped-up by the engine and regen-braking, and the car figures out how to trade electric and petrol power for max efficiency. In practice, with a gentle right foot you can get up to 30mph or so before the engine kicks in. It’ll switch off again when you lift and coast or hit the brakes. There are no drive modes – you just have to trust it’s doing all it can to lengthen the time and distance covered between fuel stops.
The hybrid powertrain is very quiet and smooth in general operation. The CVT is stepped and does a not entirely convincing impression of a conventional auto under moderate acceleration, but it’s certainly among the better transmissions of its type. The engine is quiet and calm unless you really mash the throttle pedal, but there’s enough performance here you shouldn’t need to do that too often. Ford claims 0-62mph in 9.8 seconds, which is fine in a car like this.
IS IT ECONOMICAL?
Yes. Over almost 400 miles in the S-Max Hybrid, split between motorway, town and country, we averaged 55mpg versus Ford’s claim of up to 44.1mpg. When it arrived with just over three-quarters of a tank of fuel, the range readout reckoned on over 700 miles before stopping for gas. Your milage will obviously vary depending on how you drive, how much stuff/many people you carry and so-on, but the S-Max Hybrid nonetheless feels like a good bet for eco-conscious families with nowhere to plug-in.
Interior
What is it like on the inside?
Vast. Which is entirely the point. Easiest way to do this is to go through the S-Max’s cabin row-by-row, starting with where you’ll be sitting…
The S-Max’s front seats are big, soft armchairs you’ll have no trouble manipulating into a comfy position. Visibility is predictably superb, thanks to the characteristic MPV-style windscreen that stretches way out into the distance, and those front quarterlights are especially handy mid-corner. The sheer amount of glass makes this a generally light and airy cabin, even with black upholstery and without the optional £900 panoramic roof.
Where the S-Max feels its age is in the layout and operation of the dashboard. Launched in 2015, the seven-seat Ford pre-dates the car industry’s obsession with replacing as many physical controls as possible with touchscreens or, at the very least, touch-sensitive buttons/sliders. Which means that yes, it looks a bit old fashioned. But on the flipside it is very easy to use, with a big volume knob and straightforward climate controls. Same goes for the infotainment – it’s got CarPlay and so-on, but feels last-gen to operate.
As for storage, the door bins are massive, there’s a handy compartment on top of the dashboard and loads of room under the centre armrest.
HOW ABOUT THE MIDDLE ROW?
The three seats slide, recline and fold individually for maximum versatility, and of course there’s loads of legroom. I reckon you’d be able to fit three full-size kids’ seats side-by-side in the back of the S-Max, but by all means take yours to the dealer with you and have a go before you buy. Tray tables flip up from the backs of the front seats, and there’s a household three-pin plug socket and 12-volt outlet for power. No USBs unfortunately, but that’s a problem easily solved.
Flipping the outermost middle-row seats forward to get to the third-row is a cinch – you can do it with one hand with a writhing, screaming child in the other. Same goes for folding them flat – there’s a control panel in the boot with buttons to flip down each of the five rear seats separately. You’ll have to put them up manually, though.
AND THE THIRD ROW?
You’ll want the bigger Galaxy if you regularly carry seven people. Especially if those people have luggage. The S-Max’s two flip-up seats are fine for kids and, just like the middle row, easy enough to erect and stow. With all seven seats in place boot space is obviously limited, but with the two of five rearmost seats folded flat the S-Max is truly cavernous.
Buying
What should I be paying?
In order of price and fanciness, the S-Max line-up goes Titanium, ST-Line, Vignale. We reckon mid-range ST-Line is the one to go for – it looks a bit more interesting than either the Titanium or Vignale, and strikes a good balance between standard kit and cost.
That said Titanium gives you everything you need – all S-Max get dual-zone climate, the full infotainment system, lots of safety and driver assistance systems, a heated front windscreen, cruise control, power-folding mirrors and so-on. So by all means save your money if you’re not convinced by the ST-Line’s sportier looks. We’d leave Vignale – you don’t need to go that far.
Prices start at £33,335 for the entry-level diesel manual, which you can only get with Titanium trim. ST-Line starts at £38,035 while Vignale costs from £41,185. Unusually the Hybrid isn’t the most expensive version – in ST Line and Vignale spec, the all-wheel drive diesel is pricier. Another reason to go (a bit) electric.
There are a few options, both standalone and in packs, to choose from. We’d be tempted to add the Driver Assistance Pack for £1,500 (£1,200 on Vignale), which buys you a Sony hi-fi with 12 speakers, adaptive cruise, front and rear parking cameras, blind-spot monitoring and park assist.
Keyword: Ford S-MAX