Ford takes it to the S-Max
SLEEK: Ford’s updated S-Max IS something to shout about
If you had more offspring than most, you simply bought an estate.
But that was before the arrival of the people-carrier or MPV (multi-purpose vehicle). Unluckily few sets of wheels spelt boredom like these newcomers.
Style, substance and enjoyment all went out the window in favour of mind-numbing practicality.
Except that is for the Ford S-Max, which arrived in 2006. Here was a classy and convenient way of carrying your children that didn`t mean social suicide at the school gates.
What is more it also looked good. Best of all it didn`t treat like an oil tanker when faced with a twisty country lane.
It is no wonder then that Ford has sold 82,000 of them in the UK and an amazing 400,000 on the Continent.
Now we have this all-new 2nd generation S-Max, which Ford hopes will tempt back those family buyers who have drifted into large off-roaders and crossovers.
Like the latest Ford Mondeo repmobile the updated S-Max has more than a hint of Aston Martin about its fresh face.
It might not look fairly as sporty as the old model but it makes up for it with a high level of sophistication inwards and out.
Soon Ford will also suggest a posh, upmarket version called the Vignale, with soft-touch leather, a leather packaged dash and lots of aluminium interior highlights, albeit buyers of this version may think twice about picking up their children from football training on a muddy, winter`s day.
Since most MPVs live in town, Ford has also created a steering system that quickens its responses at low speeds, making it more agile around the urban jungle.
Under the bonnet there is the choice of just two petrol engines and one turbo-diesel with four power outputs.
The petrols comprise a fresh 158bhp 1.5-litre and like the last generation, a 237bhp Two.0-litre turbo that is available only as a six-speed automatic.
The Two.0-litre turbo-diesel can be had with 118bhp, 148bhp, 178bhp or, thanks to the addition of a 2nd turbo, 208bhp.
The most popular engine will be the mid-range 178bhp that comes with the option of fourwheel drive and Ford`s twin-clutch automatic gearbox.
In standard 178bhp form the S-Max gets from zero to 60mph in a fairly modest 9.7 seconds before going on to a top speed of 129mph.
At the pumps it boasts 50.4mpg and 129g/km emissions, exactly the same as the 118bhp, meaning company car users won`t be hit by a tax penalty for that extra power.
The superb attention to detail extends to the rear. Fed up of violated plows from lowering seats? A press of a button will see all five rear seats drop seamlessly plane into the floor
So what is it like behind the wheel? The significant message to take away from the S-Max is that it is still better than most 4x4s. But there are a duo of significant caveats.
We suggest you stand against temptation and overlook the most powerful 237bhp petrol version. Despite its generous power output and hot hatch origins (the engine powers the Concentrate ST), the six-speed automatic has taken its toll and sapped most of its power.
It needs to be worked a lot tighter than you might expect. A better option is the mid-range 178bhp diesel that curiously feels swifter than its claimed zero to 60mph fi gure without losing too much in the way of refinement over its petrol counterpart.
We would also strongly recommend that you avoid the optional £475 active front steering.
It may improve with familiarity but its slightly artificial and vague feeling meant that we could never entirely judge accurately how much wheel twirling was required to negotiate taut urban situations.
Unluckily the regular steering isn`t much better, where the forceful self-centring makes it feel unnatural.
But work past that and on quicker roads the steering is actually precise and accurate.
Leave the motorway and the big Ford is agile, grippy and dare we say it good joy on your favourite country road if you ever get the chance to drive it alone.
In every other example this fresh S-Max is more comfy, cheaper to run and far more practical than a big 4×4.
To further win us over Ford has thrown everything at the fresh S-Max. It is safer than ever, with even the third row of seats getting side airbags.
An advanced speed limiter reads road signs and automatically slows you down when the cruise control is activated, making speeding tickets a thing of the past.
There is also autonomous braking that detects pedestrians in town and even cameras that give you a left/right view of the street to help you out of blind junctions securely.
The superb attention to detail extends to the rear. Fed up of cracked pokes from lowering seats? A press of a button will see all five rear seats drop seamlessly plane into the floor.
Up front the S-Max has optional heated and cooled massaging seats that reduce exhaustion, while roof-mounted air vents do their best to prevent things boiling over inbetween battling siblings in the back.
In summary the revamped big Ford is clever, stylish, sophisticated and also better to drive and cheaper to run than a large 4×4.
But perhaps even more significant than that is that the fresh S-Max manages to accomplish something fairly infrequent in the motoring world. It is a people-carrier that you actually want to own.