Item: Used Ford Galaxy 2015 - present
Rating: 5
Author: What Car? Team

The Galaxy’s two main rivals are the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/seat/alhambra/mpv/review/n17146">Seat Alhambra</a> and the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/volkswagen/sharan/mpv/review/n17262">Volkswagen Sharan</a>.

The Alhambra is an incredibly roomy car, matching the Galaxy, and it’s wonderfully practical too. Despite this, it’s relatively affordable, both new and used, and it’s comfortable, too. The only negatives are that its sheer size makes it difficult to park, and the rearmost seats could be easier to fold down.

The Sharan is nearly identical to the Alhambra, but has a more upmarket feel to it and a correspondingly higher price tag when new, which translates to some slightly higher used prices, too. There’s a range of strong engines, immense space and practicality, and it’s well equipped. Against that, the ride can be a touch firm and the diesel engines are a little noisy.

Also worth considering are the smaller <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/ford/s-max/mpv/used-review/n17409">Ford S-Max</a>, which also seats seven and is better to drive than most MPVs, and the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/volkswagen/touran/mpv/review/n17348">Volkswagen Touran</a>, again a slightly smaller car but a good one to drive, and one that comes with a spacious and flexible interior.

For all the latest reviews, advice and new car deals, sign up to the What Car? newsletter&nbsp;<a href="https://pages.haymarket.com/whatcar/wcar-form.html">here</a>

Page 5 of 5

What is it like?

Ownership cost

Advice for buyers

Our recommendations

Alternatives

<h3>Headlights may switch off without warning</h3>

Some early examples that were fitted with optional adaptive LED headlights might suffer with a software glitch that can switch the headlights off. Any Ford dealer will be able to upload the updated software to prevent any future problems, free of charge.

<h3>Clutch pressure plate fracture</h3>

This recall relates to vehicles fitted with the 1.5-litre petrol engine and were built between 7 July 2018 and 18 April 2018, where the clutch pressure plate may fracture. You may notice a burning smell and the vehicle slowing down, accompanied by a loud thud or bang. Contact your local Ford dealer to find out if your car is affected.

Oil sump may crack

There is&nbsp;a potential problem with early-build Galaxy vehicles where the engine oil sump at the bottom of the engine may crack in extreme circumstances if the engine overheats. Revised software is available for affected vehicles that's&nbsp;able to&nbsp;detect the engine overheating sooner and take action to prevent&nbsp;this.

There wasn't enough data to include the Ford Galaxy in our&nbsp;most recent Reliability Survey, but the Galaxy and S-Max have often scored quite&nbsp;well in the MPV class in the past. Ford as a brand finished in 14th place out of 31&nbsp;manufacturers.

<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/2018-what-car-reliability-survey/n17798">To read more from our Reliability Survey in detail, check out the full results here.</a>

Page 3 of 5

Ford builds some of the most popular cars in the UK, including the Fiesta and Focus hatchbacks.

This success is partly down to longevity and the fact that there’s a Ford dealer around every corner. However, it’s also because Fords tend to offer good value and be among the best cars in their respective classes to drive.

The company’s huge range also helps; it offers everything from the small – but surprisingly practical – Ka+ to the large and lavishly equipped Edge SUV.

Meanwhile, other highlights of the range include the S-Max and Galaxy people carriers, the Mondeo executive car and the Ranger pick-up.

FORD

GALAXY

The Ford Galaxy is fun to drive and huge inside, and, as long as you shop carefully, great value as a used buy

Used Ford Galaxy 2015 - present

It’s the diesel-engined cars that are not surprisingly the most economical. It’s worth noting, though, that the 2.0-litre TDCi 150 engine, our favourite here, is exactly as economical as the lesser-powered 2.0 TDCi 120, at an average claimed (NEDC) consumption figure of 56.5mpg and 129g/km of CO2, or 52.3mpg under the later and more realistic WLTP tests. The 1.5-litre Ecoboost petrol engine gives it a good go, though, despite its diminutive size, propelling the large Galaxy well and offering up a claimed average figure of 43.4mpg and 149g/km.&nbsp;

Going for an automatic gearbox does hurt the figures by a couple of miles per gallon, so too does the optional four-wheel drive. The least economical Galaxy is the 2.0-litre Ecoboost petrol with a combined figure of 35.8mpg and 180g/km, while the 178bhp diesel with four-wheel drive and an auto gearbox is 48.7mpg and 149g/km. The later 2.0 EcoBlue 190 averages 49.6mpg, under the WLTP tests.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Annual car tax (VED) will be charged at the current flat rate, £150 a year at the moment,&nbsp;for cars registered after April 2017. If your Galaxy cost over £40,000 new, expect to pay a supplementary luxury car tax too. Those registered before that date have their tax based on CO2 emissions.&nbsp;To find out more about the current<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/advice/buying/car-tax-changes-in-2019-%E2%80%93-what-do-i-need-to-know/n1153"> road tax costs, click here</a> for further information.

Insurance groupings work&nbsp;in a range that starts at 17, for the lowest-powered diesel, and continues up to 26 for the fastest 2.0-litre 240 petrol engine.

Servicing costs are generally reasonable, with a service required every 12 months or 18,000 miles. In fact, Ford dealers are generally among&nbsp;the cheaper franchised dealers when it comes to service rates.

Page 2 of 5

The Ford Galaxy is fun to drive and huge inside, and, as long as you shop carefully, great value as a used buy


Prices for this generation of Galaxy generally start at about £7000.&nbsp;This will get you a very high-mileage Galaxy that's probably&nbsp;been used as a taxi.&nbsp;Up the dosh to between £10,000 and £16,000 and you should be able to pick up a clean 2016/17 car with a low mileage from a franchised dealer, while £17,000&nbsp;should find a good&nbsp;2017 or 2018 car&nbsp;with an average mileage, while a&nbsp;2019 or 2020 car will set you back between £20,000 and&nbsp;&nbsp;£25,000.

Check the value of a used Ford Galaxy with <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/valuations/">What Car? Valuations</a>

The 148bhp 2.0-litre TDCi&nbsp;diesel&nbsp;is the popular choice and&nbsp;represents a good blend of performance and efficiency for a reasonable price.&nbsp;The 178bhp and later 187bhp versions of&nbsp;this diesel are also&nbsp;good choices because&nbsp;CO2 emissions and fuel consumption figures are similar to those of the less powerful model&nbsp;version.&nbsp;Other diesel options include a 2.0-litre 118bhp engine that'll be too slow, and a 207bhp diesel, which is rare and too expensive to recommend.

Petrol options consist of a 158bhp 1.5-litre petrol&nbsp;and a range-topping 237bhp 2.0-litre engine. All miss out on the low-down&nbsp;shove of the diesel variants. The standard six-speed manual gearbox is precise and slick, and the optional six-speed automatic gearbox flits between gears serenely and reacts quickly when you ask it to.

We’d recommend&nbsp;the&nbsp;entry-level Zetec, which has all the basics. Titanium is a little bit plusher, and&nbsp;Titanium X even more so, but unless they’re the same price as the equivalent lower trims, we'd save our money.&nbsp;

Our favourite Ford Galaxy: 2.0 TDCi 150 Zetec

Page 4 of 5

<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Plenty of space for all the family and their paraphernalia</li> <li>Comfortable ride for everyone inside</li> <li>Seats with plenty of adjustment and versatility of layout</li> <li>Engine that can cope with a full load of people and luggage</li> <li>Excellent efficiency to avoid big fuel bills</li></ul>

Practicality is king in the MPV market, which has taken a hit as buyers have turned towards trendier SUVs. There are still plenty of decent offerings to suit most budgets, though, with Citroën fielding a particularly strong line-up. The French manufacturer’s Berlingo offers bags of space for not much money and you can easily haggle off thousands of extra pounds in discounts, too.

Citroën also scores with the larger Grand C4 Spacetourer, which offers seven seats, lots of oddment space and appealing running costs for something so large. A similarly priced and even better option is the Volkswagen Touran. Meanwhile, if you prefer a premium badge, there's always the BMW 2 Series Active and Gran Tourers or Mercedes B-Class and V-Class.

But for something sizeable that's still decent to drive, we’d recommend you check out the Ford Galaxy, which can offer three rows of seats and decent luggage space at the same time. It’s not that much pricier than the smaller S-Max.

By their very nature, the Galaxy will have been used as a workhorse, so check for signs of wear and tear in the interior, especially in the folding rearmost seats. Also check for bodywork scuffing and, especially, check the alloy wheels for signs of kerb damage.

Some may dismiss the humble seven-seater <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/category/mpv">MPV</a> as just something minicab drivers use to ply&nbsp;their trade on airport runs, or for transporting a large amount of smart-suited execs from suburb to city on workaday business mornings. But the Ford Galaxy deserves a bit more attention than that because it works as a great family car because of its flexible interior, civilised road manners, excellent refinement and surprising economy.

Being a product of <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-reviews/make/ford">Ford</a> means there is a vast number of engines to choose from. Most Galaxys are powered by a&nbsp;2.0-litre diesel engine of either 118, 148 or 178bhp outputs, and the 207bhp twin-turbo version. Revisions in 2018 tweaked the latter two to&nbsp;187bhp and 237bhp respectively.&nbsp;There’s also a choice of 158bhp 1.5-litre (revised to 163bhp in 2018) or 237bhp 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engines.&nbsp;

On top of that, the Galaxy is good to drive and&nbsp;comfortable, too.&nbsp;Perhaps this dynamic competence is not surprising&nbsp;given Ford's success with the similar&nbsp;but slightly smaller <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/ford/s-max/mpv/used-review/n17409">S-Max</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;The standard six-speed manual gearbox is precise and slick, while&nbsp;the optional six-speed (later eight-speed)&nbsp;automatic flits between gears serenely and reacts quickly when you kick down for more acceleration.

The handling is also excellent for such a tall car,&nbsp;making it one of the most agile seven-seat MPVs you can buy. The body leans a bit as you turn in to a corner but settles down to feel stable and controlled. Ride quality is smooth,&nbsp;with the Galaxy's suspension&nbsp;taking the edge off all but the harshest of bumps. Road noise is very well subdued and there's just the merest hint of wind noise kicked up by those big door mirrors.&nbsp;

Climb inside and it feels supremely spacious, no matter whether you’re in the front, middle or rear.&nbsp;The middle row of seats has room for three six-foot adults in reclining chairs that individually slide forwards and backwards.&nbsp;Like the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/seat/alhambra/mpv/review/n17146">Seat Alhambra</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/volkswagen/sharan/mpv/review/n17262">Volkswagen Sharan</a>, these sixth and seventh seats will fit full-size adults.

Removals businesses might go bust&nbsp;if you fold all five rear seats flat because there is a vast amount of space that you could easily move house with. Even in five-seat mode, the Galaxy has a bigger boot than most estate cars. However, when all seven seats are in place, the amount of cargo room shrinks to that of a small car. This is true of almost all&nbsp;cars in this class, and at least the Galaxy has a handy hidden storage compartment below the floor that liberates a bit more room.

Ford has included a good amount of standard equipment, too. Entry-level&nbsp;Zetec trim&nbsp;comes with 17in alloy wheels, front and rear parking sensors, climate control, an&nbsp;8.0in touchscreen system with Bluetooth and DAB radio. Titanium adds rear-privacy glass, cruise control, lane keep assistance, sat-nav and automatic lights and wipers. Top-of-the range Titanium X has a rear-view camera, an electric tailgate,&nbsp;leather seats that are both electrically adjustable and heated in the front, and finally&nbsp;a panoramic sunroof.&nbsp;

Standard safety and security features include six airbags, stability control,&nbsp;an alarm and an immobiliser. Look for emergency city braking, though; it’s disappointing this isn’t standard in such a family-oriented vehicle.

Page 1 of 5

Used Ford Galaxy 2015 - present review

Alternatives

What alternatives should I consider to a used Ford Galaxy MPV?