Item: Used Ford S-Max 2015-present
Rating: 4
Author: What Car? Team

<p>The <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/citroen/grand-c4-picasso/mpv/used-review/n818">Citroën Grand C4 Picasso</a> tries just as hard as the Ford to be stylish and has an airy interior, thanks to its slim windscreen pillars and large glass area. It doesn’t have the best reputation for reliability, though.</p>

<p>The <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/vauxhall/zafira/mpv/used-review/n973">Vauxhall Zafira Tourer</a> has a classy interior and comes with high equipment levels, but it doesn’t drive as well as the S-Max and isn’t any more spacious in the third row, despite its squared-off shape.</p>

<p>The biggest rival for the Ford S-Max is the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/seat/alhambra/mpv/review/n17146">Seat Alhambra</a>. It may be a more traditionally styled MPV, but its boxier shape helps interior space; plus, you get sliding doors, which is a real bonus in tight parking spaces. When you consider that the Alhambra is cheaper and its handling is almost as good, if not quite as engaging, it stacks up as a compelling alternative to the S-Max.</p>

<p><strong>For all the latest reviews, advice and new car deals, sign up to the What Car? newsletter&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://pages.haymarket.com/whatcar/wcar-form.html"><strong>here</strong></a></p>

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<h3><strong>Headlight problems</strong></h3>

<p>In 2016, a recall was issued that covered early Ford S-Maxes fitted with adaptive LED headlights. There could be a software error that means the headlights might switch off. The vehicles that could be affected should have received a software update to prevent this from happening. However, it is worth checking this with a Ford dealer to make sure this has been carried out.</p>


<p>Unfortunately, there wasn’t enough data in our latest reliability survey to include many of the current crop of MPVs, including the S-Max. However, in previous surveys the S-Max, and its smaller siblings, the&nbsp;C-Max and the Grand C-Max, have scored highly in their class.</p>

<p>Ford as a brand ranked 14th&nbsp;out of the 31 manufacturers featured – a&nbsp;good performance, considering Ford's diverse model range and the number of customers it has to please, but not as strong as it had been in the years just before.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Page 3 of 5</p>


<p dir="ltr">Ford builds some of the most popular cars in the UK, including the Fiesta and Focus hatchbacks.</p>

<p dir="ltr">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.</p>

<p dir="ltr">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.</p>

<p dir="ltr">Meanwhile, other highlights of the range include the S-Max and Galaxy people carriers, the Mondeo executive car and the Ranger pick-up.</p>


FORD

S-MAX

<p>A perennial favourite, the seven-seat Ford S-Max is practical and stylish, good to drive and comfortable too</p>


Used Ford S-Max 2015-present

<h3><strong>MPG</strong></h3>

<p>The biggest seller is also one of the most economical in the range. Both the 148bhp and 178bhp 2.0-litre diesels have an official average fuel economy figure of 56.5mpg as measured under the older NEDC tests, or 54.3mpg under the newer WLTP tests and cost £115 a year in road tax. Adding four-wheel drive to these drops the economy figure to 52.3mpg NEDC and raises tax to £135. The higher-output, 207bhp version costs more again to run, with 51.4mpg average NEDC economy and a £150 road tax liability. The later 2.0 190 diesel averages a WLTP figure of 47.1mpg.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Petrol engines aren’t that frugal; the best one is the 158bhp 1.5-litre turbo, which has an average return of 43.5mpg under the NEDC and costs £150 to tax, but the 237bhp 2.0-litre turbocharged engine does just 35.8mpg and will set you back £240 per year in road tax, while the automatic is even worse at 34.0mpg and £280 in tax.</p>

<h3><strong>Car tax</strong></h3>

<p>Any S-Max registered after 1 April 2017 will be charged under the flat rate of £145 per year due to the change in how vehicles are charged.</p>

<h3><strong>Servicing</strong></h3>

<p>Ford servicing is normally towards the inexpensive end of the scale. so maintaining your S-Max shouldn’t leave you raiding your piggy bank. Ford dealers also operate a number of plans to enable planning for services, and paying in instalments by direct debit.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Page 2 of 5</p>

<h3>&nbsp;</h3>


A perennial favourite, the seven-seat Ford S-Max is practical and stylish, good to drive and comfortable too

<p>Prices for a used <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/ford">Ford</a> S-Max of this generation start from around £12,000, which gets you into a nice 2016 2.0-litre diesel in the favoured Zetec specification. This is for a car with an average mileage for the year, and a full service history, bought from a dealer. It is possible to buy cars for less than this, but you'll only find ones with a high mileage or previous accident damage. Titanium cars will cost more, as will 2017 cars, at around £13,000. A petrol S-Max is a rare beast, and you will need at least £14,000 to get into one. If you want the poshest S-Max, the Vignale is £18,000. Figure on between £18,000 and £20,000 for a 2019 car.&nbsp;</p>


<h3><strong>Engines</strong></h3>

<p>The 2.0 TDCi 150 is all the engine you really need for the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/ford">Ford</a> S-Max, because it has enough power even with seven people aboard and you don’t pay a horrendous amount to run it. The more powerful 180 and 210 2.0-litre diesels add a bit of useful extra oomph, but realistically, you won’t need that unless you plan to tow a caravan or trailer on a regular basis.</p>

<h3><strong>Trims</strong></h3>

<p>Zetec gets plenty of standard equipment, with Bluetooth, dual-zone climate control, four electric windows and front and rear parking sensors.</p>

<p><strong>Our favourite Ford S-Max:</strong> 2.0 TDCi 150 Zetec</p>

<h3>Page 4 of 5</h3>


<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>

<p>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.</p>

<p>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.</p>

<p>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.</p>

<p>Despite the generally durable nature of the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/ford">Ford</a> S-Max, it is still worthwhile checking the interior for any rips, tears or stains in the upholstery. These cars tend to be bought by families and private hire taxi firms, so it's possible that many different people have sat in its seats – possibly those who don’t care as much about the car as you do.</p>

<p>Check all the cubbies to make sure the lids covering them work as they should. The seats should slide backwards and forwards just as easily as they did when new. Then check the rear bumper, because suitcases may have been simply dragged out of the load area, dropping down onto the top of the bumper and potentially damaging it.</p>

<p>Also, check the alloy wheels for scrapes caused by drivers who parked, or indeed pulled up, too close to the kerb.</p>


<p>Many years ago, there was a car advert with the line ‘Big, yet agile; you don’t see that very often’. In the MPV world, agility has been&nbsp;almost unheard of over the years - unless, of course, you’re looking at the Ford S-Max.</p>

<p>Since its launch, the S-Max has been a huge success, even if the SUV has risen to such heights over the years that MPVs are no longer the first tool of choice for those looking for a practical family holdall.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The first generation of the S-Max ran from 2006 to 2015, and was much admired. This second-generation model replaced it in 2015, and has since enjoyed similar adulation. The appeal of the S-Max is that you are getting the best of both worlds: a car that straddles the line between practical family MPV and more fun-to-drive regular hatchback. It’s also desirable to those who haven’t quite given in to the idea of jumping onto the SUV bandwagon but want something with a bit more street cred than a <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/ford/galaxy/mpv/used-review/n832">Ford Galaxy</a> or <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/volkswagen/sharan/mpv/review/n17262">Volkswagen Sharan</a>.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Engines have included a 1.5-litre and 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol unit. Diesels include a 2.0-litre in 118bhp, 148bhp, 178bhp and 207bhp versions. The 178bhp version was later upped to 188bhp and became the 2.0 TDI 190. Four-wheel drive and automatic gearboxes are also available on certain models.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p>Trims have varied slightly over the years, having been updated to offer more glam in the showroom.&nbsp;There are basically three trim levels to choose from:&nbsp;the entry-level Zetec models come with 17in alloys, Sync3 with 8in touchscreen infotainment, parking sensors, sports seats and a DAB radio. Upgrading to the Titanium trims gets you Ford's sat-nav system, auto wipers and lights, traffic sign recognition and cruise control, while the Titanium Sport gets a sportier bodykit, rear spoiler and sports suspension including heated front seats.</p>

<p>Seek out an S-Max in the Vignale&nbsp;trim and you will find numerous pearlescent paint jobs, lots of chrome, 18in bespoke alloys and acoustic glass, while inside owners will be greeted by full leather upholstery, electric seat adjustment, rear-view camera and Sony's infotainment stereo system.</p>

<p>Why has it been so popular? Well, handling is an S-Max strong point; it doesn’t wallow through corners and grip levels are high. You might fear that all this handling balance comes at the expense of ride quality, but it doesn’t, thanks to the S-Max's impeccably controlled damping. The engines are refined, too, and the steering is nice and accurate. It’s a good car to drive, and not just for an MPV.</p>

<p>Its interior design is a bit plain, with a few too many small buttons, and its infotainment system takes some getting used to, in part due to its confusing sub-menus. The <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/seat/alhambra/mpv/review/n17146">Seat Alhambra</a> has a clearer dash design. You also get sliding rear doors with the Alhambra, making it easier to put people in it if you happen to be parked up in a particularly tight car park space.</p>

<p>The other downside to the S-Max's relatively sporty looks is a slightly compromised third row of seats. This is because of the reduction in roof height in a bid to give it a sloping roofline. This will only be a problem if you regularly put taller people back there or need to carry luggage for five as part of your family holiday. But if this is the case, there is always the Galaxy to consider.</p>

<p>Rivals have been quick to catch up with the S-Max since its introduction, but if you’re in the market for a used&nbsp;MPV with a bit of flair, there’s plenty to recommend it.</p>

<p><strong>Page 1 of 5</strong></p>

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Used Ford S-Max 2015-present review

Ford S-max 2.0 Tdci 150 Titanium 5dr Powershift

Ford S-max 2.0 Tdci 150 Titanium 5dr

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