There wasn’t a whole lot wrong with the initial Ford C-Max, which is bad news for its opposition as it’s just got a fair bit better. The blue oval’s medium sized family people mover has been given a new look for 2007 as well as a host of new features both inside and out. And it’s no longer a Focus. Well, it is really, but they’ve dropped that from the name so it is more closely associated with its big brother S-Max.
With the launch of Focus C-MAX in 2003, Ford demonstrated that a compact MAV could be dynamic as well as flexible. More than 470,000 units have been built at Ford of Europe’s Saarlouis plant in Germany. There are lot of improvements to the latest version, the more evident of them being a ‘nip-tuck’ makeover on the exterior that gives it a different appearance even if they’ve not gone for the full facelift. And on the inside there’s evidence that Ford have decided to up the stakes for the benefit of the occupants. Comfortable seating, controls that are close to hand and one of the lightest and airiest cabins around, thanks here to the large panoramic sunroof that stretches front to back but which, when the sun is at its peak, can be shut off with two large sliding blinds.
It has always been a fairly crisp handler, no matter how many people you’re carrying or what’s loaded in the back, and in latest guise it’s no disappointment, even with a diesel engine under the bonnet. No ordinary run of the mill diesel though, as the TDCi in 2.0 litre guise here gives you 136 PS to play with and big reserves of torque (340Nm at 2000rpm). That equates to quick safe overtaking even if the engine sounds a bit more audible than some others at low speed. In this guise it’s mated to a six speed gearbox.
Ford now offers Titanium as a premium grade instead of the old favourite Ghia, along with Studio, Style and Zetec, with prices ranging from