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Review Of The Ford Grand C-MAX MPV
The new Ford Grand C-MAX MPV is a big car that surprises us in two ways:
1) It’s big but has a small footprint. That’s ideal for green-minded buyers.
2) It’s big but handles like a hatchback.
Less surprisingly, it’s big and has seven seats. Running costs, however, are a bit of an issue, while the two extra seats are for kids only. OSV takes a closer look at what it’s all about with our 2017 Ford Grand C-MAX MPV review.
On The Road
Because it’s Ford’s basic instinct to create cars that drive well, its handling is excellent. As mentioned, it’s a Grand MPV that drives like a smaller car. Agile and responsive steering are major positives, and we’re happy to report that Ford has softened up the suspension. It was just too hard last time around.
There is very little body lean, and on the whole, this tall car is well controlled. It can tackle bends with confidence, and is easily the most enjoyable car in this market.[vc_single_image image=”54763″ img_size=”article-image”]
In terms of the oily bits, a couple of EcoBoost petrols are available. They’re both on the small side, but this really doesn’t make much of a difference. They’re as quick off the mark as an Olympian sprinter, and reasonably economical if you’re a low mileage driver.
However, the smallest – a 1.0-litre 99bhp model – is a bit too slow. It does 0-62 in 13.6 seconds, and won’t have enough power to cater for the car on a full load. We prefer the 123bhp variant, and it can do 0-62 in 12.2 seconds.
The TDCi diesel units are cheaper to run, and feel nice and smooth. A 1.5-litre 118bhp kicks things off, and can do 0-62 in 12.3 seconds. There should be enough pulling power so that you won’t have to work too hard on a full load. It’s also the engine that’s the most popular with buyers.
A 2.0-litre 148bhp diesel engine is the quickest in the range. It can get you from rest to 62mph in less than 10.0 seconds, and spreads more power out across its rev range. But despite being the easiest to live with, it will cost more to run.
Ford EcoSport Hatchback Interior, Design & Build
[vc_single_image image=”54764″ img_size=”article-image”]The Grand C-MAX MPV’s was a little too firm last time around. Ford have done a good job of softening things up this time, which means it’s comfortable and handles well. You won’t find a mini-MPV that offers such a good blend anywhere else.
Long journeys are a relaxing affair, and there is very little body lean. Even better, the cabin is well insulated, and barely any engine or wind noise gets inside.
The dashboard is reminiscent of the Ford Focus. It’s smartly designed, and there are plenty of soft-touch materials that are great to touch. They give the interior an upmarket feel, too. The instrument layout is a lot less cluttered than last time, which further helps to strengthen the appeal of the cabin.
In terms of practicality, the interior is more hit than miss. With all 7 seats up, load capacity is a mere 65-litres, which sounds woeful. Once you fold the third row, you can free up 448-litres of space, though. This is on par with most hatchbacks.
For 1,175-litres of boot space, you just need to fold the second row of seats.
It’s a usable boot, too, and comes without a boot lid.
The car gets sliding rear doors, which make access easy. ISOFIX child-seat mounts are standard on the second row of seats and headroom is good. Visibility is the high point, though, thanks to a fantastic driving position and the tall nature of the car.
Equipment & Safety Of The Ford EcoSport Hatchback
Ford’s usual basic trim levels have been discarded, with the Zetec trim being the entry point. This means starting prices will be a tad high, but it also means you get the more standard kit. It includes Bluetooth connectivity, 16” alloys, and a DAB digital radio. You also get air conditioning, and a heated windscreen.
The Titanium trim throws in 17” alloys, dual-zone climate control, and USB connectivity. It also adds cruise control and automatic windscreen wipers and lights.
In terms of safety, Euro NCAP hasn’t crash tested it yet, so we can’t give you its score. However, its predecessor bagged all five stars, and we expect this to follow suit. Standard safety kit is good and includes emergency braking warning lights and 6 airbags.
There are lots of useful safety options you can add, too. These include a £500 Driver Assistance Pack, which comes with a lane-keeping aid and Active City Stop.
Costs Of The Ford EcoSport Hatchback
Prices for the new car start out from £22,000 and rise to £29,500. For more information on our leasing deals, check out our page here.
In terms of its running costs, it’s not quite as good as Ford claim. The TDCi diesel engines are tried and tested, and will be good for returns of around 64mpg at best. But the EcoBoost petrol engines won’t be as economical as Ford say. According to the brand, their 100 and 125 variants will both be good for returns of 54.3mpg. In a real world setting, however, these will be hard to achieve.
What can’t be argued with is that they each cost £30 a year to tax – the same as the cheapest diesel.
Pros and Cons Of The Ford EcoSport Hatchback
Pros:
Well-Equipped
Ford have dispensed with their usual entry-level models and open with the Zetec. This means the “entry level” trim is well stocked.
Flexible
It’s easily one of the most flexible 7-seaters on the market. The boot is a bit small with all seven seats up, but they can easily be folded for more space.
Top Notch Interior
The standard interior is good, and includes an 8” touchscreen on higher-spec models. Quality is also good, as are the materials used.
Cons:
Ungainly Exterior
A seven-seater rarely looks as good as a five-seater, and that’s the case here. Its wheelbase is long and its roofline is high. It all adds up to an awkward styling.
Small Boot When All 7 Seats Are Up
With all the seats up, the boot’s luggage capacity doesn’t even make it into triple figures.
Ford Grand C-MAX MPV vs Nissan X-Trail MPV vs Citroen Grand C4 Picasso MPV
Let’s see how the car fares against its rivals in the comparison section of our 2017 Ford Grand C-MAX MPV review.
Ford Grand C-MAX MPV vs Nissan X Trail MPV
The brand spanking new Nissan X-Trail MPV is a purposeful looking machine. Looking like a bigger Qashqai, it’s efficient, spacious inside, and has the option of seven seats.
Like the Ford, this is a big old car. Unlike the Ford, it doesn’t drive like a much smaller car! It’s competent enough, but it’s not lively. It grips well, but its steering lacks feel. However, each model gets Active Trace Control, which will help you to take corners with both verve and confidence.[vc_single_image image=”54765″ img_size=”article-image”]
Like the Ford, the Nissan’s suspension is soft. So while it does lean a fair bit in bends, it absorbs bumps and lumps well.
Two-wheel drive is standard across the range. Four-wheel-drive is an optional extra, but we don’t think it’s anywhere near essential. Not unless you’ll be spending most of your time in the mud.
In terms of the engines, we’d avoid an underwhelming 1.6-litre diesel and look at the speedy 2.0 174bhp. It does 0-62 in just 9.4 seconds, feels sprightly for such a big car, and has plenty of punch. It has enough power to cope with a full load too, which is important.
A 1.6-litre 161bhp is no slouch, and can do 0-62 in 9.7 seconds. It’s hushed on the move – but will feel overwhelmed by a Nissan X-Trail filled to its capacity with people. You’ll also need to work it hard.
In terms of its running costs, the X Trail does well to keep emissions down. For such a hefty car, the economy is also good. There are caveats, though. The 1.6-litre 128bhp diesel is the cheapest to run, returning 57.6mpg. But it’s almost £2,000 more expensive to get your hands on than a petrol.
Sticking with two-wheel drive keeps costs down across the range, though, and the 1.6-litre petrol returns 45.6mpg.
Inside, the new model is a lot different to its predecessor. It’s packed with standard kit, its style is funky and eye-catching, and we like the 5” colour screen. Soft-touch materials abound, and curves have replaced the staid straight edges on the dash. Aesthetically, this is a very slick cabin.
It’s practical, too. The steering wheel and driver’s seat adjust in various ways, and head and legroom are excellent. With all seven seats up, the Nissan’s boot offers much more space than the Ford’s. You get 445-litres of luggage capacity. That’s impressive. Fold the third row and you get 550-litres. Fold the second row and you get 1,982-litres.
Like the Ford, the extra two seats are for kids only.
Price:
Ford – £22,000 – £29,500
Nissan – £23,000 – £36,000
Ford Grand C-MAX MPV vs Citroen Grand C4 Picasso MPV
[vc_single_image image=”54766″ img_size=”article-image”]The Citroen Grand C4 Picasso MPV is Citroen’s Grand rival to the Ford. It’s stylish, economical and can boast a top-notch interior – but it’s not as entertaining as the C-MAX.
The diesel engines attack on two fronts here. They’ve got enough power to cope with the car on a full load, and they’re also frugal.
And while the Citroen isn’t as fun to drive as the Ford, the French brand have made sure it’s a big car that doesn’t drive as awkwardly as big cars often can. How have they managed this? They’ve given the car a wraparound panoramic windscreen and big windows to make sure visibility is good. Front quarter light windows also help with visibility.Moreover, Citroen has focused more on comfort than handsome handling. The suspension is soft enough to be supple, and it soaks up bits of broken road like a sponge.
In terms of the engines, we’d overlook the base-level 1.6-litre 99bhp diesel. Any engine that has under 100bhp is not going to be easy to live with if you’ve got a fully loaded C4 Grand Picasso. A 118bhp is a better bet. It’s just as economical, and can do 0-62 in 11.3 seconds.
A 2.0-litre 148bhp offers even more power, and can thrust you from rest to 62mph in less than 10.0 seconds.
A solitary petrol engine rounds off the range. It’s a turbocharged 1.2-litre 128bhp that does 0-62 in 10.8 seconds. Thanks to its employment of turbochargers, it’s economical. It returns fuel economy up to 56.5mpg and costs £140 a year to tax.
If you don’t want to pay any tax, the diesels are a safer option. The 1.6-litre 99bhp diesel is free to tax and returns 74.3mpg. As mentioned, though, it’s underpowered. We prefer the 118bhp variant, with its better performance and impressive fuel economy returns of 70.6mpg.
Step inside the car and you’ll be greeted by some stunning design. The colours, shapes and textures are as close to a work of art as an MPV is going to get. It’s eye-catching stuff. The controls are a bit of a letdown, as they’re a bit fiddly and not at all intuitive. But you’ll eventually get used to them.
The huge windows enhance visibility, and they also flood the cabin with light. This will be especially handy if all seven seats are full and you don’t want to feel claustrophobic.
The seven seats are great if you have more people to carry. And although the extra row does eat into boot space, it doesn’t eat into as much as the Ford. The boot measures 165-litres with all seats up, and 632 with the third row folded. Slide the second row forward and you can free up 793-litres of space.
Fold all rear seats, and you get a massive 2,181-litres of space. That’s just as much as you’d get in a small van.
Price:
Citroen – £22,600 – £30,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
Verdict Of Our 2017 Ford Grand C-MAX MPV Review
As its name hints, this is the C-MAX’s bigger brother. That means 7 seats, more legroom for all, and more usability for the family. It lacks a bit of style, but it’s retained its siblings’ sense of fun. It’s also got punchy engines that can cope with a full load. The Ford Grand C-MAX MPV is like the C-MAX but with even more trimmings.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[vc_row content_placement=”middle” css=”.vc_custom_1464089844166{margin-right: 10px !important;margin-bottom: 10px !important;}”][vc_column css=”.vc_custom_1494257310211{margin-right: 10px !important;margin-bottom: 20px !important;border-bottom-width: 10px !important;padding-bottom: 10px !important;}”]
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