Ford S-MAX
THIRD REPORT A long-haul trip to Scotland proved just how comfortable our MPV is
OVER my time with the Ford S-MAX I’ve come to love its blend of space, tech and easy driving, but surely a sevenseat MPV should be comfortable, too?
It’s one area I’ve only briefly touched upon during my time in the big blue people carrier, but the Ford certainly excels here. I recently made the long trip from Essex to Scotland for the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and came to the conclusion that, if you’re heading to a festival, the S-MAX might just be the perfect car for the job.
Stick with me, because the space inside the cabin means you can easily bung a few beanbags in the back for extra comfort when you reach your campsite or destination – and you’ll be in plenty of comfort on the move, too, thanks to the Ford’s compliant chassis.
There’s room to spare in the back, so even when you get to the festival campsite, if the conditions aren’t so favourable the well insulated cabin means you could easily turn the boot into a bedroom for the night.
The cabin is quiet on the move thanks to acoustic glass for the side windows, which blocks out wind and road roar. The trip up to Edinburgh was a relaxed journey because of it, and with only the distant thrum of the punchy 2.0-litre turbodiesel under the bonnet, I arrived in the Scottish capital relaxed and ready to go and see a show.
Adaptive cruise control was a big boon on the journey, managing the accelerator and brakes in fast-flowing but busy traffic. However, if I have one criticism of the system, it would be that if the radar sensor doesn’t spot a car ahead of you early enough, it can be a little jerky on the brakes as it slows the vehicle down.
Another niggle I’ve had with the car relates to what I’ve come to call its ‘haunted door bins’. There’s a rattle that seems to emanate from all of them, but it doesn’t happen all of the time and can occur when it’s just me on board or when I have a full load of passengers and luggage in the boot. It’s all the more noticeable given the impressive refinement on offer, too.
It didn’t detract from the car in Edinburgh, though, as the Ford’s supple dampers soaked up the cobbled streets and generally poor road surfaces around the city well. It’s a real test of any car and the S-MAX proved capable.
The £400 front camera has been a godsend when it comes to parking, too, as the optional self-parking system (a £150 extra) has failed a couple of times to pick up spaces that are big enough – maybe it’s a shortcoming that the software can’t cope with spaces a few inches longer than the car. So the S-MAX has proved easy to live with, with its comfort and refinement making it the perfect companion for a festival trip.
However, Fords have always been great to drive, too, but the trade-off for this refined ride is that the car feels heavy under braking and in corners. There’s pronounced body roll in bends and the S-MAX uses its brakes quite hard even under normal use, which leaves them dirty with dust most of the time.