This approach worked until 1996, when Renault caught the competition napping with its Megane Scenic. Here was an Escort-size car with five proper seats and an elevated driving position. Ford was relatively late joining the party, but once it arrived, the previous C-Max won many admirers.
Within the C-Max’s compact footprint there’s plenty of space, although the middle rear seat is hard. There’s room for luggage and personal effects, as long as passengers travel light.
In typical Ford fashion, a lot of work has gone into making the interior user-friendly, with all controls logically laid out.
Delving into the options list could be expensive, although our car’s Titanuim X Pack (leather trim, heated front seats, panoramic roof and sun-reflecting screen) would be worth specifying despite the £2,000 it adds to the bill.
The 137bhp, 2.0-litre turbodiesel engine sounds rattly but is smooth, while the Powershift automatic transmission is generally fine, although struggles to decide if 30mph is best tackled in third or fourth gear.
In tandem with the excellent ride, it’s a car which shrugs off long journeys. During the test it averaged 35.4mpg. A version with a six-speed manual transmission and the same engine is £1,250 cheaper. Thus equipped, the C-Max uses significantly less fuel and emits less CO2, boosting our rating to a family-friendly four stars.
Ford C-Max 2.0 TDCi Powershift
Price: £22,745
Telegraph rating: Three out of five stars
