Once a year, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (
SMMT) round up the UK press offices and a selection of their fleet cars for a one-day event at the Millbrook Proving Ground. It's a chance to catch up on colleagues and new personnel as well as an opportunity to drive some of the latest vehicles on the high-speed bowl and entertaining 'Hill Route'.
Some outlets write full 'road tests' from the day's activities, though time in each car is fairly limited. This year I got behind the wheel of no less than 25 different cars, which goes to show perhaps how little time I did spend in each, though that included at least one lap of the challenging Hill Route in each car. There are so many new cars being launched this year that we thought it would be worth compiling my first impressions on these cars. Many we will test in depth at a later date.
Ford S-MAX
Model tested: Ford S-MAX Titanium 2.5
Price: £21,995 on-the-road.
0-62mph: 7.9 seconds
Top speed: 143mph
Combined economy: 30.2mpg
Kerb weight: 1747kg
Relevant links:
All Ford road tests.
We've tested several MPVs purporting to be sporty as well as practical (
Honda Stream,
Mazda5,
Mitsubishi Grandis for example), each with varying degrees of success. Ford's S-MAX is the latest to make this bold claim.
The S-MAX wears its heart on its sleeve, with a sleeker profile than the new Ford Galaxy it was developed in conjunction with, distinctive fog lights, sporty vents behind the front wheels and in the case of the car I drove in Millbrook, large five-spoke alloys and the turbocharged five-cylinder engine from the
Ford Focus ST.
Like the new Galaxy, the S-MAX is a seven-seater, though Ford intelligently markets it as a 5+2, where the rearmost seats are to be considered to be for occasional use only (luggage space is very limited with them in place). I had little time to try out the various seating configurations, so you'll have to wait until we drive the S-MAX for longer later in the year to hear what we think about that (or go have a play in your local Ford dealer).
The S-MAX shares its dashboard with the Galaxy and it is a classy affair. For an MPV, it is possible to set the seat low enough to make you feel like you are in rather than on the car. The steering is light, but quite feelsome and with the (slightly detuned) five-cylinder engine in front of you, progress is swift. The top of the range S-MAX carries more than 300kg over the Focus ST, so don't expect it to be quite as lively, nor as agile. However, the S-MAX is genuinely good to drive, with well-weighted controls adding to commendably stable body control. Adjustability is lacking a tad, but try not to forget that this is an MPV. It is easy to.
Shane O' Donoghue - 31 May 2006