[Closed] Talk to me about Ford S-Max’s

The original shared a platform with the Renault Espace and Seat Alhambra from memory. If you are looking at an older one then check those variants to see if value for money is better….

Check also the engine. Lots of flak for the Ford EcoBoost engine online, but the reality is that there are lots of different variants and lots are reliable (eg our 1.5L version is supposedly solid while the 1.6L has a few issues)

They are roomy! They are thirsty! And they are a Ford (so some people will look down on you, but spares are readily available and most garages are happy to work on them)

The original shared a platform with the Renault Espace and Seat Alhambra from memory. If you are looking at an older one then check those variants to see if value for money is better….

none of them did that. the mk1 galaxy shared with the alhambra and the sharan (or whatever it was called back then), the mk2 galaxy shared with the mk1 s-max and the espace shared with nothing.

depending on budget its worth looking at the zafira tourer as well. A smidge smaller inside, not quite as nice to drive, but half the price, twice the economy, a nicer interior and more toys.

The original shared a platform with the Renault Espace and Seat Alhambra from memory.

Thought that was the original Galaxy?

Anyway I had a 2012 (I think) one. I thought it was brilliant. Based on a Mondeo Estate floorpan. Handled pretty well, not a wallowing thing, good body control and loads of grip, so not a nasty drive at all. More than capable of 'making progress' on a typical UK cross country B road should you have to. I had the 2.2 TDCi engine which was nice an torquey and more than enough pace than you could want. Interior layout and space was great.

I averaged 37mpg in mine for normal day to day driving, local running around, work commute, not being particularly economical with my driving. Got another 120 miles out of a tank on a long uninterrupted run. Never worked out the MPG on long runs but deep into the 40mpg's or maybe touching 50mpg possibly. 2.0 litre TDCi engines were a bit more economical. I wouldn't go for anything smaller - think there was a 1.8ltr engine, I'd steer clear of that. Mate had the one with the 5cylinder Focus ST engine in it. That was impressive, but only got about 16mpg on a good day!!

The 3rd row seats were nice and comfy but not great for adults on a long run if you're of taller stature. They were quite low, so knees higher than hips, and the roof line cuts in so not much headroom for the taller people. Galaxy's had a more square and boxy back end so the 3rd row seats there were closer to full size seats with decent headroom, but still based the Mondeo floor pan so same wheel base and external footprint than the S Max.

Reliability was fine. Had a battery issue but after faffing around with some unsuccessful troubleshooting a battery swap sorted that out. The Bluetooth module in the entertainment system failed too, but no big problem. 100k timing belt replacement interval. Other than that just the usual ongoing maintenance needs.

Not sure about the later models

I loved the S-Max when I had one for everything but bike carrying duties...I had it before dropper posts were a thing but my large Marin Mount Vision needed front wheel and seatpost removed to go upright inside. Always carried more stuff so couldn't go flat...the roof seemed to drop very quickly towards the rear.
It was a diesel and it was great to drive...I think I'd be tempted with another if I was wanted posher than the Berlingo...

Thanks.

I’m coming from a Discovery 4, so mpg can only be better. Looking at a 2015/16 auto.

I had one for 3 years with 3 young kids.

Can fit loads in the boot and had four bikes in the roof.

Drive to the Alps in it once and was very comfortable.

It's massive to drive so got one with plenty of like and parking sensors - my wife still bumped it about 3 times:)

Brought a van afterwards as wanted a van in the end.

think the auto's were PowerShift boxes so DSG/dual clutch type. A mate had one and it was a lovely box. He had no issues with it so not sure how robust they are. He did have the petrol 2.0ltr turbo engine (Ecoboost I think) and had a cylinder head gasket go. Again not sure if that was an issue with that particular engine or something unique to his experience. But overall a really good car. The petrol engine was alot more refined and smoother than my 2.2 qtr engine.

the 2012ish powershift had a load of known issues, and they generally blow up (look how many cheap galaxy autos there are from that era). the flywheel has plastic bits holding it together that then dont.

They upgraded the auto box at some point, not sure when. don't get one from before then

I averaged 37mpg in mine for normal day to day driving

long term average on the zafira is 55mpg, I've had it average 70mpg over a 200 mile drive before

My sister has the S-Max and I have a Galaxy. They're both excellent cars (though both manual so can't comment on issues re automatics). As said above they drive like cats, not people carriers. Loads of space inside, very comfy, very flexible. Decent economy on journeys, less so around town. My Galaxy is an 08 model. Bought nearly four years ago with 100k otc, now on 150k. Never missed a beat. If you want a bit more space (longer wheelbase, no slant on rear roof) get a Galaxy. Otherwise the S-Max is a superb bit of kit

I had a mk1 2.0 TDCi and really liked it, until intermittent starting problems saw me changing it (suspected EGR valve fault but never properly nailed down). When it worked there was a lot to love; flexible seating, could carry bikes upright (medium/54cm frames, front wheel off with Saris floor rack) sometimes with adults/kids sat either side in the middle row, big flat boot space, great drive, rear seats seemed higher than front seats so middle row passengers got a great view out front (nice touch on long trips).

Shame they couldn't fix the starting issue as might still have it today...

Heard the subsequent versions didn't have as sharp a drive.

As an aside, my sister had a Zafira prior to the S-Max. Neither of us would rate the Zafira as remotely close to the S-Max. Latter is better to drive, bigger, better put together. Not even close

I've had one for the last 5 or 6 years, it's great. It's on 160k and it still drives great especially on long journeys, I've driven it to the Alps and Pyrenees quite a few times and it loves it.

Fits loads in the boot, and although I can fit 2 or 3 bikes in there you do have to take wheels off for more than one. The sloping back means the actual boot hole is not that big. A Galaxy would be better in that respect.

I have a tow bar carrier for four bikes and it carries that with a full boot and full roof box with ease.

Great car but internal bike carrying not the best tbh.

I had an internal rack system mounted on the rear of the back seats so could stand two medium 29er MTB's in the back upright on fork mounts (front wheels off) and dropper posts down. Could have squeezed in another 2 bikes if I was determined, but no point as with the seats down you could only fit two people in the car. But for MTB weekends with one other person could swallow two MTB's and all our gear inside the car no problems.

For family outcomes with bikes I tried a roof mounted rack but was a bit of a PITA getting the bikes up into the central positions if you're 5'9"/175cm like me so only used the one position at the edge and ended up getting a tow bar rack.

Fords still rust like **** 🙁

TBF my 2008 SMax only has a few small rust spots. Nothing major.

I've had mine since 2014, and have just gone through 120,000 miles.

It's great for camping trips - fully loaded with kit, and one of the second row seats left up for the dog. No need for the roof box that we used on our previous car, and all of the kit is below head restraint level.

For bike trips, I put my bike in a bike bag, fold one of the second row seats, and slide the bag in. Bike rack on the towbar allows me to pick up three other people and their bikes, and there's still room for luggage in the boot. The leg room for the second row passengers is huge, and the 'belugabus' is very popular, as long trips are not a cramped, uncomfortable experience.

Drives like a car, has reasonable fuel consumption - for a two litre diesel -and the only complaint I have (genuinely) is that you can't lock the glovebox.

Test drove it, back-to-back with a galaxy and the difference was quite noticeable (no wallowing or boxy resonance, from the S-Max)

Was originally looking at a Zafira, but my local dealer didn't seem to want my money, and somebody made me aware of the S-Max, which I'd never heard of at that point - I keep meaning to go and thank the Vauxhall salesman

Thanks chaps

Tbh that all sounds really positive, got one to look at tomorrow - way way out of budget at a pukka Ford dealer, but at least I’ll get to see what they’re like to drive and get an idea of the space.

Fords still rust like ****

Not a speck of it on either of my 2 Smaxs.

Had a 2010 1.8 TDCI Zetec spec and now have a 2015 2.0 TDCI Titanium. Bigger engine is better and slightly more economical in my experience as you aren't "on the gas" as much. I'm averaging 41 mpg on a commute, more on a run.

Interior trim, radio, standard kit, dashboard etc on the Titanium is far better than the Zetec. Both were extremely comfortable places to sit however. I could do a 7 hour stint and get out feeling reasonably fresh. Also, there's a lot of storage with cubbyholes, bins and boxes. Not to mention the boot, which is huge. Seats down it will take a full susser whole as the load bed is 6'6". Height at the back isn't great as the roofline slopes. It will swallow a lot of kit though. With the roofbox on we can get 6 people and luggage for a week's holiday without a problem (other than my daughter moaning about having to sit on the third row).

Seats are more 5+2 than 7 as the third row are quite tiny and the kid hate them, but they are getting tall now.

The first one expired at 100,000 miles when the timing belt went. Prior to that it had started to develop some minor electrical eccentricity. Second one has been faultless in the 2 1/2 years / 30,000 miles that I've had it. I've got 30,000 miles out of the tyres too and there's plenty of life still in them, but I drive like a nun.

Our old Galaxy was superb.

Amazing space and practicality, better built than the Touran by a long way, didn't have any significant maintenance issues and we owned it from 70k to 138k. That said, it was starting on some electrical gremlins and turbo started playing silly sausages.

A touch agricultural in how things were put together - but that meant a bolt or two rather than plastic clips for everything.

2.0d here, round the doors it was 35ish, longer trips 45ish.

Ours did two trips over 1300miles to France laden with bikes, canoes and 5 of us.

En-route to Massif Central

We had a 2013 S-Max for about 6 years or so. 2litre tdi with about 160bhp, manual. It was a great family car. Lots of space, drove well, was quite nicely appointed (we had a titanium x sport). Surprisingly agile for such a big car, steering was sharp and you could chuck it about (providing the family wasn't in it!).
If we did it again, I'd avoid the sport model, whilst it looks nice, the ride is pretty choppy.
It seemed to chew tyres, although I don't have any empirical evidence to back this up, it just felt like they never lasted that long.
I think we averaged low 40's mpg.
Only had one issue with it, something to do with the dpf regen, that cost a few hundred quid to sort.

I put bikes in the boot a few times before we got a tow bar mounted bike rack.
Oh ours had a panoramic glass roof. Looked lovely, but if you want to use a roof rack, I'd avoid this feature, as you can't carry as much on the roof.

Traded ours in for a Mondeo a few years ago. Wish I hadn't. Recommended, as per most of the above comments.

Had a 240hp 2.0 petrol, absolute rocket ship, super comfortable, drove well and could manage 30ish mpg with a light foot out of town - in town 20mpg was the norm. Auto box was superb but make sure it's been serviced.

Mine ate it's turbo and things started sounding grumbly from the bottom end so chopped it in sharpish before it started bankrupting me.

I've owned two.

I liked the spec of the titanium but didn't go for it as I didn't want the skinny tyres and bumpier ride.

I had three kids all in booster seat so having separate seats rather than a bench was awesome.

Drove well, tons of space, never saw a spot of rust. Nothing ever broke, really good cars. I traded my first one in for a SUV, kept that for about 6 months then went back for a second smax. Really good family car.

Quick update.

Went to my local Ford dealer, who to be fair weren’t the most useful. Wasn’t able to drive one, as they’d lost my details, booking etc.

But had a sit in one and I really like it, loads of space, the tall daughter mounded about the height of the rear seat, but I can live with that.

They had 2, one with the panoramic roof, one without but it had roof rails. I’m after one now with the panoramic roof, but you have to fit roof cross bars that fit to the inside top of the door - like this
https://shop.ford.co.uk/products/s-max-roof-base-carrier-06-2015

Anyone here used this setup with the pano roof ? Is it noisy with this setup ? Or just like normal cross bars.

Used to be the case with cross rails that fit to the top inside of the door, that you’d end up with leaks or loads of road noise.

Fords still rust like ****

Is that right? FWIW, I’ve driven dozens of Fords from the Ka up to top-spec Granadas, (although sadly not an RS Focus, they won’t let us play with the ones at work), and I can honestly say I’ve never noticed any significant rust, in fact it’s very rare to find significant rust on any modern cars, except where damage has exposed bare metal. It’s possible that cars older than about ten years might start to show corrosion, but my experiences involve cars going back about seven or eight years, and I had to inspect and photograph any bodywork issues.
The one thing I have noticed though is the door weather seal comes unstuck on the Focus, and bits stick out when the doors are shut. What’s that all about? It only seems to affect the Focus, but you’d think owners would get it sorted out. I guess that most of the ones we see are ex-lease cars, so an element of couldn’t give a shit going on.

My 2009 low mileage Kuga was a minter !!! It was immaculate inside and out(so I thought) had it 2 years when I noticed a tiny blemish just above rear plastic arch trim. I removed the trim it was rotten right through 🙁 same on other side. I got rid sharpish !!

FWIW, I’ve driven dozens of Fords operate down south where cars don't get the same exposure to shit that causes cars to rot..

Ford's still rot good and fast up here.

Fords still rust like **** 🙁

Ford’s still rot good and fast up here.

My 13 year old Mondeo says otherwise. The aluminium heat shields have gone due to the galvanic corrosion but otherwise it's fine. Better nick than the similarly aged Civic it replaced and the 10 year old Clio rotbox before that.