Earlier in the year I was going to buy an S-Max from my sister, so would have had the engine that was in it. She decided to keep it and get rid of her Kuga instead (it wouldn’t get near 30mpg). So now if I’m having an S-Max I have to choose a bit more.

Looking on Autotrader and around there are three engines, the 2.0TDI 140 being the most common. Is it the one to go for? Looking at stats it seems to have had a tweak for a bit better performance and economy when they facelifted the cars last year, or is it a new engine altogether?

Also is PowerShift any good as it seems to give close to manual economy and I like driving autos if they behave themselves.

Rambling now, thanks in advance for your thoughts.

(also interested)

The 2.2 163 is found in titanium models so if you want all the toys that could be the one to go for.

The ford powershift looks like a similar system to vws dsg A manual box with auto control so less loss through the transmission.

Guy at work went from old 1.8 to 2.0 140. Massive difference in performance, especially laden with 5 sprogs, but mpg basically the same at 37. New one has some odd specing too apparently.

What do you want? Speed or economy?

Speed – go for the 2.2
Economy – go for the 2.0 140PS (performance is still great)

I have always had manuals, and they are good, but never had an auto/powershift so cannot compare

I’ve got an S-Max with the 163 TDi. Compared with my old Passat 1.9 130ps, it’s a sack of shit.

I have an ’08 plate 2.0tdci, 140bhp manual. I have no experience of other versions, but this one provides a nice balance of performance vs economy. On economy, I have had 50mpg brim to brim (700miles plus on a tank), though this took a lot of restraint – not dawdling, but not rushing either. Mine has done about 50,000 miles now and economy has steadily improved. 45mpg is readily acheivable – and don’t beleive the trip computer – it exagerates economy by 10%.

I’m sure your sister has extolled the car’s virtues. It does have some downsides to my mind. Enthusiastic driving will eat through front tyres and new tyres are dear, they have a high load rating that bumps up the price. There is no spare wheel, or even anywhere to put one if you were to buy one. The steering lock is poor – a three point turn becomes a 5 point turn etc. If you get one with blacked out windows, visiblity for reversing is awful in the dark – ok if you are used to a van perhaps, but a bugger when you have to wind your window down and poke your head into the rain to back onto your drive.
That said, I’d struggle to think of a car that suits me better right now.

Had a 2010 2.0TDI 140 Titanium. Covered 20k miles in 5 months.
Superb motorway cruiser. Plenty of torque and good overall economy. 42-45 mpg in real world driving.
Impressive level of kit and bluetooth Sony audio system very worthwhile for my use. I came from a BMW 1 series and with a growing family loved the convenience of huge boot (only used 7 seats 3 times) so could throw all family clobber in. Regularly took 3 mountain bikes stood up with wheels on.Parking sensors are a little over sensitive but effective. Tinted glass is very dark and stops prying eyes, closer you get the darker it seems? No spare not an issue with the repair kit provided. BMW runflats were sh** by the way.Stranded on M6 on 3 occcassions awaiting recovery as the tyres imploded after punctures.

Small negative are the reflections on the dash through the enormous screen, mine had the quick clear option at the front which was superb but you can get an annoying view of the wires running through the glass in bright conditions.

Overall I’d rate it the best family car I’ve owned. My Passat TDI 140 was poor by comparison with lots of issues around electrics and a terrible electric handbrake.

I’ll back up the comment on dashboard reflections. Two things help though, polarised sunglasses and let your dashtop get dusty!

We’ve got a 1.8 TDci. Wouldn’t see any need to go any more powerfull. 120bhp diesel has a perfectly matched box, so quite capable of being hustled along, or cruised for 50mpg + economy

It was actually advertised as a 2.0 diesel – and it was only after insurer insisted that that car was a 1.8 that we knew any different (Ford main dealer got a bollocking and we got a useful sized recompense…)

Ford main dealer quality and Ford build quality are the only issues we’ve had that detract from an otherwise excellent family vehicle

We’ve got an 08 plate 2.2 smax and it great. For a big-ish car it can really move.
I don’t do enough miles to care about mpg. but with my heavy right foot I get between 32 – 40 mpg.
Although the comment about the tinted windows and night time reversing is spot on – its terrible… but at least it parking sensors 🙂

The 7 seats are truly brilliant and so simple.

Not an smax but still…..I have the galaxy with the smaller 1.8tdci engine which returns 48mpg on my commute and 56mpg on long journeys.

The only time I wish I had the larger engine is on steep hill starts and when fully laden…other than that its more than adequate, although I dont drive that fast anyway.

I second the dusty dash fix btw…had no issues with the car as yet but I dont use main dealer for anything.

Right, I might be narrowing it down now. We regularly use the extra seats, but will likely get a caravan fairly soon too, but reckon the 163 engine cars are overpriced as they are mostly Titanium spec, don’t want to pay 2 grand for a satnav!. I want to avoid privacy glass too as it makes the rear pretty claustrophobic, especially in the 3rd row seats as well as the parking problem. Time to go for a couple of test drives I reckon. This seems to tick all the boxes.

140 Zetec Powershift
Wonder how much haggle room there is. Thanks for your help.

I bought a facelift 140 TDCI Titanium a few months ago and overall am very pleased with it. It slightly lacks oomph when fully loaded but day to day it’s pretty good. Econonmy wise I’m getting about 40mpg but I don’t hang around on the motorways so happy enough with that.

Titanium spec doesn’t have SatNav as standard, that’s an optional extra (at least it is on ’10 plate onwards).

I test drove a petrol Powershift and thought it was OK, but when I bought there were pretty much no diesel/powershift/Titanium combinations on the secondhand market.

If I was buying again I would get the 163 version (also a 2 litre, not sure if the old one was a 2.2) but I like having a bit more power, other than that would definitely buy again.

i have tested the Smax 140 and teh VW touran 140 the touran is way nicer.

not quite as many toys for the money but its just nicer.

But smaller, we will have three six footer kids plus grandparents to lug while we have this car, Touran is similar in size to our current Honda Stream. If we go VW it’d need to be Sharan/Alhambra.

yes thats very true… the back seats in the touran aren’t fit for adult sized people.

Bought a 2007 2.0 TDCI Zetec recently.

Test drove the 1.8 diesel but the 2.0 was much nicer so that got the nod.

After looking into it the titanium didn’t offer that much over the Zetec, so that’s what I’d recommend – a 2.0 TDCI Zetec. We paid £10k for a 44k mileage FSH example.