Ford S-Max or Ford Galaxy
Discussion
king expensive to begin with. I've read they're great drives too. They're quite different beasts when at the wheel.
You don't say why you need 7 seats? I know that sounds like a stupid question, but if you're using it as a generic term for "big mpv" then that's different to "I have four teenagers".
The Galaxy really is a bus. I drive one weekly at one of the companies I work for, and it's an out and out spacemobile. That's its entire raison d'etre. My friend has an S-Max and, whilst it has 7 seats, it leaves you with practically no boot. No ruddy good if you have four kids with the paraphernalia etc. However, it drives like a car not a mini-bus. The turbo lag on the Galaxy diesel is irritating, but they've come a long way from the mid 90s.
Go sit in and drive both. You may end up hating both!
You don't say why you need 7 seats? I know that sounds like a stupid question, but if you're using it as a generic term for "big mpv" then that's different to "I have four teenagers".
The Galaxy really is a bus. I drive one weekly at one of the companies I work for, and it's an out and out spacemobile. That's its entire raison d'etre. My friend has an S-Max and, whilst it has 7 seats, it leaves you with practically no boot. No ruddy good if you have four kids with the paraphernalia etc. However, it drives like a car not a mini-bus. The turbo lag on the Galaxy diesel is irritating, but they've come a long way from the mid 90s.
Go sit in and drive both. You may end up hating both!
somynameiswhat said:
Don't forget the S-Max has the 2.5t from the Focus ST in it, incase you want a different, more powerful family car.
We have the 2.5t model.Fuel consumption is pretty horrific for what is a family bus. It is nice to drive, but it would be without that particular engine. It's quicker than the 2.2 diesel but lacks the punch despite the turbo.
As a package for a biggish family it's excellent.
They are a genuinely good drive.furtive said:
I would look at the face-lift S-Max (2010+ I think) if you can stretch to one. I have one with the 2.0 turbo Ecoboost petrol engine and it's brilliant. Drives like a car rather than a van, lots of toys, quick for an MPV.
The only downside is fuel consumption.
Totally agree - get the post '10 if you can. I too have the 2.0 Eco boost petrol with the Powershift DSG box and it is everything that Furtive says it is - it really is genuinely good fun to drive. Not just for a huge MPV but by any measure. It is expensive for a Ford, but when my third child was on the way, I had an eye on an X5 with 3rd row seating and for the same money, I could get an S-Max half the age and mileage so it was a no brainer. It's massively cheaper to buy and run than the German trio (E/5/A6)and not badly made and finished. The only downside is fuel consumption.
The early facelift Eco boost (like mine) has the 204bhp engine, but a few months later it was upgraded to 240bhp which is the one to have.
My Titanium X Sport has all the toys - touch screen nav with BT music streaming, elec memory seats with heating and cooling, xenons, privacy glass, pano roof, rain/light sensors the lot.
Apart from the thirst the only downsides are that the air con can't cope with cooling the vast and glassy cabin in the middle of summer, the huge dash surface reflects sun in the screen and you look like an Addison Lee driver...
The 2 seats in the boot are fine for kids (and take a full size child seat) but don't have ISOFIX. The middle row has ISOFIX on the outer seats, and all three recline and slide independently. The legroom is massive, and the ride superb. As a family car, there is nothing better.
The Galaxy is only an advantage if you want to carry adults in the rearmost seats, and even then, the Seat Alhambra is supposedly the better car.
Don't just take my word for it....
http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-review/ford/s-max
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-pNu1NgkKHo
The Galaxy is actually quite a decent drive for a big bus - not quite as agile as the S-Max but then, how often will you be flinging it round corners with the kids onboard?
It comes down to how much space you need, for luggage and kids (the size they are now and the size they will be when you sell it).
It comes down to how much space you need, for luggage and kids (the size they are now and the size they will be when you sell it).
We have an 06 SMax on 130k+ miles - had it since 07. One of the most practical, useful cars we've had. Fine to drive. We have the diesel and get 45+mpg, more on a longer run. Driven to south of France in one hop on numerous occasions, with kids in, with no issues. Cruises fine at motorway+ speeds, low-down torque makes it fine around town. Servicing relatively cheap. Doesn't seem too large- navigates narrow Devon roads with no issues, passing other cars just fine.
Much nicer drive than the Galaxy I tried at the time. Doesn't really feel like a bus, and the higher driving position is excellent. Even with 7 up we can still get the dog (Springer-collie cross) in the boot, and wellies/coats/etc. For long trips 7 up we have a large roof box, which fits it well. Seats down it's cavernous. Having seats that fold into the boot is great -common now but less so back originally, and they get used on more odd occasions that you'd realise - friends who had to lug 3rd row in and out of car and store in garage soon passed their cars on.
Best for young kids in the back, but acceptable for short journeys for adults.
Whilst we had the Titanium model, it has relatively few toys compared to modern ones - it has cruise control, which I use a lot on longer runs, and front/rear sensors, which are useful. Heartily recommended.
So much so, we were considering changing ours, and the only other possible options were an X5 or a Discovery 4, both more expensive to run, and we decided that if we did change wed probably bet another one (unheard of in our family before) but that there was little need to at this stage. Well recommend.
Much nicer drive than the Galaxy I tried at the time. Doesn't really feel like a bus, and the higher driving position is excellent. Even with 7 up we can still get the dog (Springer-collie cross) in the boot, and wellies/coats/etc. For long trips 7 up we have a large roof box, which fits it well. Seats down it's cavernous. Having seats that fold into the boot is great -common now but less so back originally, and they get used on more odd occasions that you'd realise - friends who had to lug 3rd row in and out of car and store in garage soon passed their cars on.
Best for young kids in the back, but acceptable for short journeys for adults.
Whilst we had the Titanium model, it has relatively few toys compared to modern ones - it has cruise control, which I use a lot on longer runs, and front/rear sensors, which are useful. Heartily recommended.
So much so, we were considering changing ours, and the only other possible options were an X5 or a Discovery 4, both more expensive to run, and we decided that if we did change wed probably bet another one (unheard of in our family before) but that there was little need to at this stage. Well recommend.
With the S Max if you have the rear seats up there's very little boot space. The Galaxy will give you both.
Personally I'd not recommend the PowerShift if you care about fuel consumption. It seriously sapped the MPG on my 140ps TDCI Titanium. And in most cases I used it in manual mode as I did not get on with the shift points. In full auto mode, it was very smooth though and good in traffic...
Swapped to a Mk7 Golf, cannot get used to the lack of storage space. The SMax took 3.6m decking boards, admittedly out of the passenger window!
Personally I'd not recommend the PowerShift if you care about fuel consumption. It seriously sapped the MPG on my 140ps TDCI Titanium. And in most cases I used it in manual mode as I did not get on with the shift points. In full auto mode, it was very smooth though and good in traffic...
Swapped to a Mk7 Golf, cannot get used to the lack of storage space. The SMax took 3.6m decking boards, admittedly out of the passenger window!
Thanks for these comments - I have found them very informative.
I did not expect the S-Max to be so different to the Galaxy (both 7 seaters with similar body styles and shapes), but reading the comments proves otherwise.
I shall venture into a local Ford dealer and investigate further.
I did not expect the S-Max to be so different to the Galaxy (both 7 seaters with similar body styles and shapes), but reading the comments proves otherwise.
I shall venture into a local Ford dealer and investigate further.
Erudite geezer said:
Thanks for these comments - I have found them very informative.
I did not expect the S-Max to be so different to the Galaxy (both 7 seaters with similar body styles and shapes), but reading the comments proves otherwise.
I shall venture into a local Ford dealer and investigate further.
They are very different beasts. The Galaxy is based on its own sub-platform whereas the S-Max is pretty much a tall Mondeo.I did not expect the S-Max to be so different to the Galaxy (both 7 seaters with similar body styles and shapes), but reading the comments proves otherwise.
I shall venture into a local Ford dealer and investigate further.
Can't really say a bad word about the S-Max. Not inspiring but very good at it's job and by FAR the most car like MPV to drive. Personally I wouldn't consider a Galaxy over one unless I needed permanent 7 seats for adult sizes. And even then I'd be annoyed that I'd bought a mini-cab.
We have the Galaxy, tested both and the Galaxy made more sense, have driven an S-Max recently and most of the time they feel very similar, its only when pressing on you notice some difference, that said it is amazing how planted the Galaxy feels, Ford have some talent with chassis design.
Ours hardly gets used now but it is ace for airport pick ups (its main job as a taxi round here) and tip runs, we were going to change it but to be honest, its only worth seven grand now and what do you replace it with something less practical, that still doesnt get used ?
My understanding on prices is that the Galaxy now hold a slight premium over the S-Max, early on, it was the other way round.
Ours hardly gets used now but it is ace for airport pick ups (its main job as a taxi round here) and tip runs, we were going to change it but to be honest, its only worth seven grand now and what do you replace it with something less practical, that still doesnt get used ?
My understanding on prices is that the Galaxy now hold a slight premium over the S-Max, early on, it was the other way round.
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