Road test: Ford Focus C-MAX 2010
Ford has divided its C-Max range into two distinct models, with the standard five-seat C-Max reviewed here forming the foundations of the range. The larger Grand C-Max comes with seven seats and sliding side rear doors, but that’s not to say the five-seat model with it more traditional rear door arrangement should be overlooked as a fine rival to the likes of the Renault Scenic and upsized Vauxhall Meriva.
All of the petrol engines offered in the C-Max are 1.6-litre units, with the 104- and 123bhp versions coming as non-turbo motors. The 148bhp turbo petrol is Ford’s new Ecoboost engine and is a wise choice for those who may not cover a big enough mileage to warrant a diesel but still want a healthy slug of low- and mid-rev performance. Both of the non-turbo petrols need to stir their stumps further up the rev range to give their best, neither feels especially punchy and this is exacerbated when there’s a full complement of people on board. Switch to the Ecoboost turbo and it’s willing to pull clean and hard from below 2000rpm to appear like a diesel yet it also continues to rev smoothly to its red line that resides above 6000rpm. The Ecoboost engine also benefits from a six-speed manual gearbox compared to the less potent 1.6s’ five-speeders, though all have a precise shift action. Starting point for the diesel range is also a 1.6-litre, which has 113bhp for 0-62mph in 11.3 seconds, which is quicker than either the 104- or 123bhp 1.6 petrols 12.6- or 11.5 seconds times respectively. Only the Ecoboost turbo petrol edges ahead here with 0-62mph in a nifty 9.4 seconds. Surprisingly, the 138bhp 2.0-litre turbodiesel is slower off the mark than the 1.6 diesel, needing 9.6 seconds as a manual or 10.1 seconds with Ford’s dual-clutch Powershift gearbox. All of the turbodiesels use a six-speed transmission and thanks to the muscular power delivery and slick changes of its gearbox, the 1.6 diesel is the pick of the bunch for higher mileage drivers.
Read the Ford C-MAX road test in full
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