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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.

The C-Max uses the same platform that underpins the new Ford Focus, so you can be assured it’s going to be a goody. So it proves, with the C-Max showing the rest of the class the way to deal with corners, laden or unladen, thanks to perfect precision and suspension that resists much in the way of body lean. There’s also millimetre perfect steering, which shows Ford has got a handle on electric assistance far better than almost any other car maker. It’s light at parking speeds, weighty on the motorway and offers fine adjustment on country roads to make the most of the C-Max’s superb grip. The only gripe we have is that at town speeds, the C-Max’s suspension is quite firm and can let the occasional jolt through to the passenger cabin from potholes. Even so, the C-Max is a superb blend of comfort and control when compared to cars from the MPV sector and other family-biased categories. Some wind noise from around the door mirrors is the only other blemish on an otherwise very impressive showing.

We have no doubt the C-Max will prove to be a reliable and trusty family companion, but it’s also worth noting that Ford as a make only managed 22nd out of 27 car companies in the 2010 JD Power Satisfaction Survey. Still, the new C-Max is sturdily made and there are plenty of soft-touch finishes throughout giving a further impression of high quality. As for the engines and transmissions, these are tough cookies and you should expect no hassles from them. The Ecoboost turbo petrol is a new engine but it’s relatively unstrained in this application, so again should be trouble-free.

The C-Max has the full gamut of safety equipment fitted to all models, so there are six airbags, ESP traction and stability control, anti-lock brakes and electronic brake force distribution. A new option is a blind spot detection system similar to that seen on the likes of the Volvo S60 and Volkswagen Sharan. Security has been a Ford strong point for many years and the C-Max is no different thanks to an alarm, immobiliser and marked parts used throughout to put thieves off. There are also deadlocks as standard on all models.

The C-Max is 140mm shorter than its Grand sister but as it doesn’t have to fit an extra pair of rear seats into the boot, it still feels spacious. The boot can swallow a family’s luggage with ease, while folding the rear seats frees up more than enough room for those regular trips to Ikea or the refuse tip. Folding the middle seat is different to most MPVs in that Ford has designed the centre cushion to tip sideways and store under the right-hand seat base. It’s unusual but is easily mastered and allows loads of room for the C-Max to run as a four seater. The outer two rear seats easily fold forward to leave a long, flat load bay. There’s good room for people in the rear seats, though three adults will find it snug, while up front the C-Max is generous with its accommodation and adjustment for the driver. The new dash is stylish and groups all of the controls logically and close to hand. Our only complaint is the thick screen and door pillars can make it tricky when pulling out of junctions to see oncoming traffic if the car is at anything other than a perfect right-angle to the road you’re joining.

Ford has taken some flak for its pricing policy in recent times, but it claims the C-Max combats any initial pricing worries with lower running costs than its rivals. The 1.6-litre Ecoboost petrol engine is good for 42.8mpg combined economy, which is the same as the consumption of the less potent non-turbo petrol engines. It also emits the same 154g/km carbon dioxide emissions, so is a sound choice for private and company buyers. Better still on economy and emissions is the 1.6-litre turbodiesel that offers 61.4mpg and 119g/km emissions, while the 2.0-litre turbodiesel registers 55.4mpg and 139g/km. Go for the Powershift dual-clutch gearbox with the larger diesel engine and you’ll see emissions go to 149g/km and economy drop to 50.4mpg. Otherwise, all C-Max models are likely to cost the same in servicing, while insurance runs from group 11 for the entry-level 1.6 petrol to group 20 for the 2.0-litre turbodiesel models. Ford has simplified the trims for the C-Max and only offers Zetec and Titanium. The Zetec comes with air conditioning, front electric windows, CD stereo and Bluetooth connection, while the Titanium adds electric rear windows, cruise control and climate control in place of air con. All C-Max models come on ally wheels.

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