36 Ford S-Max: A big bit of luxury worth splashing out on

You know that thing where Ford is attempting to create its own in-house luxury brand, Vignale? The one that’s supposed to tempt Audi and BMW buyers back to the big Ford their dads used to have? Yeah, well the standard S-Max shows why that idea is just silly. Without the Vignale silliness, the S-Max reveals itself to be a big Ford worth splashing some cash on. Spacious, with flexible seating and terrific comfort, it also has a cabin that seems at least as well made, if not necessarily as stylish, as cars from a class above. It’s also quite fantastic to drive, with relatively gentle chassis settings giving it a good ride, while the steering remains sharp and entertaining. You can spec it all too easily up to heights of folly in pricing terms, but the good news is that the 180hp 2.0-litre TDCI diesel version isn’t worth the candle – stick with the more affordable 150hp version. Slightly bigger, slightly pricier but mechanically identical Galaxy is softer to drive but has more space in the third row.

Price range: €35,860 to €57,085

Co2 emissions: 129 to 149g/km

Which one? 2.0 TDCI 150hp Titanium

PCP from €POA