Ford S-Max

Overview

Ford S-Max, the seven-seater MUV has been serving the Malaysian market since 2016. Currently, in its second-generation, the S-Max making its presence felt as a comfortable ride for small as well as big families carrying a lot of stuff. The Ford design team has put a lot of efforts to give a fresh and distinctive exterior styling to the new S-Max. The sleek and sporty profile of the car stands out from the crowd to deliver a unique proposition.

Ford has sold a considerably high number of S-Max units in the country. The car is quite similar to Ford Mondeo in terms of appearance. Exterior color options include Frozen White, Moondust Silver, and Magnetic Grey.

Interior & Features

Inside, the S-Max is significantly different from the previous-gen model. Customers familiar with the old model will instantly recognize that the cabin feels a lot more spacious than before.

The S-Max MPV has flexible and adjustable seats that can be folded flat to the surface, thanks to the Fold Flat System (FFS). It helps to increase the total volume for the boot. The seats are all wrapped in premium-quality leather. You can get yourself refreshed thanks to the dual-zone automatic air-conditioning.

While still heavy on the dashboard equipment, everything seems to be laid out nicely. The three-spoke multifunction steering feels good to grip, but has a total of 22 buttons, not counting the paddle shifters, horn, and levers on the steering column. Too many, in our opinion. There are plenty of soft-touch materials and the build quality, as a whole, feels better than its predecessor.

The centre console features several storage compartments. There are two USB sockets, one SD card slot, and 12-Volt power sockets near gear lever, centre armrest compartment, on the back of it and in the boot.

The voice command Sync 2 infotainment system features an eight-inch TFT touchscreen integrated into the dash. There’s a nine-speaker Sony Premium audio system with great sound quality.

Exterior

The 7-seater MPV has a compact structure making the interior spacious for its occupants. The total length of the car is 4801 mm, height measures 1660 mm, and width is 1884 mm. The wheelbase of the vehicle is 2850 mm, which makes enough legroom for the front as well as rear passengers. Ford S- Max is characterized by new Bi-Xenon headlights with LED daytime running lights offering increased visibility in adverse weather conditions and nights. Even after the car comes to a halt, the headlamps light up for a while until you reach home.

Additionally, the S-Max gets a set of air vents on its front fenders, stylish tail lights, and a high-mounted stop lamp on the rear spoiler. Exterior color options include Frozen White, Moondust Silver, and Magnetic Grey. The S-Max is equipped with 17-inch, 5-spoke alloy wheels.

Also, the rear profile is employed with the catchy wraparound taillight that offers a clear vision while reversing the car. One more striking detail given to this MPV are puddle lights on the side mirrors. These puddle lights may appear small in size but are of great use. Automatic rain sensors in wipers provide improves visibility during bad weather conditions.

Ride & Handling

The Ford S-Max is great to drive and feels like a much smaller car from behind the wheel. With relatively strong chassis it is accompanied with Macpherson strut suspension at the front and independent control blade multilink at the rear suspension.  Its comfortable ride and neat handling make it easy to travel across urban streets, despite its size. The handling is faithful and there is an easygoing accuracy to the steering.

Engine & Fuel Consumption

It is powered by the EcoBoost 2.0-litre turbocharged engine in-lined with 4-cylinder 16 valves DOHC Ti-VCT VIS. This engine can churn out a maximum power output of 240 PS at 6000 rpm along with a peak torque measuring 340 Nm at 4500 rpm. It performs adequately even when it is fully loaded.

The manual transmission has a smooth, positive action while the clutch pedal is light and progressive, making the S-MAX very easy to drive. It can reach 100 kmph in 8.2 seconds, and the top speed you can tick with S-Max is 234 kmph which is nothing less than extraordinary for an MPV.

Braking & Safety

Ford S-Max has ABS (Anti-lock Braking System) and EBD (Electronic brake force distribution) to prevent the wheel from locking, helping the driver stop by distributing equal brake force in all wheels safely. Also, present in the safety list is ESP (Electronic stability program) that helps avoid skidding of the vehicle. The Hill Launch Assist (HLA) maximizes the time of brake control so that you can move your foot with ease to accelerate further to stop the vehicle from rolling backward.
Nine airbags (front, driver’s knee, side, and curtain) are fitted to ensure the safety of the driver and the passengers. ESC, roll stability control and lane departure warning, and assist are all standard offerings.

Verdict

Offering a perfect blend of a passenger car and luggage carrier seems like a difficult task, but S-Max manages to do it! The launch of S-Max has received positive feedback. It is priced at approximately RM 221,728. One of the most dynamic looking MUVs in the country right now, it is quite worthy to have this car in your fleet!