New Ford C-MAX Here In October

(Tuesday 7 December 2010)

The new Ford C-MAX goes on sale in the UK next month with two body styles and a simplified range of trim levels. The body style situation is that Ford has decided - as other manufacturers did before it - to offer its mid-sized MPV both as a five-seater and in a longer-wheelbase form with seven seats.

The seven-seater is known as the Grand C-MAX, and as part of what Ford describes as its family-friendliness it comes with sliding rear doors, which means that passengers can climb into the second and third rows of seats without making the car significantly wider.

The number of trim levels has been reduced to two, named Zetec and Titanium. All models come with alloy wheels, air-conditioning, a leather steering wheel, a Thatcham Category 1 alarm and a digital radio/CD with Bluetooth, a USB port and voice control, while the Grand also gets rear parking sensors.

Titanium models have extra equipment in the form of automatic headlights and wipers, dual-zone temperature control, an auto-dimming interior mirror, hill launch assist, keyless start, cruise control (with speed limiter), a Sony premium audio system, tyre deflation detection and, in the case of the Grand, powered folding door mirrors.

The petrol engines in the range are a naturally-aspirated 1.6 in 104bhp and 123bhp forms (though the Grand doesn't get the 104bhp version) and the excellent new 1.6 turbo EcoBoost, and there's also a choice of 113bhp 1.6 and 138bhp two-litre TDCi turbo diesels. Manual transmission is the order of the day in most cases, but the 2.0 diesel also has the option of the twin-clutch semi-automatic Powershift gearbox which does away with the need for a cluth pedal.

For cheap running, the engine you want is the 1.6 diesel, which has a CO2 rating of 119g/km in the five-seater and 129g/km in the Grand. The cheapest to buy, though, is the 104bhp 1.6 petrol which is available only in the £16,745 five-seat Zetec. Prices range from that to £23,245 for the 2.0 TDCi Grand Titanium.