Ford S-Max 2.5 (2006) CAR review

Good grief, another MPV! Why should I care?

I'll set the scene. We're just north of Seville on some of the best, most challenging and downright scary roads Europe can offer. The latest Porsche 911 was launched here, and the BMW M6. Ford has chosen these roads to debut the sporty S-Max, a 5+2-seat people carrier hidden beneath sleek and swoopy styling. Did the launch planners have their map upside down or do they have a pathological disregard for personal safety? Neither, as it turns out; this is no glorified minibus. The S-Max is quite possibly the most appealing people mover ever.

A bold claim. Go on, justify it…

Happily. On a mix of tightening bends, bum clenching crests and brief, fast straights, the S-Max turns, goes and stops with more conviction than an MPV has any right to. Of course, performance MPVs are nothing new: Vauxhall has given us two generations of quick Zafiras culminating in the faintly absurd 240bhp VXR. Where the S-Max differs is in its dynamics. The ride isn't rock hard, it's supple. This means it mops up imperfections in the road rather than skipping over them, improving responses and making the S-Max feel more alert and less intimidating to drive enthusiastically.