What's the Ford S-Max like?
Which Ford S-Max is the best value for money and has the best features when it comes to comparing tax,insurance and year?
Ian Ridpath (Dublin)Sep 2013 Filed under: choosing used car
Expert answer
Hi Ian,
There are really only two options when it comes to S-Max engines and those are the 125hp 1.8 TDCi diesel and the 2.0-litre TDCi diesel in 140hp form. There was a 163hp version as well, but they're pretty thin on the ground and forget about the rarer than hen's molars 2.5-litre 212hp petrol version with the engine from the Focus ST; it was fantastic fun but nobody bought one as far as we can tell.
Now, originally both the 1.8- and 2.0-litre engines shared the same 164g/km CO2 rating, which makes road tax a bit on the pricey side (€570 a year), but in 2010, Ford facelifted the S-Max, dropped the 1.8 TDCi and introduced an updated 2.0 diesel with emissions of 143g/km, making for a much more palatable €390 a year tax bill. So, that's the one we'd advise you go for and as long as you get either a Zetec or Titanium spec version, you'll get a reasonable amount of toys to keep you happy in the cabin.
Cracking car, the S-Max actually. Spacious but terrific to drive. Let us know how you get on.
Neil Briscoe - Complete Car Adviser@neilmbriscoe