Our new arrival takes it to the Max

The latest addition to our fleet is the family-friendly Ford Grand C-MAX which will be run by our regular photographer Matt.

Date: 31 October 2012 | Current mileage: 7285 | Claimed economy: 48.7mpg | Actual economy: N/A

The Ford C-MAX range has now advanced to incorporate two models - the standard C-MAX and the bigger Grand C-MAX, which gets two additional rear seats but more usefully, sliding rear side doors - the lack of which was often a criticism of the original Focus C-MAX.

And it's this more practical version that I'll be driving for the next six months. It will certainly have its work cut out. As a photographer (and videographer) I do a lot of travelling across the country to various locations from small studios in central London to hill tops in Scotland. This all involves plenty of motorway driving so comfort and economy are two big requirements.

So I've opted for the 2.0 TDCI diesel version of the popular Grand C-MAX with the PowerShift automatic gearbox - a twin clutch system like Volkswagen's DSG. As a motorway cruisier it looks spot on and with 140PS it has enough power too.

The Ford's full name is the Grand C-MAX 2.0 TDCI Duratorq 140PS Titanium X, but that seems a little bit too elaborate to have on the back of the tailgate. But the long name is reflected in the fact this is a top of the range model with an even longer list of equipment. That goes some way to explaining the starting price of £24,500.

In fact EO12 ZPZ comes in at a few quid short of £30k with all its options. These include metallic paint at £525 and the Sony sat nav system complete with reversing camera costing £750. But the biggest cost is the Titanium X Pack at £2000. We even have a retractable tow bar (another £600) while the cheapest extra is the mini steel spare wheel which was £95. It may not be the most exciting option but I feel a lot happier having a proper spare wheel as oppose to a can of foam sealant and a compressor.

So in total it has £5,445 worth of options. Now considering it already has a wealth of options fitted as standard this may seem excessive but once you spend time in this car, especially if it's a lot of time like me, it makes a big difference. The extras have turned it into a premium mile crunching family car, not to mention the residual value all the options will add.

Of course some of the options are cosmetic. I wanted our car to look good too so it has optional 18-inch alloys, the Appearance Pack, plus the Titanium Family Pack which includes rear privacy glass. Finished in Panther Black metallic paint and coupled with the neat design, which holds a natural angled bodyline, the car has a fantastic, sporty look. In my opinion the Grand C-MAX stands out against other MPVs.

Given the amount of travel I expect to do, it should be extremely economical and an ideal partner for work and family especially with the four younger monsters that will be sitting in the back from time to time. It almost seems too good to be true, a seven seat people carrier that’s sporty, full of gadgets such as self-parking, cruise control and dab radio but is also very economical to run.

So over the following months we’ll see just how good this car is and testing everything we possibly can to see if it really can deliver what it promises.

The C-MAX impresses early on

Our C-MAX is already impressing us with its long distance comfort plus we've also been getting to grips with the park assist system.

Date: 14 November 2012 | Current mileage: 7804 | Claimed economy: 48.7mpg | Actual economy: 37.2mpg

After a few weeks with the Ford C-MAX there are a few key points that already stand out and have impressed me. Firstly is the comfort on long distances thanks to the supportive yet supple leather seats with five stepped heat controls - handy now the weather is starting to turn cold.

This combined with the PowerShift automatic gearbox which is effortless yet responsive means the Grand C-MAX makes long journeys seem short compared to other cars. It really is a great mile cruncher. If you add to that its incredible sound system with hands free control, iPod connectivity and Bluetooth, it really starts becoming a place that makes those long journeys fly by.

Continuing with the interior is the space and storage available. There’s a very large glove box and central bin further forward plus double cup holders. The trim really feels high quality, especially combined with a piano black stereo and metal finishes. It means the C-MAX really looks and feels like a premium car inside.

It's also a lovely car for driving at night. The cabin comes to life in the dark thanks to the interior light pack which lifts the mood. It's subtle, but enough to just lift the cabin. If the intention was to make you feel at ease and comfortable they’ve certainly achieved it. The stereo wouldn’t look out of place in a Boeing 747 with so many lights.

Ford Grand C-MAX Long Termer (18)

Having driven for miles (which you tend to do as a photographer) inevitably you arrive at places to find there is nowhere to park. Apart from the one tiny gap that seems impossible. But this has given me the opportunity to try out Ford's active park assist system, designed to parallel park the car for you.

All you need to do is press auto park and simply drive past the gap, follow the instructions on the central display. Select reverse when instructed and the strangest yet coolest display of the car steering itself you’ve ever witnessed begins as the car frantically steers itself winding the steering wheel on its own while it parks itself into that tiny gap. You just control the accelerator and the brakes.

So far it has managed it perfectly every time and I have now started to use the system feature far more. It takes a while deciding to hand the controls over to effectively an auto pilot, but once it gains your confidence there’s no going back.

Ford Grand C-MAX Long Termer (66)


Ford's family friendly features

The C-MAX is far more than a Focus with a taller body. It has some genuinely useful features that make everyday family life that bit easier.

Date: 30 November 2012 | Current mileage: 8334 | Claimed economy: 48.7mpg | Actual economy: 37.1mpg

The C-MAX is a great family car as I've recently discovered. While it's obviously good at lugging around all my gear it's much more than just a bigger version of a Focus. There are some genuinely family-friendly and useful touches to make life much easier when you've got kids. And the best one is the sliding side doors.

Getting in is so easy and the doors glide very well considering their size. There is a bar on the bottom runner with a sticker clearly marking a warning not to step on, but it is well set back and in fairness I think this is just a safety reminder as it doesn’t interfere with how you would normally enter the car. It's just as easy opening from the inside with large grab handles. The door is very nicely weighted so there not much effort required, even my kids don’t struggle.

But the best feature is the pop up seats. They move up effortlessly from what is a flat floor to give the car seven seats with one simple pull of the red strap. Lowering the seats down again is just a simple reverse procedure gaining giant boot space in seconds.

Ford Grand C-MAX Long Termer (24)  Ford Grand C-MAX Long Termer (26)  Ford Grand C-MAX Long Termer (29)

Getting to the rear seats is simple as the middle seat sides forward and you just clamber in. It doesn’t give you much room but this is where Ford has really put some thought in. You can simply lift the base of the middle seat and fold the central middle seat into it. This in turn makes the car now a six seater with a large gap flowing through the centre of the car.

With this gap between the central seats, there's a far easier route into the back two pop up seats and it creates a wealth of room in the rear with easy access, to the third row. A very clever idea indeed. The central seat itself is quite small though and only really any good for a smaller child. But the whole process is very straightforward without heavy lifting or actually removing any seats. In fact the whole vehicle can become a two seater with a huge boot in under a minute, effortlessly turning the Grand C-MAX into a huge load-carrying vehicle.

Ford Grand C-MAX Long Termer (34)

The C-MAX as my working vehicle

As a car photographer my everyday vehicle has to put up with a lot so having the right car can make all the difference to getting a good shot.

Date: 14 December 2012 | Current mileage: 8903 | Claimed economy: 48.7mpg | Actual economy: 36.9mpg

As a car photographer, having the right vehicle can be the difference between getting a good shot and not. Obviously having something big and practical is essential with so much gear to carry around but there are other aspects that can really make my job easier. And the C-MAX has so far ticked plenty of boxes as an ideal working vehicle.

There's the sliding doors for starters. Safely strapped in using the seatbelts I can be driven along on a test track, shooting out of the big open space giving me a vast view of the car I'm photographing. Obviously your average owner isn't going to be involved in such an activity, but what has impressed me here is the smoothness of the ride and that's something everyone will appreciate.

Driving on a bumpy road means it's incredibly hard to take a decent picture. But the C-MAX does an excellent job of smoothing out uneven surfaces. It may not be conventional road testing but it's probably my best method of proving how smooth and soft the ride is.

Another great bonus for my work is the 13 amp plug socket behind the central bin by the rear seats. I can charge batteries or plug in my laptop even run a kettle.  Should I fancy an afternoon cuppa. This is great when I'm on a long shoot and need additional power. Photography aside this has plenty of uses such as providing the power for an electric coolbox.

Ford Grand C-MAX Long Termer (40)

As with any car there are downsides and the one I've noticed recently with the Grand C-MAX is the turning circle. It's huge and means the Ford is not ideal for tight manouvres. And as a photographer there's lots of turning around and getting stuck on narrow country lanes as I look for good photo shoot places. It also means I often misjudge parking in a bay which can be embarrassing at the supermarket. For a family car it's far from ideal.

Another slight frustration is the electronic boot, which again takes some getting used to. It's only really an issue when you’re in a hurry - which I always seem to be - as it can take what seems an age to go up or down. When it's raining it's even more annoying. It's a feature I could take or leave but in a hurry I’d rather just slam the boot shut the old fashioned way.

C-MAX good, S-MAX better?

Our C-MAX is proving a good family car but as a seven-seater it doesn't leave much in the way of boot space. For the same money you could buy a larger S-MAX.

Date: 28 December 2012 | Current mileage: 9422 | Claimed economy: 48.7mpg | Actual economy: 37.1mpg

Over Christmas I’ve been adding plenty of miles to the Grand C-MAX. With the car fully loaded with children on visits all over the country, the car really has been put to the test as a family car. The seating system is great for the children and rarely using the centre seat means I can fold it away to make access easier to the very far pop up seats.

Using the C-MAX as a seven-seater means there's little boot space but not having the centre seat in the middle row does go some way as extra luggage room. In reality without this I doubt I could make the journeys to Kent and Devon as there would be nowhere to put a suitcase.

The C-MAX is a good family car but I often find myself needing more space. Now our C-MAX Titanium X is almost £30k and for that money you could get a larger Ford S-MAX. I think it's even better looking than the C-MAX but has far more boot space, especially when the extra row of seats is in use. As a full-time rather than occassional seven-seater the S-MAX makes more sense.

If the Grand C-MAX is only going to be used with the extra pop-up seats once in a while, then it’s the ideal option however if you want to carry more then you'd have to go for a roof box. Useful but not ideal. That said there hasn’t been a single grumble from the monsters. They've found the seats very comfortable on long journeys, even the rearmost two. The power source in the back and a 13 amp socket mean all four iPods keep endless charge and should mean slightly quieter journeys for us in the front. If only that were the case...

There are also tray tables and pull up window blinds. Had there been any sun this winter I’m sure they would have helped!

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Keep calm and carry on

The snow may be causing problems but I've still got to get to shoots and the C-MAX is proving a surprisingly capable car in the tricky conditions.

Date: 14 January 2013 | Current mileage: 10,020 | Claimed economy: 48.7mpg | Actual economy: 37.6mpg

Christmas may have been and gone but only now is winter in fully effect. The snow is causing the usual chaos, although the fact we were warned well in advance means it hasn't been as ridiculous as recent years. And I think as people start to get used to the fact these winters are now a regular occurence, there's more of a 'keep calm and carry on' attitude rather than the panic we've seen previously.

With quite a few big dumps of snow there hasn’t been a single journey aborted in the C-MAX. Admittedly this is mostly due to effective gritters, but the C-MAX has a few features that have helped make life easier in the cold weather.

Until a few weeks ago I hadn't even used the heated seats, but now they're a necessity, especially as the leather seats are very cold first thing in the morning. Considering the size of the C-MAX it heats up very quickly. More practical is the heated windscreen - a feature on all Ford cars. It's so effective and simple that you wonder why all cars don't have it. Push the button and after a few minutes I can clear the screen with the wipers. It's far more effective than putting the blowers on full blast.

The screen does seem to suffer a few lines over the passenger side which don't defrost so I think that's a fault I'll have to get checked when it goes in for a service. The wipers sweep from the centre outwards and with snow this does create a bit more of a blind spot at the front of the screen by the front pillar. So it's essential to properly clear it before setting off. However if it starts to snow when you're driving it can quickly build up.

My biggest problem is keeping the car clean, especially with the amount of salt and slush on the roads. Our C-MAX looks great in Panther Black, but I think if I was choosing again I might have gone for a colour that doesn't show the dirt as much. If such a thing exists!

Our Ford could probably do with a set of winter tyres if the cold snap continues as they greatly increase traction however with the size of the rims and the fact the traction stability light hasn’t even flickered I feel the car is very safe at the moment.

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Sensor overload

The C-MAX has plenty of technology on board with some surprisingly advanced systems but lots of functions means lots of buttons and switches.

Date: 29 January 2013 | Current mileage: 10,775 | Claimed economy: 48.7mpg | Actual economy: 36.8mpg

Living on traditional suburban road we have quite a tight driveway onto what can be a busy road. Usually this means the reverse parking sensors are in overdrive, not helped by a low wall and several hedges. In fact the C-MAX makes a lot of beeps and gongs when you start it up. But today I heard a different noise.

When reversing, the central screen shows the display from the rearview camera which is housed just above the rear number plate. The noise was to alert me that the lens needed cleaning. To be fair it as filthy, even though it's tucked out of the way. As a photographer I should know the value of clean glass in front of a camera! What I found astonishing is how the car somehow actually knew it required cleaning?

Obviously there’s a sensor somewhere, but what it illustrates is the level of engineering that goes into the C-MAX. All I need now is a sensor to occasionally remind myself to clean my own lenses! That's not all because the car also monitors your own driving characteristics, including speed awareness and anticipation, rating it on a scale from 1-5. Currently I’m still hitting five out of five on both to achieve the best fuel economy.

This is mostly due to the intuitive cruise control which can be flicked on and off with ease. This is the same for many different cars but the Ford system just seems that bit more suited to where your hands are. It’s a small point but as I use it so regularly it becomes very important to the way I drive. It can also be cancelled by a very big switch placed just behind the controls.

It's strange to get this so right and yet the other controls for the onboard computer and the phone are placed awkwardly on the top of the steering wheel. As a result you find yourself pressing the buttons on the dash instead of using the steering wheel controls. This may well be down to the fact that there are so many functions that require so many buttons, not all can be well placed. After all the steering wheel can be only so big.

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Locked out!

Our Grand C-MAX has developed an annoying albeit intermittent fault which means it won't unlock, even when you revert to the traditional metal key.

Date: 15 February 2013 | Current mileage: 11,182 | Claimed economy: 48.7mpg | Actual economy: 36.3mpg

There's a slight problem with the Grand C-MAX that's happened on a number of occasions over the last two months. Initially I’d put it down to the cold but it happened again today on a relatively mild day. On returning from a days shoot at a test track the car wouldn’t unlock itself, after repeatedly pressing the button it still refused to open, after checking the handles and pressing the boot unlock buttons the car still remained firmly locked.

I thought it might be the battery in the key fob but after about two minutes of continuously trying, the car finally woke up and unlocked of its own accord. I put it down to a one off and thought perhaps I’d done something to cause the battery to run down like leaving an interior light on.

However two weeks later the car decided to lock itself while parked on the high street. Again it took numerous attempts to unlock the car. The car remained locked until it decided to open of its own accord again some five very frustrated minutes later.

Finally the last time this happened it was on the driveway. This time I decided I wasn't in so much of a rush so decided to see if there was an emergency key in the key fob. I noticed that by pressing in both ends of the fob, the top plate removes to reveal a very tiny looking key.

Placing this in the lock is easy but turning it is quite tricky as there's no handle. However, even this didn't unlock the car. Very confusing. Again after around five minutes of contemplation the car decided to unlock itself and strangely it hasn’t happened again since.

I understand increasingly complex electric locks are required nowadays but it is a worry that the failsafe traditional metal key did not work. The problem has disappeared for now but the boot has started to behave erratically on occasions which makes me think there’s an electrical problem somewhere.

If it was caused by the battery being drained there are several things I've done to try and save power, including turning off the courtesy lights (which leave the lights for a short while after you've locked the car) and automatic folding wing mirrors. I've even switched off the interior lights. Since then the problem hasn’t reoccurred.

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PowerShift doesn't always shift

The six-speed PowerShift dual clutch automatic fitted to our Grand C-MAX isn't ideal when you need instant power which has resorted to Matt using the manual mode.

Date: 27 February 2013 | Current mileage: 11,775 | Claimed economy: 48.7mpg | Actual economy: 36.1mpg

While i'm really enjoying life with the Grand C-MAX, there are a few niggles which I'm starting to notice. The biggest of these is the gearbox. Rather than a standard six-speed manual, we opted for Ford's new PowerShift twin clutch automatic gearbox - a gearbox used in various Ford models as well as by Volvo.

The problem with it is the lag in changes. Now I don’t normally feel the need to floor it, but busy roundabouts can be just one situation where it's useful to have a bit of immediate power. The problem is just at the point where you need the power to pull away there's a delay. It can seem like a lifetime before the gearbix decides it wants to respond to what your right foot is asking.

This delay is significant in normal Drive mode, however there is a saving grace thanks to the Sports mode with manual changes which you select by simply pulling the shift over to the right. This enables you to effectively move up and down through the gears far quicker. Of course it's not as like Kimi Raikkonen's F1 car but it does make a big difference to the delay. The problem is remembering to do this. There’s nothing worse than feeling the need to pull away and the car deciding the timescales rather than you.

On a different note, with four children the weekends tend to be busy so normally an internet shop is done during the week, however this weekend I went with all four to Asda. Never a good idea. On the way back the only way to get the all the shopping in the car with the children in tow was to carefully arrange several shopping bags in the footwells and various gaps I could find. Not ideal.

I only live a mile from the supermarket so travelling time is minimum, but it's still not great. It really highlights the lack of space in the very rear when you have the pop up rearmost seats up. I tried to put a full shopping bag in the boot and the electronic tailgate kept re opening. A case of tailgate says no. I ended up having to rearrange bags in order to get the tailgate to eventually shut.

Currently there’s an umbrella, a pair of boots and a jacket, but try to squeeze anything else in and whenever you open the boot something will jump out and hit the floor - like the bottle of wine on this shopping trip and unfortunately glass doesn’t bounce, that’s my mistake though!

Ford C-MAX LT Shopping (2)

Our C-MAX takes a battering

A rogue piece of metal debris on the outside lane of the M1 has left our C-MAX with some considerable front end damage. And Matt's nerves shot to pieces.

Date: 13 March 2013 | Current mileage: 12,502 | Claimed economy: 48.7mpg | Actual economy: 35.4mpg

Our C-MAX has been in the wars, as you can see from the picture above. I had a very early start at the beginning of the week driving up to Derby County Football Club for a photoshoot - nothing strange in that. What I didn’t know was that on this journey was a giant piece of metal conduit dumped in the outside lane of the M1. And I hit it at 50 mph.

As you can see the result of this coming together was pretty signifcant with damage to the driver's side of the bumper and grille. I thought the damage would be a lot worse and my immediate worries after the the airbags didn’t go off and the tyres weren’t blown soon became apparent when a standard warning to refill the washers came up on the dash. Normally this wouldn’t cause too much anxiety but i'd only just checked the levels at the start of the journey.

Pulling into the services my fears were confirmed and what appeared initially to be cosmetic damage was in fact worse. Whatever had gone up into the engine bay, it had punched a hole in the washer reservoir leaving me without the use of the windscreen washers.

Although I wasn’t travelling that fast due to traffic, I was travelling quick enough not to be able to avoid the debris in the outside lane without swerving into the car next to me and causing an early morning pile up on the M1. Surprisingly there was no puncture and after phoning the Highways Agency to inform them of the incident I did notice two more cars pull into the services with front end damage seconds after I pulled in.

One was a Mercedes-Benz which seemed to come off worse and the driver did seem very concerned. I don’t think the fact he had more damaged had anything to do with safety - more a case of bad luck. More concerning in this whole incident is how something like this ended up sitting in the outside lane of the M1. The C-MAX came off pretty well considering, however my nerves didn’t.

It's goodbye to our Grand C-MAX

It's been worked hard and now we say goodbye to the family-friendly Grand C-MAX. It's going to be missed.

Date: 29 March 2013 | Final mileage: 14,822 | Claimed economy: 48.7mpg | Actual economy: 37.1mpg

My six months with the Ford Grand C-MAX is coming to an end and overall I've driven almost 15,000 miles. Given the work I do and the large family I have, the Ford has certainly been put through its paces. On the whole it's been very good family vehicle. I wouldn’t hesitate to buy one even with all four children even if it does have occasional limitations with boot space.

Our other family vehicle is a Volkswagen Touran 1.9 TDI BlueMotion and size wise, the two are pretty similar. If I needed more space regularly I'd go for a Ford S-MAX or Volkswagen Sharan, but given my budget I'd be happy with a Grand C-MAX as given its relatively small size, it offers a lot for the money.

But one thing has let the Grand C-MAX down - fuel economy.  The claimed economy for our 2.0 TDCI PowerShift model is 48.7mpg but over the six months we've averaged only 37.1mpg - some way short. Of course I do drive with a large amount of heavy equipment in the back but I also spend a lot of time on the motorway so was expecting better from a 2.0-litre diesel engine. A new Volkswagen Touran 2.0 TDI with a DSG gearbox will return 49.6mpg according to the official figures.

It seems I'm below average though. On Real MPG other drivers are averaging a real fuel economy of 43.6mpg in the same car which is better (compared to the official figure) than the manual version of the 2.0 TDCI. The 1.6 TDCI is even worse with a real average of just 43.1mpg against an official figure of 57.7mpg.

I'm sad to see the C-MAX go though. It's suited my needs perfectly being able to switch between family carry-all, long distance workhorse and an enjoyable drive. While the Titanium X specification looks great it does seem a little over the top and it's not cheap. I think a standard Titanium or even a Zetec would make better sense in terms of value for money. I'd also suggest avoiding the PowerShift gearbox unless you really need an automatic - the manual is a better bet in my opinion - not necessarily for economy but when it comes to performance.