Ford Grand C-MAX (2010 – 2019) Review

Ford added a compact seven-seat MPV to its line-up with the 2010 Ford Grand C-MAX. And it didn’t do it by half measure, either, as the model came with sliding rear doors for added ease of access. Based on the Ford Focus platform of the period, the Ford Grand C-MAX outshone rivals like the Mazda 5, long established Renault Scenic and big-selling Vauxhall Zafira Tourer thanks to the way it drives. However, there are areas where the Ford Grand C-MAX falls a bit short, such as in terms of boot space and room for passengers in the third row. Read on for our full Ford Grand C-MAX review.

The Ford Grand C-MAX does exactly what it says on the tin – it’s a Ford C-MAX, only it’s grander. That’s thanks to a pair of fold-out seats hidden away in the boot floor. Aside from that, it’s all familiar Ford C-MAX, meaning excellent handling, family-friendly practicality and a good choice of engines.

The two additional rear seats are simple to pull up from the boot floor using fabric straps and, while not suited to larger children, are fine for occasional use and short trips.

They do more or less render the boot useless, though – a Ford Galaxy or the excellent Ford S-MAX might be better if you need boot space and seven seats at the same time, and are keen to stick with the Ford badge.

Unlike the standard Ford C-MAX, the Ford Grand C-MAX has sliding rear doors that make getting child seats in and out very easy. Plus they give great access in multi-storey car parks. The middle row of seats folds with a 40/20/40 split and is very spacious, with plenty of room for adults to sit in comfort.

The engine range consists of two 1.0-litre Ecoboost petrol engines, plus 1.5-litre and 2.0-litre TDCi diesels. All four options are suited to the Ford Grand C-MAX, although the entry-level 100PS Ecoboost can get out of puff if fully loaded. The two diesels, with 120PS or 150PS, can both be found with a Powershift automatic.

All of the engines have decent fuel economy and even the most powerful 150PS automatic model has emissions below 130g/km, so running costs should be low – just bear in mind the often poor performance of Ecoboost engines in our Real MPG section.

What really sets the Ford Grand C-MAX apart from other used MPVs of the same time is the way it drives. On the road, it has excellent ride quality, yet it also has tremendous grip and great steering, making it surprisingly good fun for an MPV. It’s quiet and refined too, so is well suited to long-distance journeys.

If you’re looking for a true seven-seater, then the Ford S-MAX or SEAT Alhambra are a better bet, but if you just need some extra seats for occasional use the Ford Grand C-MAX is great – it’s good to drive, cheap to run and has a practical cabin. Just remember that those two extra seats eat into boot space.

Fancy a second opinion? Read heycar's Ford Grand C-MAX review.

The Ford Grand C-MAX is more or less identical inside to the standard Ford C-MAX, except for the obvious addition of two extra seats.

These fold up from the boot floor using strong material straps. It’s very straightforward to flip them out or stow them and they’re surprisingly spacious if you remember they’re only really suited to children.

There is a drawback, though – they render the boot almost useless. With both of the rear seats in place there’s barely enough room for shopping bags, so they are really meant for occasional use only.

That said, Ford does sell the Ford S-MAX and Ford Galaxy for families who need load space and extra seats.

With the seats folded down, the boot is large at 448 litres – plenty for luggage, pushchairs or shopping. The load deck is nice and flat – making loading and unloading easy. The middle row of seats also folds completely flat, freeing up a maximum of 1742 litres. That’s enough for furniture or trips to the tip.

The middle row of seats is easily spacious enough for a pair of adults even with taller occupants up front, plus the seats can be slid and reclined to allow passengers to get comfortable. Access is good thanks to sliding rear doors, which really help with getting children in and out, even in tight parking spaces.

Up front the Ford C-MAX feels like most Fords of the era – the layout is very similar to the Focus and uses the same mixture of soft-touch materials high up and hard-wearing plastics low down. It’s easy to get comfortable thanks to the breadth of adjustment in the driving position, while all of the controls are logically placed and intuitive.

All versions of the Ford Grand C-MAX included alloy wheels, Quickclear heated windscreen, air-conditioning and DAB radio. Moving up to Titanium trim adds an eight-inch touchscreen, auto lights, auto wipers, keyless entry and start and parking sensors. Top Titanium X models have part leather, power seats and a panoramic roof.

Like all Fords made around the same time, the Ford Grand C-MAX has a good mix of materials in its cabin to make you feel it's well put together.

Some areas, notably the door panels, use too much hard, shiny plastic, but it’s durable if a little too prone to being scratched.

Up to 2015, the Ford used its smaller screen for the infotainment, but from that date onwards the Titanium and Titanium X models gained an eight-inch display.

This SYNC2 set-up is the one to have if your budget can stretch to it, as it’s easier to use and clearer to see.

A 12-year-old Ford Grand C-MAX with 80,000 miles should be easy to find for around £5000 with a full service record and in Titanium specification.

For something newer, a six-year-old model in top-level Titanium X trim with less than 30,000 miles on the clock should come in around the £16,500 mark. These cars will most likely have the 1.5-litre turbodiesel engine.

If you really need to watch the pennies, the smaller 1.5 or 1.6-litre turbodiesel engines are the ones to have in the Ford Grand C-MAX.

They return a claimed economy of around 60mpg, which comes out at 50mpg in our Real MPG figures. Coupled to carbon dioxide emissions as low as 113g/km, it makes for affordable fuel fills and road tax.

However, don’t discount the 2.0 TDCi turbodiesel, as it has more grunt for driving duties and is only slightly behind when it comes to consumption and CO2 output.

Among the petrols, the 100PS 1.0-litre Ecoboost seems like a good bet, but it’s short on puff when the car is loaded up, so we’d opt for the 125PS version that offers identical 54.3mpg.

For insurance, the Ford Grand C-MAX sits in groups 10 to 26 depending on trim and engine, so it’s not too taxing when it comes paying your premium.

The Ford Grand C-MAX isn’t just good to drive for an MPV – it’s good to drive full stop. It provides a very well-judged blend of comfortable ride quality and excellent handling, with superb body control and accurate steering.

It’s certainly the most enjoyable MPV of this class and age, but it’s also quiet and refined enough for long motorway trips.

Speed bumps and potholes are taken care of easily, while light controls make town driving easy. Despite that, the Ford Grand C-MAX tackles corners with aplomb. The amount of traction is surprising and inspires real confidence on twisting county roads.

The 1.0-litre Ecoboost petrol is available with either 100PS or 125PS and a manual transmission, while the 1.5-litre 120PS TDCi and 2.0-litre 150PS TDCi diesels are available with either a six-speed manual or a six-speed Powershift automatic transmission.

There was also an earlier 1.6 TDCi, but the later motors are more refined.

The entry-level 100PS petrol is surprisingly capable, but if you tend to carry a full load of passengers, particularly out of town on faster roads, then it might feel underpowered. The 125PS Ecoboost is a better bet, but the Ford Grand C-MAX is probably at its best with one of the diesel engines.

The 1.5-litre TDCi with 120PS has 270Nm of torque, which provides punchy performance on the move, allied to strong official economy of 64.2mpg and emissions of 113g/km.

It has the lowest running costs of any Ford Grand C-MAX variant, but the 150PS diesel isn’t far behind, despite its stronger performance.

For drivers who spend a lot of time on the motorway or on country roads with a fully-laden car, the 150PS TDCi is the best engine. But it’s not necessarily the wisest choice unless you really need the extra performance.

All versions of the Ford Grand C-MAX come with a light, precise six-speed manual transmission as standard, but if you want an auto, both diesels are available with a smooth dual-clutch Powershift.

It suits the Ford Grand C-MAX well and doesn’t affect fuel economy too much, but it costs an additional £1250.

When Euro NCAP tested the Ford Grand C-MAX, it scored a five-star rating. That was as good as it got in those days, though this score has since expired as testing has moved on.

However, the Ford Grand C-MAX remains a safe option thanks to seven airbags, ESP, and ABS brakes. Isofix child seat restraints are fitted to the two outer middle row seats. It could also be specified with blind spot warning and speed limiter as options.

There is quite a lot of variation in the maximum braked trailer weight a Ford Grand C-Max can pull depending on the engine fitted and trim. Some can only haul up to 900kg, while others are capable of twice that at 1800kg. With an unbraked trailer, most Grand C-Max models are capped at 745kg.

Entry point to the line-up comes in the form of the Ford Grand C-MAX Zetec models that feature 16-inch alloy wheels, Quickclear heated windscreen, front foglights, driver’s seat lumbar support, air-conditioning, DAB radio, heated door mirrors, MyKey and hill-start assist.

Go for the Ford Grand C-MAX Zetec Titanium trim and it adds 17-inch alloy wheels, SYNC2 touchscreen with DAB from 2015-on, auto lights, auto wipers, auto-dimming rear-view mirror, dual-zone climate control, and power rear child locks.

There’s also keyless entry, starter button, cruise control with active speed limiter, front and rear power windows, power fold door mirrors and rear parking sensors.

With the Ford Grand C-MAX Titanium X, you get panoramic glass roof, xenon headlights, partial leather seats, heated front seats and a driver’s power-adjustable seat.