Should you buy a Ford C-Max?

There are better compact MPVs out there than the Ford C-Max, and unless you manage to get a very good deal from a dealer desperate to shift one, it’s one of those competitors we’d go for.

The C-Max isn’t a bad car by any means, but it’s been around for nearly a decade and in that time the game has moved on. For starters, most companies have now dropped their compact MPVs for SUVs – such as Peugeot with the 3008, Toyota with the Verso and Vauxhall with the Meriva. These can offer almost as much versatility as the C-Max but without the associated stodgy image and poor residuals.

The C-Max doesn’t benefit from the very latest technology, and that reflects in its old-fashioned interior and poor crash test score. 

It’s still the pick of the class for keen drivers, though. With good engines and an unexpectedly brilliant chassis, we’re huge fans of the way the C-Max drives. Is it enough to overlook its other failings? 

Probably not. We’d still be looking towards the likes of the Volkswagen Touran or Citroen C4 Spacetourer in this class – they’re better-rounded prospects.