A range of engines means there’s a variety of Ford Grand C-Max performance choices. A good mix of petrol and diesel engines are available, with four 1.6-litre petrol and four diesel units to choose from. The diesel range includes the 93bhp 1.6-litre TDCi, 113bhp 1.6-litre TDCi, 113bhp 2.0-litre TDCi, 138bhp 2.0-litre TDCi and a 160bhp 2.0-litre TDCi.

Ford has introduced the four-cylinder 1.6-litre EcoBoost with two power bands. The low-powered unit will deliver 148bhp and can get from zero to 62mph in 9.9 seconds and it is the pick of the bunch. It has plenty of pulling power (240Nm) and this makes it child’s play to overtake on single carriageways. There will also be a higher-powered version with an output of 177bhp and it will reach the 0-62mph benchmark in 8.9 seconds.

The introduction of this engine on a Ford car is the first for the brand and after driving it buyers are unlikely to be disappointed. Three gearboxes are included: five and six-speed manual and a six-speed auto. The five-speed ’box is mated to the 1.6-litre petrol engines with 103bhp and 123bhp. The six-speed manual ’box is mated to the 1.6-litre EcoBoost models and three diesel engines (this includes 93bhp 1.6TDCi, 113bhp 1.6 TDCi, 138bhp 2.0-litre TDCi) and the 160bhp 2.0-litre TDCi.

The quickest diesel in the range is the 160bhp 2.0-litre TDCi that covers the zero to 62mph sprint in 9.2 seconds.

The new Grand C-Max handles brilliantly for such a large car. On twisty roads it feels like a smaller Focus or Fiesta, which is a big compliment. There is a little body roll but you have to be cornering at high speeds to notice this. The suspension has been tweaked and the steering rack has been made quicker to give a sharper response on turn-in. The weighting on the wheel is pretty near perfect and you can feel exactly what the front wheels are up to when cornering.

The Grand C-Max is one of the class leaders for driver enjoyment.