Ford S-Max and Galaxy. Different characters

Fans of the Ford Galaxy who were waiting for a generational change got a double surprise: Ford Motor engineers prepared two new models at once — Galaxy and S-Max, which differ not only in appearance but also in character.

2006 Ford S-MAX
© Photo: Ford

The test drive of the fresh Ford Galaxy and the hot version of the S-Max took place in the picturesque surroundings of Seville. These places are famous not only for their landscapes but also for their road surface: almost all secondary routes winding between villages look as if they were asphalted just the day before. In addition, traffic here is surprisingly sparse, so the conditions for evaluating driving qualities are almost ideal.

We decided to start with the Ford S-Max, equipped with a Duratec 2.5 petrol engine producing 220 hp. The car turned out to be in top trim: leather interior with electric drives and heating, electronic handbrake, multimedia with touchscreen, dual-zone climate control, and 18-inch alloy wheels. In short, "all inclusive." The only thing missing was the third row of seats, but its absence was explained simply: instead, a sliding shelf was installed in the trunk, which was an option for $500.

When I tried to press the clutch, the pedal turned out to be quite stiff — the drive settings of the car with the 2.5-liter engine cannot be called soft. But gear changes are performed perfectly — easily and precisely. Sometimes this ease even confuses: for a "hot" minivan, which the 220-horsepower S-Max is, one would want more resistance on the lever. The transmission is a 6-speed manual. It went to all versions of the S-Max, except for the petrol 2.0 (145 hp) and diesel 1.8 (125 hp), which have five-speed gearboxes.

According to the official data, the S-Max reaches the first "hundred" in 7.9 seconds — an excellent figure for a seven-seat minivan. But in practice, the dynamics do not feel so swift. The reason is the muffled exhaust system, excellent sound insulation, and the smooth torque characteristic of the turbo engine.

However, I would be cautious about recommending the S-Max as the only car for a family: on broken asphalt, this minivan can shake your soul out. Perhaps not only the stiff springs with "sport" suspension dampers are to blame, but also the low-profile tires 235/45R18 fitted to the test car, but the fact remains: on a bad road, the car turns into a vibrating massage chair. But it is precisely thanks to this "teeth-rattling" suspension that the S-Max handles simply magnificently.

With the Galaxy, the situation is different. At first glance, there are few differences: a calmer front bumper, no ventilation "gills" behind the front arches, a less sloping roof, larger third-row windows, and a differently styled fifth door. But the perception of the car is completely different. If the S-Max is a young rake, a life-burner, then the Galaxy is an exemplary family man, radiating confidence and solidity.

From such cars, you usually do not expect outstanding handling or driving excitement, because their task is to transport people and cargo with comfort and without unnecessary stress. Therefore, it was a pleasant surprise that the Galaxy handles almost as eagerly as the S-Max, but at the same time does not make passengers bounce on every bump. And in dynamics, the Galaxy is not inferior to the S-Max, except for the version with the Duratec 2.5 engine — such an engine is simply not provided for the Galaxy.

For the test, we got a Galaxy with a Duratorq 2.0 turbodiesel producing 143 hp. Its main advantage — moderate appetite for diesel fuel — is offset by two drawbacks. Firstly, the engine is not very flexible, and secondly, it is quite noisy. The diesel rattles constantly — both at idle and while driving, and even more so during acceleration. The sound insulation, which coped excellently with its duties on the petrol S-Max, simply capitulated here.

2006 Ford Galaxy
© Photo: Ford

Summing up the acquaintance with the Galaxy and S-Max, certain conclusions can be drawn. The Galaxy is definitely more comfortable than the S-Max (we do not take the diesel noise into account — we did not have the chance to compare identical versions of both models), but the S-Max looks noticeably more attractive. As for interior transformation and passenger space, there is complete parity: both cars take up to seven people, and a passenger 186 cm tall fits freely in the third row (checked personally!). In terms of equipment, the models also differ little, but the price differs: since the third row of seats in the Galaxy is included in the base equipment, it is about a thousand dollars more expensive than the S-Max.

Trims and prices

The base S-Max with a 2.0 petrol engine (145 hp) costs $24,630, and the seven-seat Galaxy with the same engine costs $25,900. The S-Max with 1.8 and 2.0 turbodiesels (125 and 143 hp) are priced from $26,000 and from $26,900 respectively, and the top 220-horsepower version is $28,140. The Galaxy also gets 1.8 and 2.0 turbodiesels, but with 100 and 130 horsepower. Prices for such modifications start from $26,400 and from $27,660.

Technical specifications of Ford S-Max // Ford Galaxy

Body – minivan
Number of seats – 5 // 7
Curb weight, kg – 1622 // 1605
Gross weight, kg – 2415
Dimensions, mm:
- length – 4768 // 4820
- width – 1854
- height – 1658 // 1723
Wheelbase, mm – 2850
Trunk volume, l – 854/2100 // 308/2325
Maximum speed, km/h – 230 // 193
Acceleration time to 100 km/h, s – 7.9 // 10.5
Average fuel consumption, l/100 km – 9.4 // 6.5
Engine:
- type – petrol, 5-cyl., 20-valve, turbocharged // diesel, 4-cyl., 16-valve, turbocharged
- displacement, cm3 – 2522 // 1997
- power, hp at rpm – 220/5000 // 143/4000
- torque, Nm at rpm – 320/1500-4800 // 320/1750
Transmission – manual, 6-speed
Tire size (front/rear) – 235/45R18 // 215/60R16
Suspension:
- front – McPherson type
- rear – independent, multi-link
Brakes:
- front – disc, ventilated
- rear – disc
Steering – rack and pinion, with power steering
Price, $ – from 28,140 // from 28,050

Advantages and disadvantages

Ford S-Max
+ Sharp steering, flashy looks, spacious interior.
– Stiff suspension.

Ford Galaxy
+ Good handling, high level of comfort.
– Lack of striking features.