Ford Focus C-MAX (03-10) - Review

The cabin not only looks good, but it's well insulated from wind, road and engine noise. Thanks to high-quality materials it has an upmarket and sophisticated feel, helped by the neat switchgear and clear dials. The front passenger gets lots of head and legroom while those in the back benefit from seats that slide for extra leg and shoulder room. The seats also offer good support and are comfortable enough for long trips.

The biggest gripe is the lack of a seven-seat option - a feature which the majority of alternatives now offer. The rear seats are comfortable enough but they don't fold completely flat which limits the Ford's versatility, and unlike the Galaxy and S-MAX, there are no clever folding systems. It's spacious in the back though and all three seats can be slid back and forth independently - the boot is large too and with 550-litres of space it offers plenty of space for four peoples luggage.

The steering wheel adjusts for height and reach and the driver's seat is adjustable, which makes for an excellent driving position. Although you get a sense of height, it never feels as if you're driving a bulky car but the untidy windscreen pillars hinder visibility at junctions. Build quality is excellent and the materials used are generally good, although there are a few hard plastics out of sight. The appearance of the interior is much improved on facelifted cars and shows more attention to detail - particularly around the instruments.