• Dinky 1.0 petrol a good performer
• Diesels the pick for fuel economy
• Steer clear of 174g/km petrol

With just three engines on offer, C-Max running costs are pretty easy to digest. The most efficient engine is, naturally, the 120hp 1.5-litre diesel.

When paired with a manual gearbox it’s capable of returning up to 48.7mpg –  a good figure for a car this size. Automatic models return up to 46.3mpg.

However, opting for the much cheaper 1.0-litre, 125hp petrol will only see this figure reduce to an official 42.2mpg, which isn’t too much of a sacrifice especially given the initial cost saving.

The most powerful petrol model is the most expensive to run, with a claimed fuel economy of just 33.6mpg and CO2 emissions of 174g/km.

Depreciation is an issue with these cars, as they’re far less desirable than the equivalent SUV – the Kuga, in Ford’s lineup. You can expect C-Max models to retain less than 30 per cent of their value after three years, which is a poor figure indeed and contributes to unimpressive finance figures.

Reliability

Ford’s reliability record is pretty good but we’d steer clear of the six-speed Powershift automatic gearboxes. These have had a very poor showing and numerous owners have reported issues.

The C-Max is protected by the same three-year/60,000 mile warranty as the rest of the Ford range. The underpinnings are Focus-based, meaning maintenance is easy and cheap, plus the vast Ford dealer network should ensure it’s easy to find a garage near you.