Ford Galaxy
Ratings
4 stars
Summary
Recommended. Big, stylish and sensible - Ford's new full-sized people-carrier is marred only by a very steep pricetag.
Review
A seven-seat people carrier is unlikely to induce a warm ownership tingle in anyone but a seasoned minicab driver, but Ford has worked hard to give the new Galaxy a quality edge over more utilitarian rivals.
With styling inspired by that of a high-speed train, the Galaxy is closely related to the lower, sportier S-Max and shares the same mechanical underpinnings - although it's pitched as the more sensible of the duo.
The impressively vast cabin is definitely the main attraction. Front and mid-row passengers enjoy an abundance of space and good visibility from the deep glassline and all seats slide and recline. The occasional third row seats are raised and collapsed from beneath the boot, although the process is fairly laborious compared to the similar-deal Vauxhall Zafira, thanks to the need to reclip the floor covering each time. Limited space for the rearmost seats mean they will only suit smaller kids over longer journeys. With them stowed the Galaxy boasts an impressively large boot.
The Galaxy is dripping with useful touches - stowage compartments and neat design details abound. We were disappointed by the optional airline-style drop down overhead storage bins, though. They are poorly designed and hard to operate. Most of the cabin is finished to a commendably high standard - but some areas of cheap, flimsy-feeling plastics on the dashboard knock the impression of quality.
Smooth suspension and excellent driving manners make the Galaxy an accomplished mile-muncher, with impressively good refinement at motorway speeds and a compliant, well-damped ride. Performance is limited with the more basic engines, especially the gutless entry-level 99 bhp 1.8 litre TDCI diesel motor. The more powerful diesels make most sense, although the 143 bhp unit is noisy under hard acceleration.
Despite being priced close to established seven-seat rivals, the Galaxy looks very expensive compared to the cheaper, better-looking and better-handling S-Max.
Ratings Breakdown
Styling
3 star
Inoffensive design doesn't disguise the Galaxy's boxy proportions - we don't think it looks as good as the lower, sleeker S-Max.
Handling
3 star
You'll look in vain for excitement, but the Galaxy delivers composed progress and cruises happily at motorway speeds.
Comfort
4 star
Brilliant seats and an excellent driving position make the Galaxy a supremely relaxing place to spend time. Third row only really suited to kids or occasional use.
Quality & Reliability
4 star
Impressively solid-feeling construction for the most part, although we're disappointed by cheap-feeling hard plastics on the lower part of the dashboard.
Performance
3 star
Top-spec 143 bhp 2.0 litre TDCI diesel motor provides decent urge, but less powerful units lack much in the way of pace - and the basic 99 bhp 1.8 TDCI takes a yawning 14.3 seconds for 0-62 mph.
Roominess
5 star
One of the biggest of the current crop of people carriers, with loads of room for front and middle-row passengers and plenty of neat storage compartments. Luggage space limited with third row seats upright.
Running Costs
4 star
Diesel engines deliver decent economy and cheap Ford servicing helps trim the Galaxy's cost-per-mile - depreciation is likely to be steep, though.
Value for money
2 star
It's disappointing that Ford is determined to extract such a premium for the Galaxy over the very similar S-Max. Like-for-like it's £2,500 more expensive, a supplement it can't justify.
