Ford has a reputation for building cars that are fun to drive, and the previous generation Galaxy handled well, given that it was such a large MPV. However, the brand’s latest large car platform (the same architecture that underpins the Ford Mondeo and S-MAX) has divided opinion, being geared towards comfort rather than fun.
In the S-MAX, the new platform delivers a softer and more comfortable ride, but the Mondeo was a disappointment in comparison. Unfortunately, the Galaxy’s extra weight and size mean the driving experience is more like the Mondeo than the S-MAX.
Take it easy, however, and the Galaxy is nicely comfortable. The steering has a reasonable amount of weight (but arguably not enough), while stability and grip are superb, especially if you go for a four-wheel drive version. You can feel the body tipping from side to side in corners and the soft suspension is easily unsettled by any bumps, but that’s only when you’re really pushing on, which is pretty rare for MPV drivers.
The Galaxy now cruises along in near silence at town speeds and is remarkably hushed on the motorway. The suspension works well on smooth surfaces – it’s just firm enough to contain the Galaxy’s mass but not so hard that you can feel any small imperfections in the road.
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The new Ford S-MAX is still the go-to Ford MPV if you like to drive briskly, even though neither car is as sharp to drive as their predecessors. Fortunately, the Galaxy is still infused with enough of Ford’s handling expertise.
A six-speed manual gearbox is standard but pay about £1,550 extra for the Powershift automatic gearbox and the Galaxy becomes even smoother.
Engine
There are two turbocharged EcoBoost petrol engines available: a 158bhp 1.5 and 237bhp 2.0 petrol. Neither are slow, as the former will reach 62mph in 10 seconds exactly and the latter is the fastest accelerating Galaxy, with 0-62mph in 8.6 seconds. The 1.5 has the lowest price point in the range and is good for low mileage drivers, while the powerful 2.0-litre is something of a performance flagship.
The diesels will take the overwhelming majority of sales, though. The 148bhp 2.0 TDCI will be the best seller – it takes 10.9 seconds to reach 0-62mph and has plenty of acceleration in the mid-range. A lower powered 119bhp version is also available but it doesn’t offer any economy or emissions benefits and is a lot slower from 0-62mph at 13.6 seconds, so it’s really just a cheaper option.
If you can stretch to the 178bhp version of the 2.0 TDCI, the extra pulling power is worth it, especially when you’ve got a fully loaded car. The 207bhp variant of the 2.0 TDCI is the most powerful of the diesels and is really quick for an MPV – it’s good for 0-62mph in 8.9 seconds – and offers heaps of mid-range punch.
Every version of the TDCi engine revs freely and there’s hardly any clatter that you might typically associate with a diesel, so it complements the Galaxy’s refined nature.