2011 Ford Grand C-Max First Drive

Where would you choose to launch a new minivan to the world's press? Perhaps on some urban roads that mirror the kind of regular routes that a soccer mom might take with her offspring, combined with some sections of interstate to demonstrate how relaxed the van is at a cruise. There might be some tight maneuvering to demonstrate the rear visibility and the effectiveness of the parking sensors and a chance to see how the seats slide, tumble and fold.

Ford, however, chose to launch its 2011Grand C-Max compact minivan on the same roads used in the famous Monte Carlo rally. The route didn't quite make the city itself, but the day of our drive, 25 minivans were hard-charging the south of France's Col de Vence mountain pass, an extraordinary spaghetti-tangle of engine-stretching ascents, brake-baking drops, tire-mashing hairpins and dizzying switchbacks.

New Focus Platform
It was a good choice, because the C-Max rides on the all-new platform that the new 2012 Focus will use, and it would be hard to imagine a better demonstration of the dynamic capabilities of this fresh slice of Ford global hardware. Fortunately, there was an opportunity to try this new minivan in conditions more relevant to the use it will see as a versatile family carry-all.

The C-Max is a compact minivan of a kind widely bought in Europe but quite unusual in the U.S. — similar to Mazda's 5. This is the second-generation C-Max — the first was launched in 2002 — but it's the first time this model will cross the Atlantic to the U.S. It's also the first time the C-Max has offered a seven-seat option and a pair of sliding rear side doors to go with them, a configuration that makes this car worthy of appearing in U.S. showrooms, according to Ford.

In Europe the seven-seater is called the Grand C-Max, though the "Grand" may well be dropped for the U.S. which will only get the seven-seater. Ford of Europe, which led the development of this car, will have reworked the front bumper and lighting to meet federal regulations. Otherwise, this car is essentially the same on either side of the pond.

Utility and Style
But this is not the kind of minivan that U.S. buyers will be used to. It's considerably smaller than a Honda Odyssey or Toyota Sienna and finished considerably better — its cabin furnishings and architecture are not far off premium-quality finishes. The soft-feel upper dashboard, the instruments, the steering wheel and the upper center console housing the infotainment system are all stylish, well-finished pieces. The seats are comfortable and supportive, too, though the lack of a tilting seat bottom for the driver is a shame. And the meagerly dimensioned 5-inch navigation screen is unfortunate, especially because it's rather distant.

The aluminum trim flowing from the lower dash into the center console, which Ford calls the bullhorn, looks suspiciously unmetallic. But this is a sporty, wrap-around cockpit, which is appropriate given the C-Max's dynamic prowess. And as the test route suggests, this is a minivan that handles with considerable verve.

The only problem is keeping a kid-carrying C-Max from turning into a mobile vomitarium.

That's not to say it's short of the practical features you'd expect from the home-extension-on-wheels that a minivan should be. The most ingenious feature is a middle-row center seat that folds flat and hinges sideways to stow beneath the seat bottom of the outboard seat. Even better, it does so with surprising ease once you learn the routine. Tucking that (admittedly narrow) center seat away opens up a walk-through passage to the pair of rear seats. One can't, however, step rearward from the first row because there's a console between the front seats.

The rearmost seats are suitable only for uncomplaining, modestly sized offspring despite the fact that the 40/20/40-split bench middle row slides forward. Still, they'll do for short trips. Both the middle and third-row seats fold flat to form a completely horizontal load deck. Access to the cargo area is via an electrically operated tailgate, but you'll have to heave open and shut the sliding side doors yourself.

Middle-row occupants enjoy good headroom and reasonable legroom if they slide their seats rearward, but the middle position is better suited for a child seat. Though the seats reconfigure neatly and conveniently, they do it in a space that isn't quite large enough to make this C-Max truly useful as a seven-seater. And fully occupied it has a cargo space that struggles to swallow a couple of modest grocery bags. Consider this car as a five-seater with a pair of emergency perches in the trunk.

Power and Handling
Ford has yet to decide which engines it will offer for the U.S. Normally aspirated and turbocharged 2.0-liter fours generating 160 horsepower and 204 hp are possibilities, as is the smaller 1.6-liter four that we sample here. European styles come in either 150-hp or 180-hp versions. Surprisingly, even the less powerful engine goes well — probably because there's a stout 177 pound-feet of torque on call from as little as 1,600 rpm. And if you floor the throttle, triggering the overboost mode, you have 199 lb-ft between 1,900 and 3,500 rpm.

This all-new aluminum twin-cam turbo motor is the downsized equivalent of a 2.0-liter normally aspirated power unit, its key benefits being strong low-down torque, a free-revving character and the improved fuel economy that comes from the reduced friction and pumping losses of a smaller engine. It's coupled to a silky new six-speed manual transmission, but a six-speed auto will be available as well.

And the EcoBoost motor is smooth, eager and even has a faintly sporty rort. Two-up it pulls keenly and suits the agile character of the C-Max well. You soon get used to the initial turn-in only to make the unlikely discovery of a minivan that revels in being flung into bends. It also musters strong resistance to understeer and offers exceptional body control for a device designed to take the kids to school. And despite electric power steering, there's excellent steering weight and feedback. A smooth clutch and strong brakes make it easy to drive hard and it's genuinely entertaining.

The only real problem will come in keeping a kid-carrying C-Max from turning into a mobile vomitarium in the hands of an enthusiastic driver. Calm down and your passengers can savor the excellent ride and minimal wind and road noise to challenge their backseat chatter.

The Final Tally
So it's a civilized machine, this C-Max — fun to drive, tidily finished, and from the front, quite good-looking. The uncertain rear-end styling of the 2011 Ford Grand C-Max is disappointing. The five-seater, which the U.S. won't see, is slicker. Even the seven-seater, however, is a minivan for those who prioritize driver enjoyment and interior finish ahead of load-carrying. And for them, the Focus might be a better answer.

The 2011 Ford C-Max will start at $19,500 when it goes on sale in the U.S. in the fall of 2011 — just in time to squeeze in a few canyon runs before the snow flies.

Edmunds attended a manufacturer-sponsored event, to which selected members of the press were invited, to facilitate this report.