Ford’s new C-Max slides onto Irish forecourts

Ford's heavily updated C-Max people carrier has just arrived on sale in Ireland, packing an updated 1.5 diesel that will replace the ageing 1.6 oil-burner, still currently shared with Peugeot and Citroen.

The five seat version keeps its conventional rear doors while the seven seat Grand C-Max once again has sliding rear doors that make for much easier access in car parks when lugging screaming toddlers around.

New high tech options include the hands free electric tailgate, which whirrs open when you waggle your foot around under the bumper and an updated Active City Stop braking system which takes over and slams on the anchors if it detects a low-speed collision is about to happen.

Ford has also trimmed the C-Max's Co2 emissions, which are now down to 105g/km when running the new 120hp version of the 1.5 diesel four cylinder engine. That replaces the aged 1.6 115hp 'Lion' diesel which Ford has been sharing production and use of with Citroen and Peugeot for almost a decade.

For petrol-lovers, there are 100hp and 125hp versions of the familiar 1.0-litre EcoBoost three-cylinder turbo petrol engine as well.

Prices start from €25,755 for a 1.0-litre EcoBoost 100hp five-seat C-Max, with the most affordable 1.5-litre diesel seven-seat Grand C-Max coming in at €29,100. Standard equipment includes 16-inch alloys, front foglights, heated windscreen; SYNC infotainment, air conditioning, privacy glass, leather steering wheel, driver seat lumbar adjust, MyKey – which limits such things as top speed and stereo volume should you be loaning your C-Max to anyone related to you – and power front windows.

“C-Max has been a popular choice for families in Ireland thanks to its style, roominess, functionality, high seating position, overall economy and 7-seat option”, said Ciarán McMahon, Chairman and Managing Director of Ford Ireland.  “And the new version comes with new driver assistance technologies, including the segment first ‘kick activated’ tailgate which we first saw on the Ford Kuga.”