SECTOR: Compact MPV   PRICE: £18,195–£27,615   FUEL: 44.0–68.9mpg   CO2: 105–149g/km

The recent boom in vehicle segments means traditional five-door hatchback customers needing more space have never had a wider choice. Beyond estate cars and MPVs, there’s the option to move up or down into crossover products, sideways into an ever-wider choice of competitor products and even premium brands are muscling in on the core sectors.

So a compact MPV has to cover a lot of bases to make the cut. In this segment, that means hatchback-like driving dynamics with estate-beating versatility, styling sharp enough to avoid being overlooked for a fashionable soft-roader, and economy that belies load capacity.

The C-Max has form here. In the UK, it’s Ford’s best-seller behind the Fiesta and Focus and is only outsold by Citroën’s futuristic C4 Picasso in its segment. It’s also become a world car, and its Europe-honed compactness, agility and style are its key selling points in markets such as North America.

As per segment norms, the C-Max is offered in two bodystyles. Unusually it’s the five-seat C-Max which shifts the largest volumes in the UK, something Ford attributes to a wider choice of seven-seat models than rival brands, but the Grand C-Max with its sliding rear doors and third-row seating costs an extra £1,600.

Behind Ford’s cleaner new corporate front end and power dome bonnet, there are improvements to refinement and a wider effort to use more aesthetically pleasing materials where it’s often seen and touched. Titanium trims get the large new SYNC 2 touchscreen system and a massive reduction in buttons, and it’s a lot more intuitive as a result.

Its Focus-derived underpinnings show up behind the wheel. Though it isn’t as sharp to drive as the hatchback, it feels well-planted and positive rather than top-heavy and vague, and does so without back-breaking ride quality. Ford’s new 1.5-litre diesel engine will be fitted to most UK cars, alongside a 148bhp diesel and a choice of 1.0-litre three-cylinder and 1.5-litre four-cylinder EcoBoost turbocharged petrols.

From the C-pillar back, the two cars are very different. Seven-seat versions get twin sliding rear doors for easier access and the centre section of the rear bench folds away, letting passengers into the back without needing to tip the middle row forward. The second row of the C-Max tumbles forward, but UK cars don’t get the option to fold the centre section away and slide the outer seats from side to side to create more shoulder space.

It’s also easy to turn both into small vans when required, albeit without any storage for the tonneau cover, and there’s enough space for adults in the third row of the Grand C-Max.

There’s a wealth of alternatives to the C-Max, including a couple within Ford’s own product line-up, but this is an established option with plenty of practicality and owner appeal on its side. A sign that, despite the migration towards crossovers, there’s plenty of life left in the MPV segment.

Verdict:

Focus driver appeal and economy in a versatile package. Sub-100g/km CO2 emissions would help, but the C-Max has all the right components to continue its popularity.