Ford C-MAX MPV (2011-2019) - Reliability & safety
Questions have been raised over the long-term durability of the small but powerful EcoBoost petrol engines
The Ford C-MAX has a quality feel and appearance in line with the rest of the brand’s models. It’s not as classy looking or robust as a Volkswagen, nor as radically styled as a Citroen. Instead, it occupies the middle ground, with a blend of soft-touch materials and harder, more durable plastics inside. Depending which survey you read, the C-MAX is either quite reliable or significantly troublesome. Certainly, the three-year/60,000-mile warranty is only average for the industry.
Ford C-MAX reliability
The Ford C-MAX was rated a little above average for reliability in our 2017 Driver Power owner satisfaction survey of cars currently on sale in the UK. Of the owners who responded, 11.1% reported experiencing a problem with their car on at least one occasion. In our 2018 survey it placed 34th out of 75 cars while as a brand Ford was 16th out of 26 manufacturers. This year, it didn't appear in our survey - either it has dropped out of the top 100 or too few owners commented - but Ford saw a slightly lacklustre performance, coming 23rd out of 30 manufacturers.
Safety
The previous version of the Ford C-MAX was awarded five stars for crash safety by Euro NCAP. In fact, it scored a very impressive 92% for adult occupant protection. But, in a bid to highlight to consumers the differences in safety between all-new models and older, facelifted cars, Euro NCAP tested the latest C-MAX in 2017 and awarded it only three out of five stars. In the crash-test body's latest battery of tests, it scored 76 and 60% in the adult and child occupant protection categories. Its worst performance was a 29% score in the Safety Assist category, highlighting the fact Ford's mid-size MPV is no longer fitted with the latest crash mitigation technology.
The C-MAX is fitted with anti-lock brakes, traction control, electronic stability control with emergency braking assistance and six airbags as standard. It’s disappointing that the Drivers Assistance Package costs £450 and can’t be paired with the entry-level Zetec trim.
