Ford Galaxy Titanium

According to Ford, the Ford Galaxy Titanium will most likely be the best selling trim in the people carrier's range. It's not difficult to see why, as the Titanium version of Ford's biggest people carrier comes with some desirable equipment. Satellite navigation, three-zone climate control, power-foldable door mirrors all come as standard, as does Ford's SYNC 2 infotainment system with voice control and DAB radio.

There's no getting around the fact that the Galaxy is a very big car, but that is to the benefit of excellent practicality and space inside. The boot space can hit 2,339 litres when all of the seats are folded flat, there are three ISOFIX points in the middle row and there's some handy storage spaces in the cabin. Options like a power tailgate and the Titanium Family Pack only add to its family car appeal.

The Galaxy can be had with either a 1.5-litre EcoBoost petrol engine or either a 148 or 178bhp 2.0-litre diesel. There's a standard six-speed manual gearbox or the choice to equip a six-speed PowerShift automatic. If you choose the 148bhp diesel, you can also specify four-wheel-drive for added grip.

The Galaxy remains competitive in some areas when compared to rivals like the Citroen Grand C4 Picasso and SEAT Alhambra. The Citroen may be more economical than the Galaxy, but the Ford does provide more interior space. For those who don't necessarily need seven seats or a van-like amount of boot space on a regular basis, you might be better off with picking the smaller Ford S-MAX or even a Ford Grand C-MAX.

Good points

The Galaxy's practicality is very competitive. All of the rear seats can be folded flat to reveal a truly gargantuan boot and there are three ISOFIX anchors for child seats in the middle row (rare, even for cars of this size). If you specify the Titanium Family Pack, the rearmost seats can be folded at the touch of a button.The Galaxy certainly looks like an upmarket car. It also doesn't look that different from its sportier Ford S-MAX brother, as both people carriers were redesigned in 2015.

Bad points

The Galaxy has lost some of its desirable handling qualities that its predecessors had in spades. It's not quite the engaging drive that it used to be.There's no getting around the fact that the Galaxy is a boxy MPV, despite how hard the creases and lines down the sides try to disguise it. Its size might mean it could be difficult to park for some, too.The interior may look modern and clean, but there are hard and scratchy plastics to be found in several places. Some poorly built touches are hidden from the naked eye, but can be found if you look hard enough.

What you get

• Alloy wheels
• Folding rear seats
• Electric folding wing mirrors
• Rear parking sensors
• Passenger & Driver airbag
• Front side airbags
• Curtain airbags
• Front fog lights
• Auto climate control
• Leather steering wheel
• Height adjustable driver's seat
• Front electric windows
• Single CD player
• AUX stereo input
• DAB Radio
• Cruise control
• Sat nav
• Stop/Start
• Automatic wipers
• Rear electric windows
• Bluetooth

Recommended optional extras

• Titanium Family Pack
• Power tailgate

Our choice

The 148bhp 2.0-litre diesel engine with a manual gearbox will be all anyone will ever need. Fuel economy is pretty decent, as the engine returns up to a claimed 56.5mpg. Carbon dioxide emissions are at 129 grams per kilometre, so road tax is £110 per year.