Test Drive Ford Grand C-MAX since 2010 Minivan

Focus with the C-Mach Prefix

Ford introduced a new generation Focus
The new FOCUS C-MAX Compact Minivan C-Max product is of particular interest of fans of the brand, as well as today's owners of Fords. This car shows how popular Ford Models (including Focus) next generation will be possessed. On the riding presentation C-MAX in Austria visited Igor Komarov.
The premiere of Ford Focus C-Mach took place in March of this year at the Geneva Motor Show. It must be said that the static demonstration of the car did not cause the journalists from journalists (if you recall the reports of the authisis about the exhibition) of special emotions. C-MAX was perceived as a proven attempt of the Fords to win the escort of the extremely popular segment of multifunctional cars (in our country they are called micro or compactnes). And it's not just that the attitude towards copies, even the most perfect, somewhat different than the original to the origin of this class of Renault Scenic and Opel Zafira. The main thing is that the sofhs sparkling in the rays did not stand out from a number of competitors by any chip
But you should not judge the car in photos and exclusively visual impressions. The one-piece and truthful image of any machine is developing only when you wander on its odometer some number of kilometers. How many? For different machines in different ways. Ford Focus C-Mach (this is the full model name) opened me after two or three rolls of turns. Immediately manifested the main feature of the car: C-MAX, despite its belonging to the class of WaN (albeit micro), is controlled as a purebred Hatchback of the golf class. Acute, with sports notes, driving does not interfere with a high roof, nor vertical landing of the driver. Moreover: C-MAX holds the road on the line and turns much more confident of the usual Focus. It is strange that Microvnel is better controlled than a sedan or hatchback? Nothing amazing. After all, the usual Focus (one that makes, in particular, at the factory in Vsevolozhsk) and Focus C-Max combines only the name.
However, Fords will not focus on the fact that C-MAX is a representative of a new generation of focus. Apparently, marketers considered that the time for the loud debut of the new Focus had not yet come. Nevertheless, in personal conversations, representatives of the European branch of Ford did not hide that a new platform developed for Focus II was based on the car.
What's in your name
Russian brand manager Focus Artem Gusarov at the presentation of the car argued that the main qualities that engineers and designers were sought in the development of C-MAX were to preserve the style of Focus and the new driving quality. In these words, a person familiar with the features of the layout and manner of the behavior of compactnesnov is difficult to believe. Indeed, the competitors of C-Max Renault Scenic, Opel Zafira, Citroen Xsara Picasso little similar to their progenitors of models, on the basis of which they were created (Megane, Astra and XSara, respectively). This also applies to appearance, and interior, and especially driving qualities. Before C-Mach, all cars of this class were different or extravagant, or practical, but not a rapid design. The main feature of the ergonomics of the driver's seat of all models is the bus planting of the driver and passengers and is close to horizontal steering. This circumstance makes drivers who loving the active style of driving, bypass these cars by the side, even despite their indisputable practicality and convenience.
C-Mach is actually developed with a clean sheet and therefore deprived of compromises (except for the ecologists of a gasoline engine strangled in favor of the ecologists. Behind the wheel of the new Focus, you feel the same way as the wheel of the hatchback or sedan. Even a little more convenient.
In the design of the exterior of the old and new Focus, only the style remained, all the details took a different form. The overall impression of the appearance of the novelty is: despite the high roof, the car does not look like a gulliver nor a colossusion on clay legs. The car is difficult to call Wen even with the prefix micro. Rather, C-MAX resembles a high-roof hatchbacks, for example, such popular models such as Peugeot 307 or Mitsubishi Space Star.
In the interior of C-MAX from New Age style, which, in particular, was famous for Focus, there was no trace. Ford designers gave dashboard and shield of new car devices Strict straight shapes without unnecessary freewood and bends. The quality of the interior materials and the care of the upholstery panels at times exceeds the execution of the internal space of the current Focus. In this regard, C-MAX rose one step with more expensive cars, for example, with his eternal VW competitor. The interior solidity emphasizes the four-spin-lined skin steering wheel, which C-MAX borrowed from a more prestigious model Mondeo.
I happened to test Focus from Vsevolozhsk during his Russian premiere in Sochi. Mountain serpentine made it possible to evaluate excellent car handling: Focus sharply attacked turns and clearly prescribed the trajectory. However, if there was bad asphalt under the wheels, the behavior of the car in fast turns and when driving at high speed in a straight line became uncertain: an unpleasant longitudinal and transverse routing appeared. C-MAX this shortage is deprived. The 400-kilometer track of test races was laid through winding roads in the foothills of the Austrian Alps, where the asphalt was not always perfect, which allowed in real conditions to assess the benefits of driving a car.
Due to the increased wheelbase, wider (by 40 mm) compared to a conventional Focus track, the increased move of the shock absorbers and stiffness of the springs, the car was in turns as if on the rails. Today, many thoroughbred hatchbacks have this quality, but never before this nature of manageability has not been inherent in the representatives of the microwave utilitarian class (except, Opel Zafira, over the adjustment of the safety qualities of which Porsche engineers worked). Chain, but at the same time a very comfortable mode of operation of the suspension emphasized the pronounced rollers of lateral support in the driver's seats and the passenger: they were not allowed to fall out of the armchair on steep turns. By the way, the rigidity of the body's new C-Mach is increased by 20%, which also favorably affects the accuracy and comfort of driving a car.
True, the overall impression of the speaker is lubricated too calm engine. Only gasoline versions of C-MAX with motors of 1.6 l, 1.8 liters and 2 liters will be supplied to the Russian market. At the presentation in Austria, the only gasoline engine of 1.8 liters was presented. This engine meets the rigid EURO 4 environmental standards, but does not meet the requests of the active driver. Unfortunately, in Russia will not be supplied with C-Mach with diesel engines (the explanations of the Fords are traditional: the low quality of the Russian diesel fuel). These engines were created in collaboration with the recognized Guru of Diesel and the Peugeot / Citroen concern and in traction dynamics are noticeably superior to gasoline engines.
While only the option is offered with a 5-speed manual transmission (cars with a diesel engine are equipped with a 6-speed box). Next year, C-MAX will appear on the market with an automatic box (variator).
In the car dealers of Russian dealers, the Focus C-Max will appear in October. Today, only approximate prices are known. The most accessible C-MAX with a 1.6 liter motor will cost about 15,500 euros. Prices for 2-liter modifications will begin from 19,000 euros. Soothes that this offer in the Microwan class is the most attractive.
Igor Komarov
 

A source: Wheel (Company)