Ford Galaxy (2006 - To Date)
0 diesel [LX, Zetec, Ghia] )
BY ANDY ENRIGHT
* Introduction Sometimes nothing other than a proper large MPV will do. Fords original Galaxy used to be a large MPV and then all of a sudden it wasnt. No, it didnt shrink in a hot wash or anything like that: rather the market changed and suddenly people wanted bigger and better. Stuck in a relationship with Volkswagen and SEAT, Fords hands were tied. With the 2006 model year Galaxy, the gloves came off and Ford showed what its considerable RandD budget was capable of when given free rein. The Galaxy has won over even the most curmudgeonly reviewers and the public have taken to it as well.
Heres what to look for when buying used.
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The front end of the car is immediately recognisable as a Galaxy but put the old and new cars side by side and there is, in fact, very little commonality. The face of the Galaxy also looks broadly similar to that of the S-MAX, due to the fact that the head lights and bonnet are the only body parts the two cars share. The big change with the Galaxys styling over its predecessor comes in the glasshouse. The old car featured a low, horizontal waistline whereas the latest car wears its belt a little higher and features a far more rakish wedge shape.
Youd even go as far as to say this Galaxy is a bit of a looker. Move round to the rear end and the good news continues. Big tail lamp pods nuzzle up against the black surround of the rear window glass and the low rear valance gives the Galaxy a dynamic sucked to the tarmac sort of look. Were the S-MAX not to exist, it would be easy to imagine a seriously sporting version of the Galaxy.
That the S-MAX is even better looking and more dynamic means that it gets the big horsepower and the sexy accessories. The Galaxy isnt without its appeal though. Lets get to the heart of any MPV style vehicle the seats. Fords designers appear to have become fed up with Vauxhall taking all the plaudits for clever seating solutions and have developed a system of their own.
FFS (Ford FoldFlatSystem before you attribute a baser meaning to that acronym) allows 32 different seating permutations. The second and third rows of seats all fold flat to form a genuinely huge load floor which measures 2.0 by 1.15 metres thats about as big as a double bed.
Prices start from around £14,250 for an entry-level S-MAX 2.0 LX but to be honest, this is the one engine in the range wed avoid. The diesels are a better bet and even the base 1.8-litre TDCi 125 does a good job of hauling the Galaxy around and these can be had from £14,750.
The 2.0-litre diesels really are the plum pick though and these can be found from £15,000 for a Zetec on a 56 plate or £15,300 for a well-specified Ghia model. Insurance opens at Group 10 and tops out at a miserly Group 11, so nothing to get too frightened about there.
The Galaxy has a clean record so far as serious problems are concerned so you can buy with relative confidence. Although Galaxy interiors are well constructed, check for the usual damage wrought by children and negotiate hard. The silver-coated plastics can scratch easily so make sure the previous owner wasnt too big on the Jimmy Savile jingle-jangle. Mechanically, the Galaxy is tough but clutches can take a beating in lower-powered versions, especially if you can spot evidence of a tow bar being fitted.
Front tyre wear is also an issue with the weighty diesel engines.
(Estimated prices, based on a 2.0LX (inc VAT) A clutch assembly is around £130, an exhaust system around £800 (incl. catalytic converter) and an exchange alternator around £320. Front brake pads are around £50, front shock absorbers are about £45 and rears just under £35.
Ford offers a 145PS 2.0-litre Duratec petrol engine and a quartet of diesels. The entry-level diesel is the 100PS Duratorq TDCi 1.8 and theres also a peppier 125PS version of this powerplant on offer.
Those looking for the sort of torque that makes short work of hauling seven people up a motorway incline will prefer the 130 or 140PS 2.0-litre Duratorq TDCi units, engines that delivers a seamless surge of power - 340Nm in the case of the 140PS powerplant wed choose. With a six-speed manual transmission as standard, this engine offers a decent compromise between power and economy. An interesting option available to Galaxy buyers is an active suspension system.
Continuously Controlled Damping (CCD) provides damper valve control every two tenths of a second in order to guarantee the best balance between comfort and road contact. Heave, roll and pitch of the Galaxy are controlled by the system, improving body control and thus comfort. This gives the Galaxy additional agility and sure-footedness, especially when the vehicle is heavily loaded. Safety is one area in which the Galaxy excels.
An ultra-rigid passenger cell is a good start point, but theres also a recently-developed Interactive Vehicle Dynamics Control (IVDC) system that controls all of the other safety systems in a cohesive manner. When those include that Continuously Controlled Damping (CDDC), Electronic Stability Program (ESP), Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) with Forward Alert (FA) and Collision Mitigation By Braking, thats quite some integration task. Factor in the anti-lock braking system, Hill Launch Assist (HLA) and a Tyre Pressure Monitoring System and you have a wide array of available safety functions that were easily enough to net the Galaxy a coveted five-star EuroNCAP safety score.
There arent too many big MPVs youd look forward to driving but the Galaxy is part of a select group. Go for a diesel and negotiate hard on option packs.
