Despite the C-Max being two sizes smaller than most minivans sold in North America, the larger van's clever storage solutions and entertainment amenities have been adopted. Look around the cockpit and there are plenty of nooks and crannies to hide knickknacks and goodies. Cupholders are plentiful too, with two between the front seats under the arm rests that can hold 355 ml-size cans. Under the dashboard and attached to the doors are open pockets to hold loose items while larger, individual compartments have been placed throughout the cockpit.
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| Although about the size of a midsize car's trunk when all seats are upright, the C-Max cargo area is optimized for storage. (Photo: Ford Motor Company) |
The mini-minivan's cargo area has been organized to help make the most of its 460 L (16.2 cu ft) of space - about the size of a typical midsize car's trunk. Fold the rear seats down and a total of 1,620 L (57.2 cu ft) is available. There are lidded compartments integrated into the floor, while storage compartments along the sides are perfect for hiding valuables, and hooks for mesh tie-downs keep your shopping bags right-side up.
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| Because it runs on the same chassis architecture as the Focus, the C-Max is inherently light and free of cumbersome excess weight. (Photo: Ford Motor Company) |
Speaking of bags, another area that the C-Max excels is in the airbag count. Driver and front passenger receive multi-stage frontal airbags, while thorax and window-bags are present for all outside occupants. Every seat gets three-point seatbelts with anti-submarining protection as well as pretensioners. Expect to see a solid five-star mark in pending crash tests.
In North America high-displacement V6 engines are the norm for people-carriers, but this isn't the case for the smaller, more compact Focus C-Max. Because it runs on the same frame as the Focus, it is inherently light and free of cumbersome excess weight. Three engines are available, one gasoline powered and two turbodiesels. In Canada this would be odd, but due to Europe's high gasoline prices and the general acceptance of diesel, enhanced by recent improvements in diesel technology, it's simply ordinary for European cars to feature more diesel options than gas. If the C-Max comes to North America, chances are that at least one diesel will be available as Ford, like many other automotive manufacturers, are pushing the technology as an answer to environmental concerns worldwide. There's even word of introducing a turbodiesel in the second-generation Focus, set to make its debut in the near future.
