I just been away to drive the Ford B-MAX, which arrives in Ireland in September with an entry level price of €19,170 ex-works. In the past decade, there have three things that I automatically expect when I drive a new model Ford for the first time. It will be among the best handling and most manouvrable cars, it will have a good sound system and finally, it will be functional. The new B-Max did not disappoint on all three, writes Padraic Deane.
The Ford easy access door system delivers new levels of convenience, access, and flexibility. It features conventional hinged front doors and rear sliding doors, combined in a new body design. This integrates the traditional central pillar structure into the front and rear doors, rather than forming part of the bodyshell itself.
When both front and rear doors are open there is outstanding access to the interior, with a huge, clear, aperture more than 1.5 metres wide, making it significantly easier to enter or exit the rear seats, attend to children in child seats, or load and unload shopping.
The new B-MAX is also the first European Ford to offer the company’s acclaimed SYNC system as an option. SYNC is an advanced voice control, device integration, and connectivity interface. It enables users to connect mobile phones and music players by Bluetooth or USB, make hands-free telephone calls, and control music and other functions using voice commands. More about that anon.
In addition to lifestyle buyers, young families, people downsizing, and those upsizing, the B-Max will be attractive to elderly buyers and those with mobility issues because of the great access.
In Ireland, the car will be offered in two versions B-MAX and B-MAX Titanium. The specification list for B-MAX is as follows: body-coloured mirrors and handles; leather trimmed steering wheel; air-conditioning; global open/closing windows; fold flat passenger and rear seats; deflation detection system (DDS ); electronic stability programme (ESP ); torque vectoring control (TVC ); headlight courtesy delay (HCD ); and remote central locking.
The additional specification list for the second level B-MAX Titanium includes: 15” alloy wheels; front fog lights; LED day-time running lights; chrome window finisher; heated windscreen; child observation mirror; and trip computer.
We will see four engines options from which to choose. The International Engine of the Year winning 1.0 litre Ecoboost petrol 100 bhp (119g/km CO2, Band A for road tax and VRT ); the 1.4 litre 90bhp petrol (139g/km CO2 – Band B for road tax and VRT ); the 1.5 litre 75bhp diesel (119g/km CO2 – Band A for road tax and VRT ) which Ford expects will be the best seller here. Finally, the 1.6 litre 105bhp petrol automatic (149g/km CO2 – Band C for road tax and VRT ).
The 1.0 litre Ecoboost petrol was the only one of those four available to drive at the launch and as you would expect from that super award winning power plant, it marries excellently with the new B-Max.
I also like the idea that Ford expects to see a 5 star Euro NCAP crash test rating when it is announced in November. I do not like that that there is not a spare wheel - it has a weight saving puncture repair kit as standard. However I am told that there will be a space saver spare wheel option available on some versions.
Back to the SYNC option. As mentioned above, SYNC enables users to connect mobile phones and music players by Bluetooth or USB, make hands-free telephone calls, and control music and other functions using voice commands. It can also read aloud phone texts.
It can automatically transfer contact information from a connected Bluetooth device to the vehicle, allows calls to contacts to be activated using straight-forward voice commands, and reads text messages aloud from compatible phones connected using Bluetooth.
SYNC also enables B-MAX to offer the innovative new automatic emergency assistance feature which is designed to assist the occupants to call the local emergency services operator in the event of an accident. There were no prices available at this time for the SYNC option but Ford Ireland say it will not be expensive.
The main competitors here for the B-Max are the top two in this sub-segment, the Opel Meriva and the Nissan Note. However Ford has big plans for this new model, expecting to sell as many as those two rivals combined next year.
More details on Irish pricing and spec will be announced before the B-Max arrives in late September. Contact David Leonard, Griffiths Motor Group, Castlebar, for details on 094 903 5582.
