Ford S-MAX Hybrid and Ford Galaxy Hybrid go on sale

Ford has added petrol-electric hybrid versions of the S-MAX and Galaxy MPVs to its line-up, with both cars on sale now. The S-MAX Hybrid starts from £36,535 in Titanium specification, rising to £38,645 for ST-Line and £41,795 for Vignale. The Galaxy Hybrid is offered exclusively in Titanium specification, priced at £38,695.

The pair use a similar powertrain setup to the Ford Kuga Hybrid SUV: a 197bhp, 2.5-litre petrol engine, which Ford claims offers better acceleration than the equivalent EcoBlue diesel. Acceleration from 0-62mph takes the S-MAX Hybrid 9.8 seconds and the Galaxy Hybrid 10 seconds. Both cars have a top speed of 115mph.

Ford says the two new models are able to deliver “pure electric and combined petrol-electric propulsion” for a “refined and responsive driving experience”. The company also offers something called a 'SmartGauge' user interface, which helps owners to adopt a more economical driving style.

11

The cars' hybrid components are fitted under the floor, so there's no appreciable reduction in boot space; the S-MAX can hold up to 2,200 litres of luggage when the second and third-row seats are removed, or 285 litres with all seven seats in place. Corresponding figures for the Galaxy are 2,339 and 300 litres.

Ford claims CO2 emissions from 146 to 147g/km and fuel economy of 44mpg for the hybrid S-MAX, thanks to a host of fuel-saving technologies including regenerative braking and electrically driven powertrain cooling. The Galaxy Hybrid's CO2 emissions are slightly higher, at 148 to 149g/km depending on wheel size, while its fuel economy is almost identical to the S-MAX's.

The S-MAX Hybrid and Galaxy Hybrid are built at Ford's plant in Valencia, Spain, alongside the Kuga Hybrid and Kuga Plug-In Hybrid. Ford has also launched a plug-in hybrid version of its Transit Custom van, while mild-hybrid technology has been applied to the smaller Fiesta and Focus models.