Ford’s flagship Ford S-MAX Vignale now boosts extra features, but is it worth it?
Ford’s Intention
It’s easy to see Ford’s intention with its Vignale models, but the S-MAX will most likely have a limited appeal to its buyers. It’s simply not convincing enough as a luxury product whereas a cheaper Titanium-spec model is just as good to drive, is nice to sit in and most importantly offers the same practicality for less money.
Eyes on Audi BMW
Ford is trying to get in to the premium class Audi/BMW territory by elevating its mainstream family cars. Mondeo was the first one to try this out and now the S-MAX is set to benefit from this revival. The 2.0-litre diesel with 178bhp version will easily be the best seller.
All Chrome
If you think Ford has slapped some new badges on the S-MAX and bumped up the price to launch Vignale, you are wrong as it also gets few choice styling tweaks. It has all the chrome work a car needs; new chrome grille, lots of extra chrome trim on the door and windows and unique alloy wheels and a chrome finish.
Plenty of Changes
The changes can be noticed when parked next to the standard S-MAX, but still isn’t worth the extra premium than the basic version. The S-MAX is already an excellent people carrier; however the interior is Vignale’s best bit. The leather seats are high-grade and quilted with plush soft-touch materials on the dash and contrasting stitching all over.
There are optional ‘multi-contour’ sears with massage and ventilation function. The extra cabin polish is where you get to see the extra £2,700 being justified, but it is still a let down by scratchy plastics on the lower dash and characterless centre console design.
New Infotainment System
There is also the noteworthy Ford debut feature in Vignale, the SYNC 3 infotainment system which is a massive improvement on the SYNC 2 system. It has clearer menus, a more responsive screen and is compatible with Apple CarPlay.
The 2.0 litre diesel engine is smooth and cost-effective, but is a bit slow when accelerated. The refinement is strong thanks to the active noise cancellation and acoustic laminated glass.