The premise for this car comparison is simple. You have the cars that need to seat up to seven people and cost about GBP 300 per month to finance.
But that's where the similarities end. Our of the three women who are doing the reviewing, Vicki is the one who picked the Ford S-Max. As she puts it, this was one of the first people-movers to offer driver excitement. It's also the most powerful one here, thanks to its 180 HP.
Remember when you could buy it with the 2.5-liter five-cylinder turbo engine from the Focus ST? But mummies everywhere are probably going to be more interested in the Peugeot 5008. We can already see that one winning even before the review started. Let's see if we're right!
The French make a lot of people-movers, and the C4 Picasso used to be among the most popular. They don't call it "Picasso" anymore, but it will be a while before the SpaceTourer sticks.
While the 5008 is chunky and somewhat rugged, the C4 is like a greenhouse on wheels. The windshield is large and is doubled by A-shaped pillars with glass in the middle. The panoramic sunroof doesn't open, but it's among the biggest you're ever going to see on a car.
The interior of the Peugeot is a game changer. It's the same as in the smaller 3008 crossover, meaning a digital dash, cool buttons, and plastic that looks like it's covered in fabric. However, some people say that the steering wheel cuts into your vision of the speedo.
The comparison starts with a race to see who can put the rear-most seats up quickest, which is won by Vicki in the Ford. She isn't too happy with the 2-liter 150 horsepower diesel engine, which is noisy, rough and jerky.
The Ford diesel is quieter, smoother and has a sport button for when you feel like taking advantage of the 180 HP. "It feels more like a Fiesta than a 7-seater," says the keen driver.
In line with recent changes, the 5008 has a small petrol engine, the 1.2L turbo making 130 HP. It's the winner of this review, but do consider another kind of powerplant.
Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida. Full profile
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