Model review
The Ford Galaxy first arrived on the MPV scene in 1995. In its first generation, it was produced as a joint venture between Ford, Volkswagen and Seat. The vehicle was badge-engineered to create three cars – the Ford Galaxy, Volkswagen Sharan and Seat Alhambra. The Galaxy was even offered with Volkswagen’s famed VR6 engine – in fact, most of the engines in its line-up were sourced from VW.
In 2000, the model was facelifted, gaining a new face and rear among other changes. Since then, it’s been dubbed the Mk2, despite its resemblance to the original. Ford really improved the Galaxy with the update — it became a little bit better in every way, paving the way to making it arguably the best family MPV on the market. In 2003, the range was revised again before, in mid-2006, the second-generation Galaxy arrived.
The second-generation car marked a departure from the Galaxy, Sharan and Alhambra setup established with the original model. No longer did it possess any traces of Volkswagen Group, and it was now being built alongside the Mondeo in Belgium. All engines in the line-up were also sourced by Ford.
Current model
The current, third-generation version arrived in 2015. Like the S-Max, the Galaxy sits on the same platform as the latest Mondeo – the two also share engines and drivetrains with it as well. Of course, though, the Galaxy is much more practical than the Mondeo, which comes as a saloon and estate.
A mid-cycle facelift for the 2020 model is worth noting. Not much is changed, apart from some styling tweaks to bring it in-line with other cars in Ford’s range. There’s also been some revisions with its 2.0-litre EcoBlue engine set to offer improved fuel efficiency.
The Galaxy is truly one of the best driving MPVs currently on sale. For such a tall car, it handles corners extremely well and feels really quite agile. With regards to the ride, it’s very smooth. Bumps are dealt with well — the suspension absorbs even the harshest of uneven road surfaces fantastically.
Value for money
New Ford Galaxy models start at £29,960, which is in-line with the competition. Compared to the two cars it used to share a lot of components with, the Ford is actually a tad cheaper. The VW Sharan now goes for £30,005, while the Seat Alhambra is slightly pricier at £30,660.
On the used market, there’s plenty of Galaxy versions from throughout the years to choose from. Cheapest examples will be from the fantastic first-generation facelift (pre-facelift models are a bit harder to find nowadays). They go for as little as £395, which is a proper bargain. Expect to fork out around £7,500 for a latest generation model though — still not bad at all.
Looks and image
The Galaxy is certainly one of the most attractive MPVs on the market, especially in its latest generation design. The current version makes use of an aggressive, yet classy design like most modern-day Fords. The recent facelift, admittedly, didn’t make it any better looking, but it’s no worse either. Buyers looking for a stylish large family car, but don’t want an SUV, will find the Galaxy to be a great choice.
Space and practicality
In this area, the Galaxy shines. This is the main reason to go for the model over the smaller, but still brilliant S-Max. Buyers needing the most room from a Ford MPV, note the Galaxy is the way to go. Starting with the boot, there’s 300 litres of space with all seven seats up, 1,301 litres with the third row down and a whopping 2,339 litres with the second row down as well.
Moving on to passenger space, and there are really no complaints to be had — even with regards to the third row which can often only fit children in these kinds of MPVs. In the Galaxy, however, even adults can get comfortable back there.
Engines
Currently, there are five engines on offer – one petrol and four diesels. Beginning with the petrol, it’s a 1.5-litre producing 163bhp. It’s a good option, although it must be said that it’s only available with a manual gearbox. With regards to the diesels, they’re all 2.0-litres that have differing amounts of power –118bhp, 148bhp, 187bhp and 237bhp.
All engines offer a good blend of performance and economy, with the petrol better suited to trips around town, and the diesel more apt for long motorway journeys and cheaper fuel bills.
Running costs
For the lowest running costs, it’s best to stick with one of the diesels as the 1.5-litre petrol is said to only achieve 38.2mpg, while emitting 168g/km of CO2 — not terrible, but the diesels are much better.
Despite the differing power outputs, the 2.0-litre diesel claims to get 52.3mpg when equipped with a manual gearbox. Spring for all-wheel-drive and an automatic gearbox, and expect that figure to drop, but not by much. Overall, the Galaxy is an economical MPV that, while doesn’t offer class leading figures, should be relatively cheap to run.
Things to look out for
The Galaxy has proven to have a mixed reputation when it comes to reliability. This can be seen in the driver satisfaction surveys where the model receives varying reviews. Owners sometimes criticise build quality and a few tend to find faults within the first year of ownership. Apart from that, the Galaxy should serve buyers well. The car has also shown to be very safe, scoring five stars in Euro NCAP testing.
Rivals
There are two main rivals to the Galaxy — and it’s the cars it used to share a lot of components with — the Volkswagen Sharan and Seat Alhambra. Also, even Ford’s own S-Max poses as a rival, as all it lacks compared to its bigger sibling is a bit of space, as the S-Max offers seven seats as well. The Galaxy easily stands out in its class though, and really impresses to make it a worthy class-leading contender.
Depreciation
MPV’s aren’t exactly the hot thing on the market right now, unfortunately. Those buyers who used to go for them have seemingly turned to SUVs in the past few years, leaving cars like the Ford Galaxy less desirable. This doesn’t bode well in terms of resale values, meaning it will likely depreciate quicker than if it had SUV styling. Fortunately, as the Galaxy offers so much in terms of practicality, it’s still a good buy.
