Comparison test Ford Grand C-Max, Peugeot 5008, VW Touran

D ie Bernhard Fink is particularly impressed by the sliding doors of the Ford Grand C-Max: “How easy they run, even in the cold.” The ESG Esslingen trainer demonstrates a feeling for good technology. No wonder his boys won six of the first nine games of the season. But there is another reason why there is another reason to be excited. So his players storm the back seat in full ice hockey gear - even though the shoulder protection alone is the width of a Euro pallet.

The trunk of the Ford Grand C-Max could be bigger

Arriving at the back, they praise the airy space and the large adjustment range of the individual seats in the Ford Grand C-Max. When the tailgate is opened, goalkeeper Oliver Buchwald finds the first weak point: “I can't put my sports bag in there.” Despite 14 centimeters more wheelbase than the normal C-Max, the luggage compartment of the Ford Grand C-Max is not too generous. The 1.10 meter long giant pocket only fits in after the back seat has been laid flat. After all, the rear seating can be folded up and lowered into the floor without much effort. If you only travel with four people, you can also make the middle seat disappear in the Ford Grand C-Max in order to stow long items or to advance to the optional third row of seats.

The sight of the two rear emergency seats causes worry lines among the giants, because, as is usual in this class, these are only intended for children. The cockpit of the Ford Grand C-Max made of cheap-looking plastics, the steering wheel overloaded with buttons and the infotainment screen that is too small sparked just as little enthusiasm.

Peugeot 5008 offers the largest trunk in the test

The soft foamed dashboard in the Peugeot 5008 is more popular. With classically elegant instrumentation and driver-oriented center console, it could easily have come from the RCZ athlete. He was forgiven for the fiddly infotainment operation. The dynamic cut, including the flat windscreen, is at the expense of clarity and a sense of space. It looks different further back, where the Peugeot 5008 comes up with the largest standard trunk in this comparison. With four men and monster bags to the away game? No problem, the tailgate snaps shut.

Narrow and uncomfortably padded individual seats in the Peugeot 5008 can only be tolerated, however,because the journeys to the national league are not too long. But the compact van convinces with the cleverest folding mimicry: The rear seats of the Peugeot 5008 crouch down particularly flat in the vehicle floor; if row three is to be climbed, all that is needed is a handle - the seat snaps up and the furniture slides far forward.

Antiquated folding mechanism in the VW Touran

The clatter in the VW works against this Touran antiquated. The comfortable individual seats can also be moved widely and their inclination adjusted. In addition, as in the Peugeot 5008, the passenger backrest swivels forward, making room for even the longest racket bags. However, in order to extract the maximum volume from the luggage compartment, the rear seats of the VW Touran must be removed. Thanks to the sophisticated mechanics, this is quite easy, but the interior design in the new Sharan shows that VW now knows how to do it better.

Apart from that, the VW Touran, which was revised in mid-2010, is still convincing: Its boxy body ensures the best sense of space in all seats and a problem-free overview. In addition, there are self-explanatory operating elements, perfectly readable instruments, meticulous workmanship down to the last corner and lots of practical shelves, including holders for 1.5-liter bottles in each door. After sweaty training sessions, the fluid loss must finally be quickly compensated for.

Ford Grand C-Max offers the most driving fun

But now out of the ice rink and into the traffic. This is where the lively Ford Grand C-Max is most fun with its direct, albeit somewhat jerky, steering, and also convinces with the highest slalom speeds. The dual clutch transmission with its jagged gear changes also fits in perfectly. However, it sometimes lets the powerful 163 PS diesel rev up unnecessarily instead of riding confidently and quietly on the wave of torque.

In general, the comfort of the Ford Grand C-Max is not entirely convincing. The firm suspension is particularly overwhelmed by short waves, which leads to permanent restlessness and rumbling noises on uneven surfaces. The suspension setup only works more harmoniously when the vehicle is loaded.

The relaxed glider is being tested for the Peugeot 5008

The suspension of the Peugeot 5008 swallows potholes and transverse joints much more smoothly. However, it seems underdamped and tends to rock when it is used extremely well. The Peugeot 5008 shows that relaxed gliding is more in keeping with his nature, with more leisurely turning in, steering with little feedback and the sluggish but smooth six-speed automatic. After all, despite the efficiency-inhibiting torque converter, it only allows itself slightly more fuel than the Ford, with which it shares the two-liter common-rail diesel.

VW Touran offers the best compromise

The one best compromiseHowever, the VW Touran achieves agility and serenity. Its adaptive dampers (955 euros) ensure mid-range suspension comfort without allowing strong body movements in fast turns. With its low-impact and sensitive steering, the Touran can also be steered precisely. In addition, the DSG box with its fascinatingly fast and jolt-free gear changes heralds VW's rich double clutch experience.

Not only that: with the 170 PS TDI, the VW Touran achieves the best driving performance with the lowest consumption. With a light foot on the accelerator, it is the only one of the three consumptions in the five-point range.

VW Touran over 4,000 euros more expensive than Ford Grand C-Max and Peugeot 5008

However, these qualities have their price: In the top version Highline, the VW Touran is over 4,000 euros more expensive than the Ford Grand C-Max and Peugeot 5008, which cannot compensate for the lower maintenance costs and the slightly better standard equipment (such as parking beeper and seat heating). After all, the Touran can be configured almost freely, while Ford and Peugeot reserve certain extras for higher equipment lines or put them in packages.

Despite its steep prices, the mature and comfortable VW Tour won this test by a large margin. The bottom line is that the serenity and flexibility of the Peugeot 5008 are just as insufficient as agility and driving pleasure with the Ford Grand C-Max. For this, the two of the old master Touran allowed themselves to be led a little too often on the ice outside the ice rink.

Manufacturing defects in the Ford Grand C-Max

Compared to its competitors, the compact van from Ford is disappointing in terms of quality. In addition to the overall simple interior materials, plastic parts in the cockpit of the Ford Grand C-Max were not properly fitted. In addition, the cover of the middle rear seat already wrinkles like a tea towel. However, the left rear seat of the Ford Grand C-Max caused shock moments. Since the backrest did not lock into place securely, colleagues tipped back several times during test drives. In the event of a rear impact, this would have fatal consequences. Ford urgently needs to make improvements here.