Ranked #263 car in the UK · MPV · 32 units sold last year
Ford S-Max
The Ford S-Max (here the 2015-2023 model) is the seven-seat MPV that actually enjoys corners - the sportier, sleeker counterpart to the Galaxy, long the thinking driver's people carrier. Diesel and a late hybrid power a flexible seven-seat cabin. It blends genuine space with the best handling in the class, and as a used buy it's the choice for families who refuse to give up driving enjoyment - now discontinued, so it's a used-only proposition.
How these figures are sourced — the valuation is anchored to a researched used-market price for this model (AutoTrader median, 2023 at 30k miles). Reliability, mileage and variant data are real DVSA MOT records. Dimensions, tyre sizes and costs, servicing figures and the insurance group are segment-level estimates rather than sourced per car, and are being replaced model by model.
- Body
- MPV
- Years
- 2018–2023
- Fuel
- Diesel / Hybrid
- Economy
- 48 mpg
- Insurance
- Group 18
combined
The short version
Forecourt score
Value 27 · Reliability 11 · catalogue percentiles
The Ford S-Max loses value faster than most cars and is cheaper to run than most. Its MOT-based reliability is average — an MOT score of 61/100, ahead of 13% of the cars we track. On three-year value retention it ranks better than 27% of models.
The Forecourt score blends how this car ranks against the catalogue on value retention, reliability and insurance cost (weighted 40/40/20) — the from-new ownership picture. Higher is better; running cost is not yet folded in.
Pick your version
Estimates are tuned to the version you choose.
Fuel
Diesel · 1997cc
Power
180 ps
Drivetrain
FWD
Quoted MPG
48 mpg
Volume S-Max (2015-2018, used) - 2.0 TDCi 180 PS. The sportier sister to the Galaxy. Pre-EcoBlue Duratorq diesel, cam-drive not flagged.
Tell us about the one you're looking at
Tidy and well looked-after for its age — the typical car.
Remembered as you browse other cars.
Optional — fills in the exact year and ULEZ status for your specific car. The registration isn’t stored.
Estimated market value
How we got this number — click for the breakdown, or to challenge it.£18,200
Range £15,350 – £21,300
medium confidence
Fair value — depreciation is moderating.
At 31,212 miles it’s about the ~35,456 typical for a 3-year-old.
Seen one for sale?
A data-led guide from the depreciation curve, UK parc trend and reliability — not financial advice.
The depreciation curve
How a 2023-registration Ford S-Max loses value over time.
What it costs to own
Based on the 2023 car with 31,212 miles you entered above — worth about £18,200 today — here is the cost of owning it for the next 5 years, at roughly 10,404 miles a year.
5-year total
£22,669
Per year
£4,534
All-in per mile
£0.44
Fuel per mile
18.7p
Best age to buy — around 2 years
A 2-year-old example loses roughly £3,750 a year — 53% less than the £8,050 a one-year-old sheds. The steepest drop is behind it.
Uses current UK pump and home-charging prices (DESNZ weekly), typical-driver insurance and manufacturer service intervals. "Fuel per mile" is just the energy input — so an EV at ~9p and a diesel at ~22p make running-cost comparison direct. A guide; your own costs will vary.
How it compares
Where this car ranks against the 340 vehicles in our index — higher is better.
Percentile rank across our full index. A measure is shown only where the data spreads meaningfully across the index.
Estimated insurance
Group 18 of 50 (mid — around the UK average) · Comprehensive · 3 years NCB
Indicative annual comprehensive premiums for this car, by driver age band and risk profile. Pick the combination closest to your circumstances.
Estimated annual premium · typical, age 33-39
£653/ year
Roughly £54 per month
Typical
Average UK driver — 3 years NCB, average postcode, no recent claims.| Age band | Lower risk | Typical | Higher risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age 17-25 | £1,488 | £1,860 | £2,418 |
| Age 26-32 | £776 | £913 | £1,114 |
| Age 33-39Selected | £574 | £653 | £770 |
| Age 40-49 | £487 | £542 | £628 |
| Age 50+ | £435 | £483 | £570 |
How we estimate this
Indicative annual comprehensive premium estimates. The 'Typical' figure represents an average UK driver in each age band; Lower and Higher risk show the realistic spread driven by factors UK insurers legitimately price on (postcode, occupation, claims history, NCB, voluntary excess, modifications). Based on 10,000 miles/yr, £250 voluntary excess, and the no-claims bonus selected above. Always get individual quotes before buying.
Expected annual costs
Adjust the annual mileage to match how you'll actually use the car. Insurance is what you selected above (age 33-39, typical risk, 3 yrs NCB).
Routine service
£185
Annual main-dealer service
Major service
£210
Every 2 years, annualised
Road tax
£200
Standard rate, post year-one
Fuel
£1,709
48 mpg, £1.73/L
Insurance
£653
Age 33-39, group 18
Clean-air zones
⚠ Depends on variantBased on London ULEZ standards — Birmingham, Bath, Bristol, Sheffield, Glasgow and other UK clean-air zones generally follow the same rules.
Excludes depreciation and unscheduled repairs (see next section).
Unexpected costs
What out-of-warranty repairs typically run, by mileage band. Your selected mileage is highlighted.
0-30k miles
£80
per year · low risk
30-60k miles
£240
per year · low risk
60-100k miles
£520
per year · medium risk
100k+ miles
£900
per year · high risk
Tyres
205/60 R16 · 215/55 R17
What a full set of four will cost you (including fit and balance), and which brand each tier of buyer should pick. A typical set lasts about 24,000 miles.
Budget
£300
set of 4, fitted · £60 per tyre
Mid-range
£440
set of 4, fitted · £95 per tyre
Premium
£620
set of 4, fitted · £140 per tyre
What to fit
Optional extras worth paying for
Factory options ranked by how much of their original cost they recover at resale. Anything above 70% return tends to make money back; below 40% is paying for your own enjoyment.
| Option | New cost | Added used value | Return |
|---|---|---|---|
Tow bar (factory-fit) Niche, but the buyers who want one will pay for it. | £650 | £450 | 69% |
Parking sensors & reversing camera Near-expected now — its absence costs more than its presence returns. | £500 | £300 | 60% |
Heated seats / cold-weather pack | £450 | £200 | 44% |
Metallic or premium paint Almost universal — an unusual colour is the bigger resale risk. | £600 | £200 | 33% |
Panoramic / opening roof | £1,100 | £350 | 32% |
Larger alloy wheels | £700 | £200 | 29% |
What fails at MOT
Recorded in DVSA MOT test data for this model, not owner reports. Ordered against 31,212 miles.
Watch now
Failure typically happens around your current mileage.
Upcoming
Typically happens at a higher mileage than yours.
Already due
Past its usual failure mileage. Either already fixed, or about to.
Tyres & wheelsUpcoming
Recorded in 7.5% of MOT tests over 100k miles — from 1,389,285 DVSA MOT tests analysed.
SuspensionUpcoming
Recorded in 10.1% of MOT tests over 100k miles — from 1,389,285 DVSA MOT tests analysed.
BrakesUpcoming
Recorded in 6.3% of MOT tests over 100k miles — from 1,389,285 DVSA MOT tests analysed.
Lighting & signallingUpcoming
Recorded in 6.5% of MOT tests over 100k miles — from 1,389,285 DVSA MOT tests analysed.
EmissionsUpcoming
Recorded in 4.5% of MOT tests over 100k miles — from 1,389,285 DVSA MOT tests analysed.
Driver's viewUpcoming
Recorded in 2.6% of MOT tests over 100k miles — from 1,389,285 DVSA MOT tests analysed.
"Parts low/medium/high" indicates how easy the replacement part is to source — discontinued or specialist parts mean longer workshop time and bigger bills.
MOT outlook
How this model fares at its MOT as it ages — from 1,407,160 real DVSA test records.
MOT pass rate by age
A 3-year-old S-Max passes its MOT 83% of the time; by 20 years that has slipped to 65.7%. The y-axis is zoomed to this model’s range so the trend is readable.
Longevity
From 2,573 vehicles registered in 2018.
Survival by registration year
Each point is one registration cohort. Older cars on the left, newer on the right. A flatter line means the model holds up over time; a steep drop means cohorts disappear from UK roads faster.
What’s on the road
The fuel-type split of every S-Max with MOT history in the DVSA record. From 108,117 vehicles tested at least once - not the number on the road today, which is lower.
- Diesel 90.2%
- Petrol 8.5%
- Hybrid 1.2%
What fails at the first MOT
The defect categories a S-Max registered 2018–2023 fails on at its first MOT, from 9,207 first tests. Every car here is the same age and the same generation, so these are the faults that show up first - not the wear a high-mileage older example collects.
- Tyres & wheels5.1%
- Lighting & signalling1.9%
- Driver's view1.8%
- Brakes1.8%
- Seat belts & restraints1.5%
- Identification & other0.4%
Share of first MOT tests recording at least one defect in that category. DVSA test-item categories, not parts: “Driver’s view” covers mirrors, wipers and glass.
Typical mileage by age
The average odometer reading for a S-Max at MOT, by age — measured from the same DVSA records, not assumed. A useful yardstick for whether a given car has done more or fewer miles than its age suggests.
- 3 yr35,456
- 4 yr45,484
- 5 yr55,216
- 6 yr64,913
- 7 yr74,419
- 8 yr83,394
- 9 yr91,974
- 10 yr100,600
- 11 yr108,623
- 12 yr115,853
- 13 yr122,533
- 14 yr128,631
Mean recorded mileage at MOT by vehicle age, from DVSA test records. Ages below three are not shown: the first MOT is due at three years, so the few cars tested earlier are a self-selected minority rather than a representative sample. Ages with at least 10 tests shown.
Reliability
Average
First-MOT pass rate and defect rate for cars registered 2018 onward (9,207 first tests), with cohort survival — high confidence.
MOT outlook · age 5 years
13th percentile — Among the worst — investigate carefully
Based on 124,487 MOT tests · ranked against 248 catalogue models with comparable data
Where this car sits in the catalogue
Pass-rate distribution across 248 catalogue models
Things owners say
- 01The best-driving big MPV - genuinely enjoyable on a back road, unlike most seven-seaters.
- 02Diesels suit high mileage; the rearmost seats are best for children or occasional adult use.
- 03Check DPF and transmission health on high-mileage cars; discontinued in 2023, so buy used on history.
Safety recalls
Manufacturers occasionally issue safety recalls to fix a fault free of charge. You can check whether the Ford S-Max, or your exact vehicle, has any outstanding recalls on the official DVSA service.
Check on GOV.UKOpens the Driver & Vehicle Standards Agency recall checker. Choose the make, model and year of manufacture — no registration needed.
Theft risk
A general indicator from UK 2025 theft data and this car’s characteristics — not a prediction for any one vehicle.
Whole-car theft
Around average
Theft risk is around the UK average. Like most modern cars it has keyless entry, so relay theft is the method to guard against.
Parts theft
Higher
Hybrid versions are a catalytic-converter target — a hybrid cat is rich in precious metals and can be cut out in about a minute.
Worth doing
- Keep keys in a Faraday pouch and away from the front door to block relay attacks.
- A catalytic-converter guard or forensic marking makes a hybrid far less appealing to cut.
Clean-air zones
Whether driving a Ford S-Max into a UK clean-air zone will cost you anything. Rules use the same Euro standard across most zones — petrol from 2006 and diesel from 2015 onwards are exempt; pure electric is always exempt.
Charging zones for cars
| City | Area | Daily charge | Likely outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| London | All of Greater London (within the M25) | £12.50 | Likely exempt Diesel from September 2015 meets Euro 6. |
| Birmingham | Inside the A4540 Middleway | £8.00 | Likely exempt Diesel from September 2015 meets Euro 6. |
| Bristol | City centre and part of the Portway | £9.00 | Likely exempt Diesel from September 2015 meets Euro 6. |
| Glasgow | City centre | — | Likely exempt Diesel from September 2015 meets Euro 6. |
| Edinburgh | City centre | — | Likely exempt Diesel from September 2015 meets Euro 6. |
| Aberdeen | City centre | — | Likely exempt Diesel from September 2015 meets Euro 6. |
| Dundee | City centre | — | Likely exempt Diesel from September 2015 meets Euro 6. |
Zones that don't charge private cars
- Bath — City centre (Private cars and motorbikes are not charged).
- Bradford — Outer ring road and the Aire Valley (Private cars are not charged).
- Sheffield — Inside the A61 inner ring road (Private cars are not charged).
- Newcastle & Gateshead — City centres and the Tyne, Swing, High Level and Redheugh bridges (Private cars are not charged).
- Portsmouth — Part of the city centre (Applies to taxis, PHVs, buses, coaches and HGVs only).
Model-level guidance only. To check a specific registration, use the official gov.uk clean-air zone checker. Zone charges and boundaries are set by local councils and change over time.
Servicing & the dealer network
How well-supported Ford is across the UK — a practical read on how easy servicing, parts and warranty work will be to find.
Franchised UK dealers
~290
Large network
Mass-market
Network size relative to the UK's largest (Ford is 6.4% of all franchised outlets)
Servicing, parts and warranty work are easy to find UK-wide, and most independent garages know the brand well — which keeps maintenance competitive.
For context, the UK has roughly 4,500 franchised car-dealer outlets in total, plus about 15,500 independent garages.
Approximate figures, curated from public UK industry sources (NFDA, Car Dealer Magazine). Franchised networks shrink year on year — these indicate network size, not an exact count.
Dimensions & weight
These are segment estimates, not manufacturer figures. 296 of 325 catalogued cars share one of 14 identical dimension sets, so they describe a class rather than this particular car. Sourced figures replace them model by model.
Length
4,600 mm
Width
1,850 mm
Height
1,700 mm
Kerb weight
1,650 kg
Boot
550–2,000 L
Fuel tank
48 L
How many are still out there
How the UK Ford S-Max fleet splits: taxed and on the road, parked off the road on a SORN, and gone from the register where that figure is available.
Total ever registered
91,017
Currently taxed & on road
65,238
72% of all registered
SORN (off road)
5,087
6% of all registered
Scrapped or exported
20,692
UK fleet trend — 2014 to 2025
-8.3% vs 2024Source: DfT VEH0124 vehicle licensing statistics (year-end 2025) · Updated 1 Oct 2026
Common questions
Ford S-Max, answered from the data
- Is the Ford S-Max reliable?
- The Ford S-Max scores 61/100 on Forecourt's MOT-based reliability measure, ahead of 13% of the cars we track. That score uses first-MOT pass rate and defect rate for cars registered 2018 onward (9,207 first tests), with cohort survival — high confidence.
- How much does a used Ford S-Max cost?
- A 2023 Ford S-Max with around 31,212 miles is worth roughly £18,200 today (typical range £16,450–£20,000). Dealer forecourt prices sit higher and part-exchange offers lower; newer or lower-mileage examples cost more.
- How quickly does the Ford S-Max depreciate?
- A new Ford S-Max typically loses about 47% of its value over the first three years, then depreciates more slowly. Buying at three to five years old avoids the steepest part of the curve.
- What insurance group is the Ford S-Max?
- The Ford S-Max sits in insurance group 18 of 50 — the middle of the scale. Exact premiums depend on the trim (some versions sit a few groups higher or lower), your age, postcode and no-claims history.
- What goes wrong on a used Ford S-Max?
- The parts most often recorded at MOT on the Ford S-Max are: tyres & wheels (typically around over 100k miles, £80-£500 to put right); suspension (typically around over 100k miles, £150-£450 to put right); brakes (typically around over 100k miles, £150-£500 to put right). A full service history and a recent MOT with no advisories are the best protection.
- What does the Ford S-Max cost to run?
- Expect around 48 mpg combined on the 2.0 TDCi 180 Titanium, £200 a year in road tax, about £185 for a standard annual service. The full cost-of-ownership table above breaks this down per year and per mile for the exact year and mileage you choose.
- Is the Ford S-Max ULEZ compliant?
- Whether a Ford S-Max is ULEZ compliant depends on its engine and registration date: petrol from 2006 and diesel from September 2015 generally qualify, and electric versions are always exempt.
- How many Ford S-Maxs are on UK roads?
- About 65,238 Ford S-Maxs are currently taxed and on the road in the UK, from DfT vehicle-licensing data.
Answers are generated from this car's Forecourt data — DVSA MOT records, DfT licensing statistics and our valuation model — and update with the weekly data refresh.