Ford Galaxy 1.9 PD TDI

...a bit of a closet Ford fan. I have owned an escort popular, an XR3, a cabriolet, and a Sierra 2.0 Ghia. When the children came along it was to expand our car capacity so we bought our first Galaxy.

I owned my 1997 Galaxy since almost new and even though it had only reached 50,000 on the clock, we thought it was time to trade up and change to a diesel engine.

I wasn't expecting to get a brand new car but by chance we ...
...Service care we received from Ford but that's for another review. My car was waiting for us in the petrol station and it was waxed to perfection. We never had many colour options offered that we liked, or should I say that were of no extra cost, so we went for the midnight silver, which is great for not showing the dirt I must add.
My previous Galaxy was diamond white and I vowed to never get another car in that colour. Ideally I wanted black ... more

Firstly , let me apologise. Please don't expect a technical review from me, this is written from a mum's point of view and not of Jeremy Clarkson on Top Gear.

I am a bit of a closet Ford fan. I have owned an escort popular, an XR3, a cabriolet, and a Sierra 2.0 Ghia. When the children came along it was to expand our car capacity so we bought our first Galaxy.

I owned my 1997 Galaxy since almost new and even though it had only reached 50,000 on the clock, we thought it was time to trade up and change to a diesel engine.

I wasn't expecting to get a brand new car but by chance we did. It was at the cost of no holiday and no more savings in our account but at least I've got a good set of wheels that hopefully will not let me down on my various trips down the M3.

The Ghia version gives you a little added extra but don't get carried away, it does not come cheap. Yes you have that little "ghia" badge on the bodywork but most of the extras you have to pay for yourself. However the comfort in my car is superb. Please read on to find out more .

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Our New Arrival:

We arrived at the Uxbridge dealership on a Sunday afternoon. Not looking for a car more of finding a toilet for the kids. Dagenham Motors in Uxbridge didn't have much parking and there were double yellow lines just about everywhere. I thought this was just going to be a quick stop to the loo's but I was wrong.

The forecourt was filled with other models, like the smaller KA but I could only see one Galaxy. One of the sales guys came out after seeing my husband wander around and offered us his wealth of knowledge, which included a lot of waffle and him pretending to be our new best friend for as long as his sale pitch lasted.

We were shown the Galaxy Tdi at the back of the forecourt in Midnight Silver, which was brand spanking new. Both hubby and I agreed this was what we wanted after looking at the inside and playing with some of the dials and returned to the office to make our order. We couldn't take this one so had to wait two weeks for a similar model to be delivered. A deposit was required of £1,000 to secure the cars order.

On first appearances I could see the car has changed over the years, the bodywork is sleek and streamlined, no longer resembling a bus but an elegant family car. The headlights looked larger on this model, totally revamped but however looked complicated to change and that's before I lifted the bonnet catch. Fords have since added a break light in the boot lid and overall the car is quite pleasant on the eye.

I was far from impressed with the Customer Service care we received from Ford but that's for another review. My car was waiting for us in the petrol station and it was waxed to perfection. We never had many colour options offered that we liked, or should I say that were of no extra cost, so we went for the midnight silver, which is great for not showing the dirt I must add.
My previous Galaxy was diamond white and I vowed to never get another car in that colour. Ideally I wanted black or midnight blue but that would have cost us a further £800 on top.

Dagenham Motors didn't fill the car with diesel; they only gave us £10 worth, enough to get to the nearest pump. It costs us £55 for a full tank.

I have never owned a brand new car before and I really wanted to be treated a bit special when I collected my Galaxy. The truth is the staff couldn't wait to get us out of the door, once they had our cash, we were no longer needed. In one door, out the other. Ruined the moment really. I wasn't expecting a red carpet or trumpets roaring but a bit more TLC from the staff would have been appreciated.

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NOW THE INSIDE TOUR

The car is opened by remote alarm keypad of which you are given just one. You can also turn the alarm off by normal key. This unlocks all the doors, as this is a central locking car. The boot catch is also released. When the doors are open, the internal lights all come on, a total of 10. If you find the lights too much, they can switch off to tailor your needs. Handy if you have kiddies that play with buttons.

I loved the new car smell and that's very apparent as you sink into the spotlessly clean seats. How long they stay like this is another matter.

The front dash has dual airbags for safety and the interior we have is black with dark grey cloth. To have leather seats will add a further £2,500, so be warned. If you go for cloth you can it have it Scotch guarded as we did for £30. To be honest a few months down the line and it is more than apparent that the Scotch guard didn't work.

The seats are deep and very comfortable with armrests for the front seats. These wind up and down by a lever under the handle to tailor to your own needs. In the rear and front there is plenty of room for passengers (three in the middle, two in the boot) with loads of leg space all around.

Each seat, including those two in the boot (the ejector seats as my son calls them) has removable head restraints. There are levers everywhere to tilt the seats, recline them and lift them out completely. They are heavy and cumbersome to lift out, it's not easy.
The car can become a "van" inside by removing some of the seats or just reclining them flat. My husband did this with the previous Galaxy and I will not allow with this car.

The lap trays are still there but though much stronger , the indents are not very deep and very unstable for drinks, if you're that brave to let anyone drink inside your new vehicle that is.

The carpets are black and as Ford never gave us floor mats I recommend buy your own. Floor mats are a must if you want to try and keep that new feel as long as possible and to save some wear and tear.

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YOUR CONTROLS

The controls are excellent, easy to reach. Nothing too complicated, its been made for those who just want to drive a car not programme a computer. If you want Satellite Navigation that's an additional extra, we were quoted £2,500 for that. So I bought a Tom Tom 500, put it in and the cost, a lower £350.

Sitting in the drivers seat, you can move up and down by the height adjuster lever on the left of your seat. The steering wheel is more sporty than my older model and smaller. Its here you will find the horn. Not too loud but good enough.

Indicators and main beam are still on the indicator stick on the left. The wipers are all controlled on the right stick, which includes rear wash wipe (not your bum the car!). Usual speeds, nothing out of the ordinary for the wipers.

Hazards, heated front and rear windows, the heater controls and air conditioning buttons are all within hands reach on the left above the CD Radio. We have just the normal CD which I must admit is very good quality.

If we wanted the "in car pack" with 6 CD auto-changer, that would have cost a further £2,000. It's not a digital radio but the quality and coverage is very good. Easy to operate and it comes with traffic updates. There are 6 pre set buttons for your favourite stations. With six speakers its quite loud and you turn the volume up to out stop the children screaming. .

The air conditioning is powerful and very quick. I just wish I was told that when you get out of the car after using it, you will find water dripping from near the engine. I thought the radiator had a hole in it and went into panic mode. I had to call the AA for advice.

You can control the heating separately from the back for your passengers that find it too hot or cold, they can control it themselves.

Windows are electric but the wing mirrors are manual, which is really awkward. The dials that control the direction of the mirrors are large and bulky. Just a great size for a young child to play with if they are sitting in the front. It's only when you are on the motorway that you realise they are all out of line and you cant do anything about it.

The doors can be locked from inside and there are child locks on the rear doors.

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Cup holders are gone ………

Well that's not true, there are two, at the front but that's it. Compared to my old galaxy there were too many which were eventually all snapped off by the children. I prefer having just the two at the front and they are pushed inside the dash, tucked away nice and neat till you want them. If you have the air conditioning on, it does keep your drinks bottle chilled, as the vents are right behind the holders. However, one blip that was overlooked by Ford is the fact that if drink bottles are placed in the holders, the hazard light is obstructed and hard to reach in an emergency.

There are more glove boxes, which is handy. There are two CD glove boxes on both front doors, and then the normal door panel with loads of space for maps and magazines etc. Above the rear view mirror is a push button box just for sunglasses but they have a tendency to fall out so be careful. No coin holders just an ashtray but there is a large glove box in the boot, ideal for a first aid kit and brolly.

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Where's the boot space?

Well here is where the car lacks room. With all seven seats inside, there is no boot. There is just enough space for a stroller buggy to lie on its side and a baby bag to sit on top. If you are doing a large food shop then you have to fold down the two seats in the boot in order to accommodate your bags. I find this a real chore and Ford's haven't changed this yet, something they need to if this car is aimed for the family market.
One new addition is the boot visor, a shield that pulls out and covers your shopping bags up to stop any would be thieves. Good improvement except it retracts a bit quickly so mind your fingers.

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On the move:

Remembering it's a diesel; there isn't so much pull as the petrol version. When you start off make sure the yellow light on the dash goes off before you pull away. You can't accelerate hard when pulling away, it will cut out on you.

Infact until it "gets going" it drives like a tank but once in 6th gear , the car comes into its own. You can hear that turbo and feel it kick in, with it's 2-litre engine that just needs a bit of a warm up before it shows its true colours, this is a pleasure to drive. The sixth gear is intended for motorway driving, you will never use it on the school run.

I admit to driving slowly and carefully. Probably because I always have children with me and their safety is paramount. . I know I could give many executive cars a run for its money but I refuse to. I just know that this engine can do it and that's enough.
The car drives like a dream, it steers well and there is good all round view.

The headlights are extremely bright as is the dashboard when driving at night. The main beam is like a floodlight and is great on country roads.

CONCLUSION

Whether driving day or night it's a pleasure, you will not be let down by the comfort of this vehicle. Its strong and robust with good safety features you would expect from a reputable MPV.

What lets it down is the boot space or lack off and all the additional extras you have to pay for.

Basically what you get for £24, 000 is:

A single CD/Radio
Metallic Paint
Heated front and rear windows (electric)
Air Con
Alloys
Alarm
Immobiliser
Tinted windows except the front
An A5 ring binder with the cars instructions

If you want a DVD player with a screen that comes from the roof, it will set you back a further £2,500. Various outlets now sell a package from around £199 with duel screens that is easy to install.

Even a parking sensor from Fords will cost £300. Once again you can also buy these from other retailers but I am still considering this when I have the car's next service and will report about it if and when I have it done.

All these little extras soon add up and if you want a fully loaded Galaxy Tdi in black, it will cost around £30,000. If like us your budget doesn't go that far, aim to put in the little extras yourself.

The diesel version is saving us money. Instead of spending £50 each weekend just to go home to London, I now spend £27. A full tank lasts a good week and it costs £60 to fill.

Having the warranty gives you peace free driving for three years as long as you service the car every 5,000 miles and its done by Ford of course.

So yes, it might not have the looks of a Lexus but since owning this car I am more than happy with my MPV. My bumper is chipped thanks to the children climbing in and out plus my buggy scrapping the paintwork. However I am sure a touch up stick will rectify this.

I will give this car a good 8/10, it's not perfect but that's probably due to the fact we couldn't afford the "extras" on our budget.

PLEASE NOTE THE UXBRIDGE DEALERSHIP IS NOW CLOSED AND HAVE NOW MOVED TO WEMBLEY. PLEASE CHECK THE FORD WEBSITE FOR A DEALER NEAR TO YOU.

Safe and happy motoring.

www.fords.com
 

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