WE'VE clocked up the best part of 100,000 miles in Ford's award-winning S-Max over the past three years.

It's the most intensive real world test we have carried out on any vehicle and has involved all types of driving.

Since the S-Max was launched in 2007 we have put three different models through their paces - each in top specification Titanium trim and powered by Ford's 2.5-litre turbo petrol engine.

They are not the most economical versions of the S-Max - that honour goes to the two-litre diesel which can average 47mpg - but each of our cars has returned around 27 to the gallon.

That's below the 30mpg average figure Ford claims for the S-Max but much of the 96,234 miles we have covered has been at motorway speeds.

We have also encountered the full gamut of weather conditions ranging from blizzards to near tropical temperatures.

Mechanically the S-Max has proved to be faultless.

It's most happy cruising and despite having multi-mode suspension the ride is either too soft or choppy in anything other than the normal setting.

The engine is the same as the one Ford uses in the hot Focus ST and around town the S-Max is thirsty. The same is true if it's driven enthusiastically but then it produces a lovely sound unique to five cylinder engines.

One of the beauties of this version of the S-Max is sportscar-like performance - top speed is 143mph and 0 to 60 acceleration less than 7.5 seconds, brisk for a car of such proportions which can seat seven.

If you're watching the pennies either go for the diesel or use a light touch on the throttle.

Visibility from the driving seat is first class and the only feature out of the norm is the aircraft-style handbrake lever. An electric parking brake was fitted to one of the cars which is much more convenient to use.

The S-Max scooped the Car of the Year title when it was launched and the accolade is totally justifiable.

As a family car it is ideal. A five seater in normal set up, there are two good-sized foldaway seats in the luggage area.

The extra seats have been brought into play only on a handful of occasions and it takes just a few seconds for them to be deployed.

However, as with many an MPV, an issue is the luggage blind which has to be removed when seating seven and there is no convenient onboard storage space. Best to remove it before setting out if there is the chance of extra passengers.

Luggage capacity ranges from a supermini-sized 285 litres as a seven seater to near van proportions of 2,000 litres with all seats flat.

In regular use there is more than enough space for anything a family can throw at it but there is a tendency for shopping bags and the like to move around. Cargo restraints would be handy.

There is also a fair bit of booming noise in the back at motorway speeds - but in the front noise levels are fine.

Underfloor storage bins, a sunglasses holder and generous centre console are available but have hardly been necessary - except to access the tyre repair kit which is stowed under the floor in front of the off-side middle row seat.

There is no conventional spare wheel on the S-Max which can prove costly if you suffer a flat. Once the tyre is filled with ‘gundge' it will have to be replaced - and so will the repair kit - so expect a bill in the region of £300.

If there has been an issue it's been with the electronics and all three vehicles have had some sort of gremlin.

Satellite navigation, Bluetooth phone connections and even radar guided automatic cruise control have all been extras fitted to the cars and each has played up from time to time for no apparent reason - and rectified themselves as if by magic.

Nevertheless it dents your confidence in the software which plays such an important part in modern vehicles - and those high tech goodies helped pushed up the price of the S-Max from the standard £26,049 to well beyond £32,000.

Other luxury equipment fitted to the cars included leather trim, ultra-bright (and fantastically effective) ‘look-round-corners' adaptive xenon headlamps, tyre pressure monitors and climate controlled front seats - so the S-Max can be decked out to full executive class standard.

Three years down the line there is a new S-Max in the wings with the car having undergone a major facelift including the introduction of Ford's new two-litre high efficiency ECOboost engine which will replace the 2.5-litre turbo.

Since its launch the S-Max has carved out a niche of its own as a car with coupe-like styling, plenty of performance and maximum practicality.

Most have been sold with plenty of extras which means there will be some excellent examples coming on to the used market and the car is set to remain very desirable.

: £26,049

217bhp, 2,522c 5cyl petrol engine driving front wheels via 6-speed manual gearbox

143mph

7.4 secs

30 (claimed) 27.2 (actual)

14

224g/km

32%

3yrs/60,000 miles, 3yrs paint, 12yrs anti-rust