Our mothers always advise us to get a wife, or husband who is down-to-earth, capable and family-oriented. To many 'car guys,' our cars are our wives.
At some point of our lives, we'd have to face the hard truth that a fun and feisty 'partner' like a Ford Focus ST for example, may not be the best or most practical companion down the road - not in Singapore where owning two cars is a huge strain on your finances, at least.
To keep the mother content and family comfortable, we often end up purchasing cars that we'd frown upon in the past - a Multi-Purpose Vehicle (MPV).
Some of you are now probably reconsidering the idea of Holy Matrimony but carmakers like Ford and Volkswagen are proving that family cars can be bang-for-buck, spacious and fun to drive.
The new Ford Grand C-Max is the brand's latest point.Exterior
Let's get one thing out of the way - the Grand C-Max isn't exactly something you'd consider as eye candy material.
Rivals like the Citroen Grand C4 Picasso and the more expensive BMW 2 Series Gran Tourer are nicer lookers but that doesn't mean the Ford is ugly, just rather bland; particularly from the A-pillars back.
However, the Grand C-Max's simple design does manage to easily amalgamate its size and disguise its remarking holding capacities.
It also shares a face that's synonymous with the rest of Ford's formation, like the Fiesta, the Focus and the Mondeo - a carved bonnet design swept down to the Aston Martin-like nose and smooth headlamps.
Entry and exit to the rear quarters of the car is granted by large sliding doors on either side and round back, the motorised tailgate makes loading up the boot easier, especially if you've got a child in your arms.
Interior
Once you step inside though, the moaning and groaning about how uninteresting the car looks quickly stops.
The cabin of the Grand C-Max is airy and generously spacious - an ambiance furnished by the panoramic glass roof.
And unlike most seven-seaters, which have rearmost seats that are best reserved for gnomes, the Ford's last row is comfortably usable even for the average-sized Singaporean.
In the second row however, the centre seat is best left empty and folded out of the way, to create an 'aisle' for entry and exit ease of the rearmost occupants, or for seating young child at most.
Once you step inside though, the moaning and groaning about how uninteresting the car looks quickly stops.
The cabin of the Grand C-Max is airy and generously spacious - an ambiance furnished by the panoramic glass roof.
And unlike most seven-seaters, which have rearmost seats that are best reserved for gnomes, the Ford's last row is comfortably usable even for the average-sized Singaporean.
In the second row however, the centre seat is best left empty and folded out of the way, to create an 'aisle' for entry and exit ease of the rearmost occupants, or for seating young child at most.
Everywhere else, leg and headroom are aplenty. The front seats offer good support and plenty of adjustment, too. Interior design and build, though somewhat dated, is clever and of quality, with numerous storage compartments carved out of every panel.
Now here's what's not so great - the Grand C-Max's ample human space is constructed at the expense of cargo space.
With the rearmost bench in use, boot capacity is a measly 115 litres. Folding away the rear seats more than triples that, which makes the vehicle more reasonable as a five-seater on grocery runs.
The Drive
The Grand C-Max's 1.5-litre turbocharged four-pot churns 148bhp and a hearty 240Nm of torque, enabling the 1,432kg MPV to sprint from 0 to 100km/h in 10.5 seconds but on the road, the Ford does feel punchier and faster than paper figures suggest.
It's a wonderful engine mated to a crisp and decisive six-speed SelectShift that's got the linearity of pricier cars, reminding you why the marque has won International Engine of the Year for its 1.0-litre powerplant. And the fun doesn't end there.
If you're considering a Grand C-Max for practical reasons and smiling to youself thinking, 'okay, so it's got a nice engine too,' then you're in for a treat because underneath that boring facade is the agility of a sporty hatch.
Like most Fords today, the Grand C-Max displays corner-munching mastery and a firmer suspension setup than most rivals but manages to strike a balance between performance and comfort in a fashion that's above expectations and class-leading.
For a compact family-mover that costs $135,888 (as of 25th May 2016), you also get a few other unexpected features like Ford's automated parking system, an impact mitigation system, and both front and rear parking aids.
Conclusion
Ford's new Grand C-Max sure isn't perfect nor handsome but as a seven-seat family hauler, is surprisingly spacious, powerful, comfortable and enjoyable to drive.
Maybe giving up the young, wild companion isn't that repulsive an idea anymore. Besides, we're sure this one's going to get mummy's nod of approval.
