Automotive Review

The MPV segment is on a roll in India and it seems that everyone wants a piece of the action. The latest entrant is the Honda Mobilio which was launched in July and is currently turning out to be one of the major successes for the Japanese automaker. Renault will join the bandwagon with the Dacia designed Lodgy while Ford is expected to enter the fray with the B-MAX MPV. It is based on the Fiesta platform and shares much of its underpinnings and design with the sedan.
Exterior
The Ford B-MAX is underpinned by the Fiesta platform which means that it shares much of its external design with the sedan. It gets the same Aston Martin- esque -fascia right down to the shape of the headlights. However, by virtue of this being an MPV, it gets a slightly more raked bonnet which for obvious reasons is larger than its sedan counterpart.
The side profile once again resembles the Fiesta due to the flared wheel arches and forward sloping roofline. The rear roofline ends sharply at the D-pillar and then flows into the tail lamps. At the rear, Ford has given the B-MAX wrap around tail lamps and has divided the rear section into two parts through the use of prominent creases. The first section runs from the spoiler to the middle of the boot lid where the Ford logo is located while the second section runs from the number plate holder to the loading lip.
Interior
The interior gets the same design as the Ford Fiesta sedan and hatchback. This means a combination of grey and silver for most of the dashboard while the upholstery will be a lighter shade of grey. Standard features on the top- spec variant are expected to include 2-DIN music system, climate control, SYNC technology, second row AC vents, one touch seat folding for both second and third rows and finally a reversing camera.
Engine and gearbox
The B-MAX is likely to be introduced only with the 1.5-litre diesel engine that produces 93bhp and 203Nm of torque. Power is sent to the front wheels via a five-speed manual gearbox. If there is a petrol version, it will be the 1.5-litre four pot motor that produces 109bhp and 140Nm of torque. Europe also gets the 1.0-litre EcoBoost engined version but this is unlikely to be launched for the Indian market.
Price and competition
The B-MAX is expected to be priced in the range of Rs 6 lakh to Rs 10 lakh and will compete with the Maruti Suzuki Ertiga, Chevrolet Enjoy and the Honda Mobilio.