Compartments integrated in the floor behind the front seats take provide secure, hidden stowage for personal items. Rear occupant door bins offer space for large bottles and other items needed on a trip. Magazines, pocket books and road maps are best stored in the front seatbacks' pockets, while integrated fold-away tables prove useful for second-row passengers. Even third-row passengers will find cup holders and a stowage bin integrated in the armrests at their disposal.



Behind the Wheel

Ford Galaxy is great to drive, and delivers passenger car dynamics to family travel, as well as providing all the advantages of a traditional MPV.

The design team have also paid great attention to the details of Ford Galaxy's interior environment for the driver and front seat passenger. As with the new Ford S-MAX, several key elements of driver/vehicle interaction were singled out by the development team to improve the driver experience. These include better head clearance, steering wheel adjustment and shifter location.

"We focused on the whole interior and driving environment of new Galaxy right from the beginning", says Vehicle Packaging Supervisor Martin Buelhoff. "That included seating, steering position, ease of entry and exit, flexibility and stowage. Above all, we wanted to find new solutions that match the overall premium character of the vehicle."

The front seats are all-new, and feature a 62mm length increase in seat adjustment range and 19mm increase in height adjustment.

Optional front seats with 8-way power adjustment can also be specified. These feature optimised seat cushions, more responsive seat backs as well as improved foam hardness. These seats are also available on the top-of the range Ghia version with variable climate control, as first seen in the Ford Mondeo. This is the first time this feature has been made available in the MPV segment.

Ford Galaxy's centre console is short and designed to free up room between the front seats for a walk-through to the second row. This also enhances the interior's overall spaciousness. The centre console also includes a stowage compartment and two cup holders.

The new Instrument Panel-mounted gearlever has been raised by 105mm to enhance the driver's ergonomic layout.

As with S-MAX, the steering wheel angle has been adjusted to 28 degrees to contribute to the vehicle's car-like feel.

All controls and switches have been placed conveniently for intuitive operation. Improved pedal spacing provides safe and comfortable operation and a footrest for the driver's left foot supplements the comfort amenities. The specially shaped parking brake lever adds to the innovative character of the vehicle's interior. It is formed like a lever used in a ship's command bridge.


Human Machine Interface (HMI)

An upgraded instrument cluster plus a new steering wheel including toggle switches for the Ford Human Machine Interface (HMI) take vehicle ergonomics to a new level.

With new S-MAX, Ford has taken a new approach to optimise and simplify the operation of vehicle controls and information management systems. Two sets of sophisticated steering wheel-mounted toggle switches in combination with an easy to read instrument cluster centre display form the basis for Ford's latest-generation HMI (Human Machine Interface).

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