The seven-seat Galaxy brings an updated exterior design featuring the new Ford front end, with slim-line headlamps, raised beltline and large glass area, whilst the interior features a retractable panoramic glass roof and optional 10-inch digital screen with animated analogue-style speedometer and rev-counter.

Innovations include a control panel in the rear luggage compartment enables all five second- and third-row seats to be folded flat at the push of a button. There’s also a new feature, claimed to be a segment first, that raises third-row seats at the push of a button. Other practical features include a flat load floor with up to 20 litres of hidden storage underneath thanks to the new Cargo Management System plus the Hands-Free Liftgate.

Passengers also benefit from increased space, with up to 10mm more headroom for second and third row occupants and the third-row seat is sadi to more space than key competitors, with up to 40mm more headroom. Elbow and shoulder-room are optimised by retaining the traditional swing-open rear door design.

Based on Ford’s advanced global CD-segment platform, the new Galaxy also brings Ford’s integral link rear suspension configuration seen on the S-MAX and Mondeo, which brings improved comfort and handling. The Galaxy also is offered with self-levelling rear suspension that maintains optimal ride height for comfort and handling and the continues to offer Continuous Control Damping that helps tailor suspension with “comfort,” “normal” and “sport” chassis settings. The Galaxy also comes with adaptive electronic steering.

The all-new Galaxy also is among the first vehicles to benefit from Ford Adaptive Steering technology that will make the seven-seater easier to manoeuvre in town, and deliver greater steering precision at higher speeds.

Engine line-up includes Ford’s new 210hp 2.0-litre TDCi Bi-turbo diesel engine which follows the carmaker’s downsizing trend led with the EcoBoost petrol technology and brings 450Nm of torque from 2,000rpm.

There’s also an enhanced version of Ford’s 2.0-litre TDCi diesel engine with single variable geometry turbocharger technology in 120hp, 150hp and 180hp, featuring revised engine block, new cylinder-head and fuel injection designs, and lean NOX trap exhaust after-treatment system for cleaner emissions.

Petrol engine options include Ford’s new 160hp 1.5-litre EcoBoost and 240hp 2.0-litre EcoBoost.

All engines feature Smart Regenerative Charging, Auto-Start-Stop and Active Grille Shutter, which improves aerodynamics and optimises airflow for engine cooling.

Advanced driver assistance systems feature on the new Galaxy offer the ability to monitor speed restrictions, pedestrians and other vehicles to help them focus on the task of driving. Further systems include Ford’s Adaptive Front Lighting System that adjusts the headlight beam angle to match the driving environment, and can prevent dazzling other drivers with the Glare-Free Highbeam function. Also included on the new model is the Intelligent Speed Limiter plus Pre-Collision Assist with Pedestrian Detection.

Meanwhile there’s a range of parking technologies, such as Perpendicular Parking, which can detect and reverse the car hands-free into spaces alongside other cars in the same way that Active Park Assist helps drivers to parallel park

Park-Out Assist helps drivers exit a parallel parking space, the system operating the steering while the driver operates the accelerator and brake while Side Parking Aid delivers audible alerts and on-screen distance indicators to obstacles around the vehicle. And Cross Traffic Alert warns drivers reversing out of a parking space of vehicles that may soon be crossing behind them

Front Split View Camera enhances the driver’s field of vision when pulling out of a parking space or junction with a 180 degree camera system installed at the front of the Galaxy, and displays the image on the 8-inch high-resolution touchscreen in the centre console

Further driver assistance technologies offered with all-new Galaxy include Blind Spot Information System,Traffic Sign Recognition,Lane Keeping Alert, Lane Keeping Aid and Driver Alert.

The new Galaxy also features the Ford SYNC 2 with Voice Control, which enables drivers to operate phone, entertainment, climate and navigation systems using simple conversational language and also features Emergency Assistance.