Faults:

The flexi-plate broke, and had to be replaced at 105,000 miles.

The centre seat sliding mechanism broke... but I blame my daughter, not the car.

General Comments:

The car drove very well, once I got used to driving an automatic. The gear changes were smooth, and the car accelerated comfortably when overtaking.

However it did tend to wallow round the bends.

Petrol consumption was average, it did 28 to the gallon, urban or out-of-town, without varying.

For it's age, it was loaded with executive extras. I especially loved the variable wash/wipe speed and the numerous storage pockets.

The front seats were not very comfortable and we got backache on long journeys. The seat fabric was very hard wearing and the interior still looked like new when we sold the car.

It was very long which made parking a problem. On the plus side, you could put whiney kids right at the back and lower their volume.

Faults:

Brake judder under load.

Excessive tyre wear.

Paint blemish - dealers/Mitsibushi not interested! Eventually I put up with it.

Metallic paint work scratches VERY easily and paint panels suffer easily from minor "car park" knocks - a complete opposite to the VW Passat which is bomb-proof (now that's my dream car!)

General Comments:

I had very high expectations for this car - particularly after talking to owners who had owned more than one.

Personally I have not been that impressed - yes it is a good reliable car with excellent performance - if you can afford the fuel.

Dealer service has not lived up to expectations and can be expensive (shop around). It EATS tyres - my second set is nearly through!

In summary:

A very well designed vehicle, practical and easy/relaxing to drive - particularly on long drives.

Let down by fuel consumption and dealers attitude - however this is certainly not as bad as Vauxhall's.

Faults:

Front struts and the rear carpet have worn out, but both replaced under warranty.

General Comments:

I've been using this vehicle as a taxi. It has been surprisingly reliable - 100,000 trouble free miles. I'd like to see a Ford perform as well.

Faults:

Fuel pump had to replaced. Rear lock tempremental (automatic switch does not work as lever falls off!) and can require removal of panel. Exhaust fell apart. Washer water indicator only works in reservoir for headlamp washer (useful!). I'd put these all down to wear and tear.

General Comments:

Cheapest people carrier I could find (same age, same price Espaces had double the mileage). Lacks storage if rear seats in use. Legroom might become an issue when the younger kids get longer limbs. The wife likes it because it is more like a car than a van compared with other people carriers.

Faults:

Nothing major. The exhaust is dirty and it struggled to get through the emissions test on the MOT a few years ago.

It is beginning to rust quite badly now, and the body work does not look great.

General Comments:

Great family car. It has been reliable and quite economical (after we stopped going to the main dealers who are very expensive).

Faults:

Headlamp washers stopped working. Fixed under 3 year warranty.

General Comments:

Very well designed and built. Starts first time every day, holds price well, roomy, very easy to drive and lively for such a big car. Only drawback is fuel consumption - but then it is big.