Verdict
The S-MAX has a 80% bigger boot, the S-MAX is 17% more powerful, while the Carnival is about 15% cheaper. Weigh that against the equipment each side gives you in the table below.
| Price & overview | ||
|---|---|---|
| Price | RM221,728 | RM188,888✓ |
| Body type | MPV | MPV |
| Segment | D-Segment | D-Segment |
| Assembly | CBU | CBU |
| Ownership | ||
| Road tax / year | RM440✓ | RM561 |
| Powertrain | ||
| Engine Tech | 16-valve, DOHC, direct fuel injection, turbocharged with variable valve timing | 16-Valve DOHC, Turbocharged with Direct Injection and Variable Valve Timing |
| Capacity | 1,999 cc | 2,151 cc |
| Horsepower | 237 hp✓ | 197 hp |
| Torque | 345 Nm | 440 Nm✓ |
| Fuel | Petrol | Diesel |
| Bore | 87.5 mm | 83 mm |
| Compression Ratio | 9.3 | 16 |
| Drivetrain | ||
| Transmission | Conventional Automatic | Conventional Automatic |
| Transmission Name | Selectshift | 8-speed Automatic with E-Shift |
| Gears | 6 | 8 |
| Transmission Manufacturer | Ford/GM | — |
| Driveline | Front Wheel Drive | Front Wheel Drive |
| Performance & Efficiency | ||
| 0-100 km/h | 8.4 seconds | — |
| Rated Economy | 7.9 L/100 km | — |
| Top Speed | 224 km/h | — |
| Co2 | 180 g/km | — |
| Dimensions | ||
| Length | 4,796 mm | 5,155 mm |
| Width | 1,916 mm | 1,995 mm |
| Height | 1,655 mm | 1,775 mm |
| Wheelbase | 2,849 mm | 3,090 mm |
| Weight | 1,748 kg | 2,129 kg |
| Fuel Tank | 70 litres | 72 litres |
| Doors | 5 | 5 |
| Seats | 7 | 11 |
| Boot Space | 285 litres✓ | 56 litres |
| Front Tyre | 235/55R17 | 235/60R18 |
| Rear Tyre | 235/55R17 | 235/60R18 |
| Spare Tyre | Space Saver | Space Saver |
| Factory Tyres | Michelin Primacy 3 | Goodyear EfficientGrip Performance SUV |
| Chassis | ||
| Assembly | Spain (CBU) | Korea (CBU) |
| Front Suspension | MacPherson Strut | MacPherson Struts |
| Rear Suspension | Multi-link | Multi-links |
| Front Wheels | 17" Alloy | 18" Alloy |
| Rear Wheels | 17" Alloy | 18" Alloy |
| Steering | Rack and Pinion (Electric Power Steering) | Rack and Pinion (Electric Power Steering) |
| Crash Safety Ratings | ||
| EuroNCAP | 5 stars | — |
| Safety | ||
| Airbags | Driver and Passenger, Front Side, Driver's Knee, Front and Rear Curtain | Driver and Front Passenger, Front Side, Front and Rear Curtain, Front Center Airbag, Driver's Knee Airbag |
| ABS/EBD | ✓ | ✓ |
| Stability Control | ✓ | ✓ |
| Alarm | ✓ | ✓ |
| Immobilizer | ✓ | ✓ |
| Airbag Disable Function | ✓ | ✓ |
| Child Safety Lock | Manual for Rear Doors | Manual for Rear Doors |
| Seat Belts | 7 Three-point | 8 Three-point, 3 Lap Belts |
| ISOFIX | Available On Three Middle Row Passenger Seats | Available for 2 Outer 2nd Row Seats |
| Lane-keeping Assist | Steering Correction | No |
| Seatbelt Reminder | All Seats | All Seats |
| Lighting | ||
| Headlamps | Adaptive LED Projector with Auto High Beam | LED Projector |
| Taillamps | LED Combination | Full LED |
| LED Daytime Running Lights | ✓ | ✓ |
| Front Foglamps | ✓ | ✓ |
| Rear Foglamps | ✓ | — |
| Wing Mirror Turn Indicators | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cabin | ||
| Front Seats | Power Adjustable Seats with Memory for Driver, Heated, Ventilated, with Massage Function | Power Adjustable Front Seats |
| Rear Seats | 40:20:40 Split-Folding and Sliding Middle Row, 50:50 Split-Folding Last Row, Electric Folding | 40:20:40 Split-folding, Sliding, Reclining and Removable 2nd Row with Tip-up Centre Seat, 40:20:40 Split-folding, Sliding, Reclining and Removable 3rd Row with Tip-up Centre Seat, Folding 4th Row |
| Front Air-con | Dual-zone Automatic Climate Control System | Dual-zone Automatic Climate Control |
| Rear Air-con | Rear Vents with Blower Control | Single-zone Automatic Climate Control with 3rd Row Air Vents |
| Power Sockets | 2 Front, 1 Middle Row, 1 Boot | 1 Front, 1 Rear, 1 Boot, 2 USB-C Front, 2 USB-C Second Row, 2 USB-C Third Row |
| Interior Lighting | Map Lights and Ambient Lights | Map Lights |
| Cup Holders | 2 Front, 2 Last Row | 2 Front, 4 Middle Row, 4 Last Row |
| Sun Shade | — | Manual 2nd and 3rd Row Sun Shades |
| Audio | 8" Ford SYNC 2 with 9-speaker Sony Premium Audio | 12.3" Infotainment Touchscreen with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and 6 Speakers |
| Convenience | ||
| Power Windows | Four Windows, Auto Up and Down with Anti Pinch | Four Windows, Driver's Side Auto Up and Down with Anti-Pinch |
| Engine Start | Keyless Push Button | Keyless Push Button |
| Locks | Keyless Operation | Keyless Operation |
| Auto Start/Stop | ✓ | — |
| Auto Headlamps | ✓ | ✓ |
| Auto Wipers | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cruise Control | Passive Cruise Control | Passive Cruise Control |
| Tiptronic | ✓ | — |
| Paddle Shift | ✓ | ✓ |
| Steering Audio Control | ✓ | ✓ |
| Steering Tilt | ✓ | ✓ |
| Steering Telescopic | ✓ | ✓ |
| Boot Operation | Remote Control Activation | Powered Boot |
| Parking Sensor Front | 4 Sensors | 6 Sensors |
| Parking Sensor Rear | 4 Sensors | 6 Sensors |
| Reverse Camera | Yes | Yes, 360-degree Camera |
| Folding Wing Mirrors | ✓ | ✓ |
| Bluetooth | ✓ | ✓ |
| Power Door | — | Power Sliding Rear Doors - Both Sides |
| Hill Start Assist | ✓ | ✓ |
| Instrument Cluster | Digital/Analogue | Full LCD Monitor |
| Parking Brake | Electronic | Electronic |
| Warranty | ||
| Warranty Mileage Manufacturer | 100,000 km | 150,000 km✓ |
| Warranty Manufacturer | 3 years | 5 years✓ |
Specs shown for the selected variant of each car. ✓ marks the better figure where lower/higher is objectively better. Road tax: West Malaysia, private registration.