Verdict
At RM165,000, the eight-seat Toyota Innova Zenix costs RM56,728 less than the RM221,728 Ford S-MAX, yet brings adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go, blind-spot monitoring, pre-collision braking and a 360-degree camera. That is the more practical Malaysian family brief. The S-MAX answers with far stronger 237 hp and 345 Nm outputs against 174 hp and 205 Nm, plus a 285-litre boot versus 239 litres. Its 8.4-second 0-100 km/h time and richer front seats make it the choice for drivers prepared to pay considerably more and carry seven, not eight.
Pick the Ford S-MAX if 237 hp, 345 Nm, an 8.4-second 0-100 km/h time and driver-focused front-seat comfort matter more than the RM56,728 saving.
Pick the Toyota Innova Zenix if you need eight seats, Toyota Safety Sense pre-collision braking and adaptive cruise control for RM165,000.
Key differences
- Price: Ford S-MAX RM221,728; Toyota Innova Zenix RM165,000.
- Power and torque: Ford S-MAX 237 hp and 345 Nm; Toyota Innova Zenix 174 hp and 205 Nm.
- Seating and boot: Ford S-MAX seven seats and 285 litres; Toyota Innova Zenix eight seats and 239 litres.
- Fuel tank: Ford S-MAX 70 litres; Toyota Innova Zenix 52 litres.
- Rear suspension: Ford S-MAX multi-link; Toyota Innova Zenix torsion beam.
- Warranty: Ford S-MAX three years/100,000 km; Toyota Innova Zenix five years/unlimited mileage.
S-MAX
- 237 hp and 345 Nm, with 0-100 km/h in 8.4 seconds.
- 285-litre boot and 70-litre fuel tank.
- Heated, ventilated and massage-equipped power front seats with driver memory.
- Costs RM56,728 more.
- Has seven seats to the Innova Zenix's eight.
- Lacks blind-spot monitoring, pre-collision braking and a 360-degree camera.
Innova Zenix
- Eight seats for RM165,000.
- Blind-spot monitoring, pre-collision braking with pedestrian detection and 360-degree camera.
- Five-year, unlimited-mileage warranty.
- 174 hp and 205 Nm trail the S-MAX's 237 hp and 345 Nm.
- 239-litre boot is 46 litres smaller than the S-MAX's.
- 52-litre fuel tank is 18 litres smaller than the S-MAX's.
| Price & overview | ||
|---|---|---|
| Price | RM221,728 | RM165,000✓ |
| Body type | MPV | MPV |
| Segment | D-Segment | D-Segment |
| Assembly | CBU | CBU |
| Ownership | ||
| Road tax / year | RM440 | RM435✓ |
| Powertrain | ||
| Engine Tech | 16-valve, DOHC, direct fuel injection, turbocharged with variable valve timing | 4-cylinder inline, 16 valve DOHC, Toyota Dynamic Force Direct Injection |
| Capacity | 1,999 cc | 1,987 cc |
| Horsepower | 237 hp✓ | 174 hp |
| Torque | 345 Nm✓ | 205 Nm |
| Fuel | Petrol | Petrol |
| Bore | 87.5 mm | 80.5 mm |
| Compression Ratio | 9.3 | 13 |
| Drivetrain | ||
| Transmission | Conventional Automatic | CVT Automatic |
| Transmission Name | Selectshift | 10-speed Direct Shift CVT with Sequential Shiftmatic |
| Gears | 6 | 10 |
| Transmission Manufacturer | Ford/GM | Aisin |
| 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 | 4,760 mm |
| Width | 1,916 mm | 1,850 mm |
| Height | 1,655 mm | 1,795 mm |
| Wheelbase | 2,849 mm | 2,850 mm |
| Weight | 1,748 kg | 1,595 kg |
| Fuel Tank | 70 litres | 52 litres |
| Doors | 5 | 4 |
| Seats | 7 | 8 |
| Boot Space | 285 litres✓ | 239 litres |
| Front Tyre | 235/55R17 | 225/50R18 |
| Rear Tyre | 235/55R17 | 225/50R18 |
| Spare Tyre | Space Saver | Full-size 16" Steel 205/65R16 Tyre |
| Factory Tyres | Michelin Primacy 3 | — |
| Chassis | ||
| Assembly | Spain (CBU) | Indonesia (CBU) |
| Front Suspension | MacPherson Strut | MacPherson Strut |
| Rear Suspension | Multi-link | Torsion Beam |
| 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 Passenger, Front Side, Front and Rear Curtain |
| 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 |
| Blind Spot Info System | — | ✓ |
| ISOFIX | Available On Three Middle Row Passenger Seats | Available on two outer middle passenger seats |
| Autonomous Braking System | — | Yes, TSS Pre-collision Braking (4-120 km/h) with Pedestrian Detection |
| Lane-keeping Assist | Steering Correction | Steering Correction |
| Collision Warning | — | ✓ |
| Seatbelt Reminder | All Seats | Front Seats Only |
| Lighting | ||
| Headlamps | Adaptive LED Projector with Auto High Beam | Automatic LED Projector with Auto High Beam |
| Taillamps | LED Combination | 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 | 8-way Power Adjustable Driver's Seat, Manual Adjustable Passenger Seat |
| Rear Seats | 40:20:40 Split-Folding and Sliding Middle Row, 50:50 Split-Folding Last Row, Electric Folding | 60:40 Split-folding Middle Row, 50:50 Split-folding Last Row |
| Front Air-con | Dual-zone Automatic Climate Control System | Single-zone Automatic Climate Control System |
| Rear Air-con | Rear Vents with Blower Control | Rear Vents with Blower Control |
| Power Sockets | 2 Front, 1 Middle Row, 1 Boot | 1 Front USB, 1 Front USB-C, 1 Front Cig Socket, 2 Middle Row USB-C, 1 Rear Row Cig Socket |
| Interior Lighting | Map Lights and Ambient Lights | Map Lights and Ambient Lights |
| Cup Holders | 2 Front, 2 Last Row | 2 Front, 2 Rear |
| Audio | 8" Ford SYNC 2 with 9-speaker Sony Premium Audio | 10.1" Capacitive Touchscreen Display, 6 Speakers, Wireless Carplay and Wired Android Auto, USB and Bluetooth |
| Convenience | ||
| Power Windows | Four Windows, Auto Up and Down with Anti Pinch | Four Windows, 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 | Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop and Go and Steering Assist |
| Tiptronic | ✓ | — |
| Paddle Shift | ✓ | ✓ |
| Steering Audio Control | ✓ | ✓ |
| Steering Tilt | ✓ | ✓ |
| Steering Telescopic | ✓ | ✓ |
| Boot Operation | Remote Control Activation | Powered boot |
| Parking Sensor Front | 4 Sensors | 2 Sensors |
| Parking Sensor Rear | 4 Sensors | 4 Sensors |
| Reverse Camera | Yes | Yes, with 360-degree Camera |
| Folding Wing Mirrors | ✓ | ✓ |
| Bluetooth | ✓ | ✓ |
| Hill Start Assist | ✓ | ✓ |
| Instrument Cluster | Digital/Analogue | Electroluminescent Analogue |
| Parking Brake | Electronic | Electronic |
| Warranty | ||
| Warranty Mileage Manufacturer | 100,000 km | Unlimited✓ |
| 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.
Used S-MAX & Innova Zenix for sale
S-MAX vs Innova Zenix FAQ
Is the Ford S-MAX or Toyota Innova Zenix better?
The Toyota Innova Zenix is the stronger family-value choice: it costs RM56,728 less, seats eight and gets adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring and pre-collision braking. Choose the Ford S-MAX for its 237 hp, 345 Nm and larger 285-litre boot.
What is the price difference?
The Ford S-MAX costs RM221,728 and the Toyota Innova Zenix costs RM165,000, so the Ford is RM56,728 more expensive.
Which MPV has the better safety equipment?
The Toyota Innova Zenix has the broader active-safety set, adding blind-spot monitoring, collision warning, Toyota Safety Sense pre-collision braking with pedestrian detection, adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go and a 360-degree camera.