Choosing a people carrier has, I always thought, been a case of finding the biggest and best value car, buying it, and slinging the kids in the back. But that's apparently not so, for if it were then Ford's S-MAX would be a failure rather than a runaway success. The S-MAX is the 2007 International Car of the Year, a title which actually only applies to Europe. The S-MAX clinched top place by a margin of two votes but that hardly matters. It's being first that people recognise, not the margin, which is little consolation for those who champion the Vauxhall Corsa, the car that came second. Ford says the S-MAX and its sister Galaxy model, both launched last summer, have brought a 33 per cent increase in its MPV sales. This year, when there's a full 12 months of sales to judge them by, it will be interesting to see just how much more growth they can generate in an overall shrinking market. This, as Ford is quick to point out, is the year of the Mondeo. The new version of the evergreen successor to the Sierra, bsed on the stunning Iosis concept, launches soon and will no doubt be big in the fleet market. Mondeo was the best selling diesel car in the UK last year. But for families wanting a seven seat cruiser, the emphasis will still be very much on the S-MAX and Galaxy. My money is firmly on the Galaxy, which I prefer, but it seems many people think the opposite. And when it comes to making their selection, it's not the cheapest S-MAX that attracts them. This is very much a lifestyle car, so buyers are going all out to get the top-level Titanium trim with the best 141 bhp 2.0 TDCi turbodiesel engine. In standard form this flagship S-MAX lists at £21,495 but don't worry as Ford gives you plenty of opportunity to spend much more if you want to. There's metallic paint, for a start, a must-have option that costs £400. My test car also had the £2,500 Titanium X Pack that adds bigger alloy wheels, adaptive front lighting, a blend of Alcantara and leather trim, a panorama roof, and Bluetooth system. There was another £1,500 worth of DVD navigation equipment and CD multichanger, too. The emphasis with the S-MAX is very much on the sporting, from the styling and handling to the option of the 2.5 litre petrol engine that can also be enjoyed in the Focus RS and makes it the best hot hatch in Britain as far as enthusiasts are concerned. Even those hard-to-please types at Top Gear get excited by the S-MAX, voting it their best big car and saying that the car is an MPV that has arrived by the stealth route. The magazine says it provides a welcome refuge for all those who risk feeling emasculated by MPV ownership and that it's a fresher, edgier, more complex proposition. Certainly a couple with five kids will find the S-MAX extremely practical with its five fold away rear seats. They don't come out but disappear instead into the floor, just as they do in the Galaxy. Unless you want your MPV to double as a van then it's a very elegant solution that saves lugging heavy seats about. And, of course, you always have them with you so it's easy to swap from load to people carrying. The 2.0 TDCi engine is a belter, but the enthusiasm it encouraged saw my average fuel consumption shrink to 36.5 mpg. If economy is of more interest, the 1.8 litre, 124 bhp diesel will suit you better. I managed 44.8 mpg with it in the much bulkier Galaxy. But either car is superb. Maurice Hardy Annette's View Although the Ford S-MAX is not so imposing in terms of dimensions when parked alongside the Galaxy, which shares much of its architecture, there's very little difference in the overall load space volume. While the Galaxy will manage 2,300 litres of luggage as a two seater, the S-MAX will swallow an impressive 2,000 litres, which is more than enough for many people. And there are impressive extras and accessories available that make the load area extremely flexible should you want to carry things like bikes inside the car. As a five seater, the S-MAX has plenty of space as the centre row of three individual seats can be slid right back, leaving plenty of kneeroom. Things are more compromised should you want to carry seven people, when the centre row's position needs to be adjusted to give decent legroom in the third row unless you are only carrying small children there. The fascinating thing about the S-MAX is the driving pleasure it brings, leaving aside the test car's reluctance to pull away on a cold engine. It handles beautifully and although you are always aware you are sitting in a MPV you are not aware you are driving one. That's the secret of this car's success and no other MPV matches it. Car: Ford S-MAX Titanium 2.0 TDCi Does it fit your ego?... 0-60 mph: 9.7 secs Top speed: 122 mph Bhp: 141 @ 4000 rpm Torque: 251 lb ft @ 2000 rpm ...and your wallet?... Price: £21,495 Urban: 34.9 mpg Extra urban: 52.3 mpg Combined: 44.1 mpg CO2 emissions: 169 g/km Insurance Group: 11 Best bits: sensational packaging; best-disguised MPV there is; driving fun.