IT is difficult to get excited about an MPV unless you're a soccer mom with lots of kids and driving around to do. A spacious cabin and a commanding driving position really do help to enhance the commute for anyone who has to negotiate peak hour traffic with a couple of noisy children.

But other than that, the merits of a multi-purpose vehicle usually elude everyone else, especially those who actually enjoy driving.

The new Ford S-Max, however, could possibly change all that. Finally, there is something with three rows of seats that handles well. True, there are already a handful of Japanese MPV models that are more than competent because of their lower centre of gravity and accurate steering. But the S-Max has a bit more - it's also fun to drive.

Just looking at it will tell you there's something special about the S-Max. It may have that ubiquitous one-box MPV shape but there is a certain je ne sais quoi about it.

Maybe it's because Ford's new kinetic design philosophy has given this people carrier unusual proportions (actually, the term 'kinetic design' itself sounds a little contrived, and it doesn't get better when you find out that it's supposed to mean 'energy in motion', but that's another story).

Or maybe it's just because that low nose and steeply raked windscreen with a wheel at each corner of the car is simply more exciting than anything you expected of an MPV.

Get behind the wheel and there are other nice design touches. There is a U-shaped parking brake - other carmakers have done it before but the S-Max's chrome-embellished version is the nicest. There is also a cool but busy-looking Ford Convers+ instrument cluster display, which merges the meters with a five-inch colour screen.

On the latter, the vehicle settings and trip computer information display are controlled by a cellphone-like toggle switch on the steering wheel.

The biggest surprise though, is the driving position. Not only is it excellent but there is a lot of underdash room. Those who are taller and often have to bear with knees knocking against the steering column or centre console will find there is more air here than under a Scotsman's kilt.

As if that isn't enough, there is also a knee airbag, bringing the total number of airbags in the S-Max to seven.

The rest of the interior packaging is as good. The second row is made of three individual seats, which can slide forward or backward independently. The third row seats are small but still adequate for shorter adults and they fold flat into the cargo floor (the S-Max is less of a seven-seater than a five- plus-two). A few underfloor storage compartments complete the list of features in the interior department.

Which brings us to the piece de resistance - the handling department. The S-Max suspension uses MacPherson struts in front and a multi-link arrangement in the rear, with four links controlling each wheel precisely.

With an isolated subframe and hydro bushes for increased comfort and lower noise, vibration and harshness, the S-Max is able to filter out much of the irregularities of the road surface for a smooth and controlled ride.

This control is enhanced by an extremely well-weighted steering wheel, which while it could be quicker, is adequately precise for placing the S-Max accurately in the desired direction. Other MPVs may have some of its driving dynamics, but the S-Max extends the experience further by offering a level of stability and robustness not found in the Japanese competition.

But progress in the S-Max is only adequate because the new 2.3-litre engine is only adequate. On the plus side, however, it is mated to a silken six-speed automatic transmission. This gem of a gearbox has a manual shifting feature similar to that of a BMW, where the lever is nudged forward for downshifts and backward for upshifts.

So the agility of the car is down wholly to the superb chassis and the precise steering. And that makes the S-Max the MPV with the maximum driving pleasure.

FORD S-MAX
Engine: 2,261cc
Gearbox: 6-speed Durashift automatic transmission
Max power: 161 hp @ 6,500 rpm
Max torque: 208 Nm @ 4,000 rpm
0-100 kmh: 10.7 secs
Top speed: 193 kmh
Price: $118,000 (with COE)
Distributor: Regent Motors. Tel: 6376-2233