THE big talking point about Ford’s very clever new mini-MPV, the BMax, is the sliding rear doors.

For these are no ordinary sliding doors. We’ve seen them on big MPVs for years allowing easy access and egress in tight spaces.

Ford has taken the concept a step further, however, by ditching the conventional fixed middle (B) pillar in favour of incorporating it in the doors themselves. When shut, the doors’ in-built strength and strategically-placed locking points on the body deliver comparable rigidity and crash protection to a regular car. The result is more space – a 1.5 metre aperture – when the doors are opened.

This should make tending to children in the rear seats easier and boost the loading flexibility, and buyers with elderly parents will also recognise the benefits of the large access space created with both front and rear doors open.

The B-Max is more than just a pair of fancy sliding doors, though. The car is based on a Fiesta platform and engineered with fold-flat rear seats and a fold-forward front passenger seat to enable long or bulky items to be carried.

Space inside the cabin is generous, with ample head and legroom. I tested the seating and load capacity using my family and accompanying couple of cases, plus cake-baking paraphernalia.

Children might be more regular rearseat passengers than adults, but you’re unlikely to hear complaints from the latter, even in the smaller middle seat position.

All were perfectly happy with cabin space, while the false floor in the boot lifted to reveal a handy second load area for a few dozen cupcakes.

Up front, the B-Max’s layout boasts similarities with the Fiesta and Focus, which ensures that everything is close to hand and the various main controls and displays are intuitive and easy to operate respectively. This ‘trickledown’ approach also extends to the availability of new kit such as keyless entry and ignition, plus an auto-stop city braking system designed to minimise low-speed accidents.

Worth an extra mention is Ford’s SYNC technology, which combines Bluetooth, phone and music player connectivity along with voice control, phone message handling and an SOS function linked to a response service. Granted, this package isn’t new, but Ford’s approach does make it more usable than most others. The audio system, which includes USB port, CD player, iPod connectivity and DAB/FM/AM radio, is among the very best on the market for clarity and ease of use.

Clearly the B-Max has a lot going for it. In the MPV market, the focus is usually on a car’s versatility and practicality. Unfortunately it’s often at the expense of driving ability. Not so the B-Max, which gets Ford’s innovative three-cylinder, 1.0-litre EcoBoost petrol engine.

Tested here in 100 horsepower guise, I found it offered a nicelycomposed drive, matched with an excellent gearbox and precise, light steering. Pick-up from low revs is superb and it will cruise at 70mph without a hint of toil.

The more powerful of the two engines is not surprisingly the pick of the two for its extra performance.

Zetec is only available with the 100bhp version, and the entry-level Studio offering is available only with a regular 1.4 petrol engine.

Although I favoured the higheroutput EcoBoost engine on a previous test drive, I have to say the 100hp version will suffice for all but the most demanding of drivers. The official economy figure is 55.4mpg, but my experience was a sub- 50mpg figure.

Completing the B-Max’s line-up are 1.6 petrol and diesel offerings,but there’s no denying that Ford’s EcoBoost-branded three-pot petrol engine is the star performer.

The biggest surprise is the way the B-Max drives. For a tall-ish compact people carrier, there’s very little pitch and roll when on the move, while the various controls possess a weighty accuracy. It’s not the quickest off the mark, but that’s not its goal in life.

This shouldn’t really be a surprise, given Ford’s form since it introduced the very first Focus. A refined yet engaging driving experience has been a common trait of all cars since that landmark launch. And such attributes combined with the B-Max’s practical, spacious and highquality cabin conspire to make the B-Max the stand-out choice in the market.

Fact file

B-Max 1.0 Zetec Ecoboost

PRICE: £16,195
ENGINE: 1.0-litre turbocharged petrol, developing 100PS
TRANSMISSION: Five-speed manual, driving the front wheels
PERFORMANCE: 0 to 62mph in 13.2 seconds; top speed109mph
ECONOMY: 55.4mpg combined
CO2 RATING: 119g/km