Description
After five years on the market, Ford refreshed the Galaxy lineup and gave it a new design language that the automaker named “New Edge,” trying to attract younger customers.
The European minivan market was not very large in the mid-90s, and that segment was already highly contested by the Renault Espace, which had been on the market since the early ‘80s. So, the only thing Ford and Volkswagen could do was to provide a better vehicle with a lower production cost. For that, the automakers shared an assembly line in Portugal where the Ford Galaxy, Volkswagen Sharan, and Seat Alhambra were made. The recipe worked, so after five years, the three vehicles got facelifted.
Ford followed the design language introduced by the Focus’ first generation, installing triangular, swept-back headlights on the refreshed Galaxy MPV. Between them, the automaker added a slightly curved and narrow grille that sported the blue-oval badge. Lower, on the bumper, the automaker placed a secondary air intake needed to cool the engine. As an option, customers could have the car with fog lamps mounted on the outer sides of the apron. The design changes were so massive that the vehicle looked like a completely new generation.
From its profile, the panoramic windshield followed the same line as the short hood. The body-colored door mirrors and door handles replaced the older black ones. Still, the rubber stripes that protected the bodywork were black or painted, depending on the trim level. Ford offered the car with standard steel wheels, but alloy ones were also available. The Galaxy featured four regular doors, ditching the idea of installing sliding ones, which were more expensive. Finally, at the back, the new corner-mounted taillights were larger and extended from the quarter panels to the redesigned tailgate.
Inside, Ford placed a flat and low dashboard fitted with several storage compartments both on top and underneath it. In front of the driver, the automaker placed the instrument cluster with a rounded upper visor that resembled the one from a Volkswagen Passat. Inside it, the panels sported large dials for the speedometer and tachometer and two additional gauges on its upper side. An LCD took center stage for additional information from the car’s onboard computer. With seating for up to seven passengers on three rows, the Galaxy was an adequate vehicle for large families or a family with many friends. Besides the front row, all the other seats could be removed to create a vast loading area.
Under the hood, Ford installed a choice of diesel and gasoline engines carried over from Volkswagen. The most powerful version was a 2.8-liter V6 paired with a six-speed manual. A smaller, 2.3-liter gasoline engine supplied by Ford was also available.
