STYLE seems to win most battles these days when a family decides more room is needed to keep the kids happy in the back of the car.

It's a victory often won by a big, tall bruiser of a car that looks ready for the urban jungle or a trip up the nearest mountain. An SUV in other words; something that adds a touch of the big outdoors to the daily grind.

But there is an alternative. It won't gather admiring glances at the school gates but it will almost certainly be cheaper to run, more practical and, if you're only moderately lucky, be much nicer to drive.

Which brings us to the latest version of the Ford Grand C-MAX, fresh from a mid-life makeover and about as trim as a sensible seven seater ever could, with Ford's handsome new grille (looking more than ever like an Aston Martin) and sharper style to the headlights, while Ford watching anoraks will spot a simpler look to the rear.

Inside, there is a hike in apparent quality of the materials you touch or look at, along with fewer switches and a big touch screen in the manner of the latest Ford Focus. Under the bonnet the big news is the availability of a new 1.5 litre diesel engine that produces more power and fewer pollutants than the larger, 1.6 litre unit it replaces.

You can also choose from two versions of Ford's fine 1.0 litre EcoBoost petrol engine or a 2.0 litre diesel. Prices range from £20,295 to £27,615 and are £1,600 more than Ford asks for the smaller C-MAX, which looks a reasonable premium for the Grand C-MAX's third row of seats and the convenience of sliding rear doors in place of the conventionally opening pair on the 14cms (5.5 inches) shorter car.

Both models have more than 20 storage spaces scattered around the cabin, which should be quieter thanks to thicker side window glass, more absorbent seals on the tailgate and extra soundproofing under the bonnet, with extra attention paid to the diesel models.

Depending on version, you will find as standard, or optional, safety features that include a blind spot information system, lane departure warning, traffic sign recognition and adaptive cruise control that can warn when you are too close to the vehicle in front.

But most Fords of recent years have stood out from the pack for the way they drive. It's not, as an engineer from a rival company once told me, that others could not make their cars nicer to drive, it's just that they had other priorities.

So good for Ford to find that the latest C-MAX and Grand C-MAX have been lightly breathed on to make them still better from behind the wheel, with gentle massaging of dampers, suspension bushes and power steering settings.

The result, with the new 118bhp and 113g/km diesel engine doing the work in a £23,145 Titanium spec Grand C-MAX is a car that drives like something much smaller and less accommodating of five adults plus a couple of growing children in the third row.

It is so much removed from the rock and roll lifestyle of a typical SUV as to feel like a car from another planet. A dashboard readout of 44mpg after a brisk outing was further proof that fun and family need not be mutually exclusive.