Ford Galaxy 2.8 V6 Ghia | Spotted

Guess how long Ford made its people-carrying Galaxy? I’ll tell you: across three generations and a facelift for each of them, Ford was churning out the MPV for almost 30 years. Well, 27 years and 10 months to be precise, from June 1995 to April 2023. Yes, the last Galaxy was made just a couple of years ago; if someone had said it was gone before the 2020s, we’d have believed you. But seemingly the demand from Addison Lee, and a dedicated, heroic band of anti-SUV folk, kept the model going for a good while. No doubt you’ll spot half a dozen the next time you’re out. 

While later versions were overshadowed a bit by the related S-Max and then the 4×4 boom, the first Galaxy was perfectly timed to take advantage of the MPV craze of the mid-’90s. Cars like the Renault Espace and Toyota Previa had shown what was possible, so Ford, VW and SEAT worked together on a rival. By the end of the 20th century, no mainstream range was complete without a people mover of some description, be it the Galaxy/Sharan/Alhambra trio, the Honda Shuttle, Vauxhall Sintra or Mazda, um, MPV. Maybe the shift to SUVs wasn’t such a bad idea after all…

Whatever, the Galaxy and its rangemates were always decent options: the engines were good, they drove well enough and looked smart enough given the very unsexy silhouette. Never as stylish as an Espace, nowhere near as boring as a Sintra would probably sum them up nicely. And being the good old days, there were engine choices aplenty. There were the regular four-cylinder petrol and diesel options, of course, but also a V6. And not just any V6, either, but the VR6 that’s so loved by VW fans across the world. In a seven-seat van. No wonder people still reminisce so fondly about the ’90s. 

Naturally, the Sharan and the Galaxy with the 2.8 are extremely hard to find these days. They sold in small numbers when new, because they weren’t very much faster than the humbler engines but cost a lot more to run; and nobody was ever using an MPV like this with future owners in mind. But here we have one, with the VR6 and fewer than 60,000 miles. It’s one of the later, facelifted models, and comes in Ghia spec, so you can show the kids what sat nav looked like before it was in your pocket. This 2.8 is an auto, which will make it even slower and thirstier – apparently official fuel consumption is 24 – though it’d be staggering to find any manuals were ever made, let alone survive to this day. 

The MOT rap sheet is about as expected for a family-friendly fast(ish) Ford of the era – stuff has worn out, stuff has rusted – and it presents how a lot of 21-year-old cars do, which is to say pretty well. One side is better than the other, the pics would suggest. The dealer is promising new Pirellis and front brakes for sale, and there’s said to be some history with it. You’d have to hope for a 2.8-litre Galaxy to make it this far with so few miles that it’s enjoyed a reasonably gentle life by MPV standards. 

And it’s £3,500, which must be the cheapest way into a VR6 in 2025. It could still serve as a retro family hauler, or perhaps even made into something to show – a Galaxy is probably rarer than an RS500 these days. Having soldiered into its third decade, this old Ford surely has some life left to live. What would you do with it?

Engine: 2,792cc, V6
Transmission: 5-speed auto, front-wheel drive
Power (hp): 204@6,000rpm
Torque (lb ft): 197@3,200rpm
MPG: 23.7
CO2: 286g/km
First registered: 2004
Recorded mileage: 58,220
Price new: N/A
Yours for: £3,500