Learn Ford C-Max

Anyone with any knowledge??

http://green.autoblog.com/2013/08/19/ford-didnt-overstate-c-max-hybrid-mpg-number/

No room, overweight for the chassis, deplorable fuel economy for the cost/tech, and no fun to drive.

45 mpg is deplorable fuel economy?

3600 lbs certainly does sound porky.

For a small hybrid with barely more room than a Prius. Prius V is more efficient in practice and more roomy.

In reply to SVreX:

Paul, I've hit 45mpg(calculated, not the inaccurate gauge on the dash) in our Fit before. Granted 40-42 was much more normal…unless my wife is driving, then 30-32 are the norm.

Here's a piece I ghost wrote: http://blog.wellesleytoyota.com/blog/bid/274475/Prius-v-Versus-Ford-C-Max-Hybrid-Comparing-Real-World-Fuel-Economy

Javelin wrote: No room, overweight for the chassis, deplorable fuel economy for the cost/tech, and no fun to drive.

I've got to disagree. After driving one I thought that the C-MAX is much more entertaining to drive than a Prius (the torque is great!) and its interior is nicer. Interior room is similar to a standard Prius, and bigger than the Prius C. It gets nearly the same MPG, so it’s a shame that the Prius buyers are ignoring this car. For a long-distance commuter car the C-MAX would be a pretty compelling option.

I disagree. I did a back to back ride and drive with a C-Max and a Prius. I’ve said it here before. If every Ford dealer bought a Prius for people to drive back to back with the C-Max Toyota would never sell another one. First off, when you get in the C-Max has a much better looking and feeling interior. The seats are also far superior. Set off and the NVH is way way better in the C-max. Come to a corner, and while neither of these are sports cars there is at least some steering feedback and roll control in the C-Max. Finally observed MPG’s. I drove both cars like I stole them having zeroed the MPG gauge first, I got significantly better mpg’s in the C-MAX. There wasn’t one single thing I felt the Prius did even remotely close to as well as the C-Max, let alone better.

A friend’s father has one as his only car and he can’t stop raving about it even after 18 months with it. HE loves it.

I find the amount of "I had a different experience so the comprehensive testing must be wrong" present on this site disturbing at times.

In reply to DaveEstey:

Dude, this is the internet! I asked for opinions, why expect anything other than that?

Why don't you post a link to some of that "comprehensive testing" so we can see it?

You have posted a link some gobbledy-goop about confusion with the EPA's regulations and labeling, and a link to an article you wrote (which is a good one- thank you).

I'm not sure we can call that "comprehensive".

I think that there's some serious brand loyalty IRT the Prius going on. (And I suspect a certain amount of anti-American sentiment amongst the "green set"). Several Hybrids have gotten very good reviews, yet been crushed sales-volume-wise. I know that the C-max has gotten some bad press, but like other posters above, word of mouth has been strong. I even know someone who traded in a Tesla Sports car for one, and that's just wrong!

SVreX wrote: In reply to DaveEstey: Dude, this is the internet! I asked for opinions, why expect anything other than that? Why don't you post a link to some of that "comprehensive testing" so we can see it? You have posted a link some gobbledy-goop about confusion with the EPA's regulations and labeling, and a link to an article you wrote (which is a good one- thank you). I'm not sure we can call that "comprehensive".

Link to the full study is in the article I wrote. http://www.cleanmpg.com/forums/showthread.php?p=371553

Which ones have you driven Dave?

All 3. I've owned a Prius for 7 years.

And you honestly feel that the CMAX is "no fun to drive", particularly when compared to your Prius?

Ford did revise their fuel economy numbers to 45/40 (from 47/47), and the hatch volume comparison in your link is telling. I really prefer the interior on the CMAX, though. I think the exterior styling differences between the two are a wash.

In reply to nderwater: I don't buy an appliance car to have fun. I buy it to save on gas and never need any attention beyond oil changes and gas - that way my time and money can be spent on the fun car. Anybody who is expecting fun from a vehicle in this class is going to be disappointed unless they redefine what fun is. Does it handle better than the Prius? Yes. Does it handle as well as my 96 Civic? No.

This is the problem when car guys try to buy an appliance vehicle - they try to judge it on things it wasn't designed to have and 95% of the population doesn't care about.

I hear you, but I keep think back to my parents' Nissan Leaf. It's a shameless driving appliance whose entire purpose is its economy: effectively zero maintenance, low energy costs, low insurance costs, generous subsidies and tax brakes. And it is horrendously dull to drive.

The same economic benefits apply to other electric cars, like the Honda Fit Electric, Ford Focus Electric and Fiat 500e. But I'm sure that any of these would be much more engaging to drive every day, despite also being appliance vehicles.

I think if you want to enjoy (from our perspective) an electrified drivetrain you have to choose a higher price point. I haven't driven a Volt, but people say it's pretty rewarding.

To get the technology packed into a cheaper car, automakers have to prioritize. They don't choose dynamic performance. I think around $30k is the point where things get interesting.

Sorry, I should expand. I extensively test drove the C-Max as Mazda5 replacement, not as a Prius replacement. Compared to other 5-6 passenger tall wagon/MPV's, the C-Max is a huge disappointment. Also my note on the fuel economy is based on the actual mileage/fuel used, not the EPA numbers or Ford's notoriously optimistic onboard calculations. I saw 36 mpg real world freeway (winter, rain, E10).

www.fuelly.com is an interesting site where people self report their mpg.
This is far from an objective test but much more of a subjective test, though the big numbers reported tend to dilute the subjectivity. Said another way, "it is not a perfect source but it is a source."

Ford C-Max
331 cars reporting over 3.2 million miles
Net: average mpg of 39.6

Prius V
279 cars reporting over 3.9 million miles
Net: average mpg of 41.9

Not that big of a difference. Sure, the C-Max is not the 47 mpg earlier stated but it is on par with the competition.

I don't know much about either the C-max or the Prius, nor do I have any interest in either. THAT SAID, I can think of one reason that when I think "hybrid car" the C-Max never enters my mind:

The name.

Prius = latin for "to lead" (and most owners probably don't know that) but it kind of works and is memorable and everyone knows it.

Honda Insight = well, who doesn't like something that's insightful?

Nissan Leaf = brings thoughts of saving the earth and trees and nature.

Chevy Volt = basically says what it is...electric. And Volt is a fairly cool name I guess.

Tesla = pretty self-explanatory, and not the first time the name has been used for something popular.

C-Max = sounds like some kind of small utility pickup truck or something. It's not a name that people think of when hybrid shopping. It's quite simply a terrible name, especially for a fairly small vehicle (MAX = implies something large).

Id like to drive a c-max. My impression of it is a hybrid escape with all the crossover-ness toned down, that has way more torque than a prius while being only marginally less efficient. As little enthusiasm as i have for the styling (especially the dashboard), it's still a cut above the current Prius, in my opinion.

It's quite simply a terrible name,

I agree.

I agree about the name. I had no idea until recently that it was a hybrid, I thought it was just another crossover type thing.

That being said, we'll be looking at a '13 today that has 12,752 miles and is priced well within our new car budget. With all the info the wife and I have gathered, it seems like it may be the right vehicle for us at this time.

C-Max sounds like a new male enhancement supplement.

C(ock)-Max