2013 Ford C-MAX Hybrid

Great competiton to the Prius

By Bish079 (MD) on Thursday, October 25, 2012

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 150

Pros: "Handles well, nice interior/exterior"

Cons: "Break in period for mpg. less mpg in cold weather"

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 10

"I've had this car less than a week. I have the SEL 300A with panoramic roof. Coming from a 2007 Escape this has been a huge uprade in terms of luxury/options and mpg. The panoramic roof does not open. Its very nice, especially for rear seat passangers, but it is pricey. Car handles great compared to a compact SUV. Solid acceleration. The shift from electronic to gas is very smooth. The brakes are very grabby due to the regenerative breaking, but I'm getting used to it. With the Escape I was getting 15mpg with hilly city driving. I'm averaging 40+ mpg now. That being said, during my morning commute the gas engine runs more to run the heater which has reduced my mpg. Its a short commute too, so by the time the EV kicks in per normal, I'm almost to work. So I've been getting 29mpg in the AM and 47-49 mpg in the PM. I've gotten 60+ mpg on easy roads. That being said, the manual claims a break in period, and many other are reporting much better MPG after the 2nd or 3rd tank of gas (1000+ miles). As much as 5-7mpg difference, so I expect my 40 average to get up to 47 then once the break in is over. There is also a little button I found on the gear stick that will improve regenerative breaking return. Since the gas engine runs more often when the battery is <50% full this may be a better way to improve MPG in lots of stop/go traffic. I have not had a chance to play with it much. So far I have had zero regets buying the car. Need to be patient with the final mpg verdict, but for me it is already a huge improvement. Storage is about 20-30% less than the Escape, but there are floor compartments to help store little things. There is also a normal 120V plug, USB plugs and automatic phone syncing via bluetooth."

37 people out of 39 found this review helpful

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More people should drive hybrids

By OCdriver (CA) on Friday, October 19, 2012

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 300

Pros: "Styling, performance, price"

Cons: "Steering takes a large radius"

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 10

"Hybrids were not a choice for us until now. Styling, price and performance were the issues. This car has the styling. It looks great. Ford has really come on strong with their new line up. We originally were looking at the new Fusion and not heard of the C-Max. My wife saw it at the dealer and really liked it. Price was pretty good for a car with all the features. We got the SEL with the 303a. A conventional vehicle like this wouldn't be much different in price. We saw a similarly equipped Focus for just a little less. Driving it was a surprize. This car really goes. My neighbor says his Prius barely makes it up the hill where we live. The car handles well and is almost silent even when the gas motor is running.The steering seems to take a lot of work to get into a tight parking spot. We haven't tried the active parking yet. Gas mileage is not quite there yet. So far the gauge shows we are gettting 35-38 mpg. I hope to learn to drive better and get the rated 47 mpg but I'm pretty heavy footed. The auto liftgate with foot activation is not working all the time so I need to take it in. Otherwise there doesn't seem to be any other defects."

21 people out of 22 found this review helpful

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Fun to drive

By Rod (CA) on Tuesday, October 09, 2012

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 250

Pros: "Fuel economy, Fun to drive, Good looking,"

Cons: "Arm rests are to low, Some engine noise in the cab"

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 10

"After looking at the Toyota Prius this car was the obvious choice for me. The car comes loaded with standard features that the Prius did not have. And it is nice to know that this car can give you great acceleration. This car is a mix between the Focus and the Escape. It looks good and it runs good. I’m so happy with this car. Ford has done a great job with this car!"

12 people out of 13 found this review helpful

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Don't buy a Ford Hybrid

By canuck2016 (Canada) on Wednesday, September 05, 2012

I don't own this car

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 1

"Having spent the last month unsuccessfully trying to get Ford to warranty the failed hybrid battery cooling system of my 2005 Ford Escape Hybrid (only 140,000 km), I will never buy another vehicle from Ford. If they will not proudly stand behind the vehicles that they make, then purchasing the CMAX would be like burning my money. I have no faith that Ford has the technological ability to properly engineer and build a vehicle of this complexity and ABSOLUTELY no trust that they will support the customers who buy it when it will inevitably fail. I purchased the Toyota Prius V and sleep easy knowing that this amazing vehicle contains the legendary Toyota quality and that Toyota's respect for its customers will alleviate any concerns if they do arise. Don't buy a Ford hybrid...you will regret it! Are you listening Ford?"

16 people out of 184 found this review helpful

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