Mtceecee Posted May 16, 2015 Report Share Posted May 16, 2015 Hi All! After a whirlwind week of test driving cars, we finally decided to trade-in my 2010 Mazda Miata for the 2015 C-Max SEL with the 302A package. It won't be here until Thursday, so I have a few days to read up on how I am supposed to change my driving style. I'm anxious to hear what all you veterans out there have to say. How can I get the best MPG? How does this handle in the winter...like the Miata? (Best in the garage?) i'm so excited! Thanks in advance. C-MaxSea 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Podivin Posted May 16, 2015 Report Share Posted May 16, 2015 Having had both, I can tell you that your driving style should RADICALLY change, assuming you drive both cars like you 'should'.I presume when you're driving the Miata you drive it like a sports car. It's a high revving engine that you shift at a fairly high RPM (I'm assuming it's a manual transmission). So you accelerate 'fast' (I know the Miata is not exactly quick off the line) and take corners a fun-speed. (For those who haven't driven one, a Miata is a fairly slow car to accelerate for all that they look like they should be much quicker, but will take a corner at darn near any speed you'd like. The best example I've read is to imagine a race between a Miata and a Mustang. If it's a straight track the Mustang will win without a problem. If it's very curvy track, bet on the Miata).So the Miata 'tells' you to drive it like a sports car. Even when you're going easy on it you're still driving it 'sporty'. Which is not very economical fuel-wise. I'd guess you average somewhere around 25mpg with it. The C-Max on the other hand will likely out accelerate the Miata, but you'd better slow down in turns until you learn it's handling or you're going to end up sideways on the street at some point. It's quieter, and it's going to feel bulkier until you get used to it.The left side of the dash on the C-Max has a screen that you can change to display different things. Set it on the 'empower' screen and let the car teach you how to drive it by keeping an eye on what it's telling you there. You'll likely find that you accelerate somewhere around '2 bars' to get a balance of decent acceleration and fuel economy. Others will give you lots of advice about how to get the BEST mileage out of it, but I don't drive that way. I drive for GOOD mileage, but I also like to get where I'm going. :) It's a different kind of fun to drive, but it's still fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markd Posted May 16, 2015 Report Share Posted May 16, 2015 The best advice I can give you is just relax and enjoy. It's not a race and you don't have to come in first to win. I took me about 5,000 miles to get used to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevedebi Posted May 18, 2015 Report Share Posted May 18, 2015 I believe the 2015 has the "driving coach" screens available on the right hand driver display. Some people use this to get their driving better. It has three bars - for braking, acceleration, cruising- and if you keep these in the blue color, you will be driving the way the Ford engineers believe will yield the best MPG. You might want to keep that screen up on the right, and use the empower on the left. The "empower" screen has a sliding square guage that indicates at what point the engine will come on. On 2013 and 2014, this coaching screen was only available on the left hand display. jeromep, C-MaxSea and Mtceecee 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mtceecee Posted May 19, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 19, 2015 Thank you so much for the tips. My car has arrived early, so TODAY is the day!!! I am so excited and a bit scared. This is a whole new beast. C-MaxSea and markd 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FordService Posted May 20, 2015 Report Share Posted May 20, 2015 Thank you so much for the tips. My car has arrived early, so TODAY is the day!!! I am so excited and a bit scared. This is a whole new beast.Congrats! Have you taken any awesome photos yet? Meagan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mtceecee Posted May 21, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 21, 2015 Love the C Max! I'm truly surprised at how responsive it is. As far as I can tell, I am the only one in town, so I expect a lot of stares..."what kind of car was that anyway?" jeromep, C-MaxSea and Bugblndr 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mtceecee Posted June 13, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 13, 2015 It's been almost a month now and I keep driving past the gas station with a stupid grin on my face! I'm averaging 49.5 mpg which is nothing to sneeze at, considering I live on a hill and drive up and down hills every day. This car must be the best kept secret Ford has since I haven't seen any advertisements for the C Max. Her name is 'Maxine' hardly original, but she likes it and I love her! C-MaxSea, jeromep and markd 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mtceecee Posted June 25, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 25, 2015 Two months and I can hardly remember NOT having my C Max. Love the MPGs, handling, especially love the auto sensor wipers. This is a great car. I just don't know why there aren't more of them out there. I guess we are ahead of the curve! C-MaxSea and jeromep 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nsteblay Posted June 26, 2015 Report Share Posted June 26, 2015 Glad you're liking your new ride. I'll have mine 3 years this October - will hit about 60K. It's a fantastic car. I haven't any of the major problems reported. My overall lifetime mileage is 41 MPG but am getting about 50 this spring and summer (live in Minnesota). Handles great, decent acceleration, great comfort and headroom, and love the gas mileage. MFT can frustrate on occasion but generally has been stable. Mtceecee 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C-MaxSea Posted June 28, 2015 Report Share Posted June 28, 2015 Two months and I can hardly remember NOT having my C Max. Love the MPGs, handling, especially love the auto sensor wipers. This is a great car. I just don't know why there aren't more of them out there. I guess we are ahead of the curve! Yes indeed, Mtceecee, a great car (still ahead of the curve three years in !!!); undervalued, underappreciated, over criticized, yadda, yadda, yadda. Great you discovered it and are enjoying it. :victory: Nick PS The C-Max is very well received and respected over in Europe (non-hybrid parent to ours) Love our USA 47 mpg hybrid.PSS Lots of C-Max taxis in Rome when we were there a couple months ago. Mtceecee 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mtceecee Posted July 10, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 10, 2015 Note to all...getting my software update today. I personally have had no issues with the engine not shutting down, but this is supposed to fix that in case it were to happen. Ford send the letter as a "recall" software update. The software update sounds much better. Still tweaking "Maxine" and love her like a member of the family. Maybe this is like a vaccination. ;-) won't hurt a bit. markd 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeromep Posted July 31, 2015 Report Share Posted July 31, 2015 (edited) Note to all...getting my software update today. I personally have had no issues with the engine not shutting down, but this is supposed to fix that in case it were to happen. Ford send the letter as a "recall" software update. The software update sounds much better. Still tweaking "Maxine" and love her like a member of the family. Maybe this is like a vaccination. ;-) won't hurt a bit.I have a 2005 Prius, in addition to the C-Max (I much prefer the C-Max over the Prius). I purchased the Prius in December of 2004 and by February of 05 Toyota had issued a recall that applied a software change to the vehicle. Toyota actually called it a recall. Anyway, it was nothing more than a software update which changed some aspect of how the car operated. I didn't actually notice any changes, but it supposedly made starting and turning off the vehicle more reliable. Frankly, software updates to vehicles done as the vehicles age is a very logical way to improve vehicle performance without causing a lot of pain to the end-user. And yes, you are correct, it won't hurt a bit. Edited July 31, 2015 by jeromep Mtceecee 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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