Jason Triolo

Thanks to everyone for your feedback. The small cars are definitely out (Fiesta, Focus, etc). They don't have enough cargo capacity for my needs. From what I've seen the C-Max will *just* work. I know even less about the care and feeding of a Diesel, but I'm not sure I've seen a Diesel model that catches my eye. I keep coming back to C-Max as the best candidate. In the end, the financial benefits will be the deciding factor. I'm looking at the payment on my current car, plus the cost of fuel and maintenance. I then have to compare that to the (probably increased) car payment of a new vehicle, and the fuel/maintenance for it. If I can achieve a significant reduction in total cost by trading in, that's what I'll do. On my current drive, I'm consuming about 8 gallons of fuel a day. Assuming 40mpg in the C-Max, my fuel consumption drops to about 5 gallons. Over a month, at current fuel prices, that's about a $210 savings. If I can get a car payment close to what I currently pay, it might be worth it. Thanks again to all for your advice. You might be seeing more of me in the future. Is the reduction in the winter due to the use of heat in your car, or does something in the hybrid system perform differently in cold weather? Being in Florida, that won't be an issue, but my need for continuous A/C at this time of year, will probably make a difference.

I started a new job earlier this year, about two hours away from home. I've made the decision to commute, rather than to relocate. For those familiar with the area, I'm traveling from a northern suburb of Tampa, to the Orlando area. The majority of my driving is interstate highway or other expressway (not Interstate 4...I'd never get there!), and is between 95-110 miles each way, depending on the route I select. My current car is a 2012 Ford Escape (last model year of the old body type). I purchased it new almost two years ago. My driving style, combined with road/traffic conditions, results in a fuel economy of about 25-26MPG. That's what the sticker advertised, and that's what I get. It's better than I expected, but I'm looking for something more economical. That's where The C-Max might come in. I test drove one today, having never driven a hybrid before, and was surprised with its performance. I had expected something that felt and handled differently than a conventional vehicle, but to my surprise, the driving experience was comparable to other vehicles of a similar size. If I choose to go the hybrid route, the C-Max would be my choice over the Fusion, or any of the import models. Since I prefer to transport my bicycle inside the car, rather than on a rear-mounted rack, this is the only one that has enough storage space. It seems to be closest to the capacity (in cubic feet) of the current Escape body design. Yes, after all of that, there is a question. :) Is there anyone else in this forum who drives a C-Max on a long daily commute? Has anyone switched from conventional to hybrid for this purpose, and if so, do you notice a cost savings? I realize that, since over 90% of my drive is at speeds of 65-75mph, that I might not fully see the benefits that a hybrid can provide. Still, is there enough of a benefit to consider trading in the Escape? Thanks for the advice.