djc

Major improvement over 2010-2015 Model. 52 mpg overall in new model compared to 44 mpg for older model Prius in CR tests. CR tests are done with a flow meter installed in fuel line and car driven on test track and highway; different from EPA tests which, as I understand it, can use simulated driving. CR usually gets lower mpg numbers than EPA. "On our city course, the 2016 Prius returned 43 mpg, a stunning 11 mpg improvement over the old version. At 65 mph highway cruising, we measured 59 mpg—which is better fuel economy than any diesel-engined car we’ve tested." Article: http://www.consumerreports.org/prius/toyota-prius-52-mpg/

Apparently at low battery the BWM will drop to 45mph without warning - and happened to Consumer Report tester as he was passing at highway speeds. http://www.consumerreports.org/bmw/bmw-sued-for-i3-electric-cars-sudden-performance-dropoff/ What were they thinking at BMW? side note: as of this posting ConsumerReports.org says at top of web page that the site has free access for 36 hours (I am not sure when this began). One can read their car reviews and results of owner surveys on repairs and reliability.

Uber is testing a self-driving Ford Fusion hybrid in Pittsburgh: https://newsroom.uber.com/us-pennsylvania/new-wheels/ (It will have a human on board.) An advantage of the hybrid may be the electric steering and computer controlled brakes, and accelerator pedal that is just a computer input, that may be relatively easy to adapt the vehicle to driving by a computer. The C-max might make a better taxi - easier access, shorter. In any case since the C-max shares its drive system with the Fusion hybrid, it should be just as suitable for retro-fitted self-driving system.

I don't think there is enough info at this point draw any conclusions about what Ford's future hybrids will be. Apparently the new Mexico plant will produce Focus and another car, maybe based on Focus, maybe the "Model E". It seems there will be a pure EV version of that, but possibly a hybrid version as well. I am guessing Ford will try to cover most market segments. Subaru sales are growing rapidly, and their best sellers have been ruggedized small wagons (Forester and Outback). Toyota just recently hybridized the RAV4 at a small price premium over the standard RAV4. So Toyota is betting on a non-sedan hybrid. Prius continues as a hatch (not sure the fate of the more wagon-like V). An uptick in gas prices would of course help sales of all these. Americans have been pretty fickle about what form their favored utilitarian vehicle should be: station wagon, mini-van, hatchback, SUV, extended cab pickup. The handling and economy advantages of hatchback and wagon should keep a place for hybrid versions of them in the market - but it couldn't hurt to offer AWD versions and some ground clearance.

Ford has been selling about 85,000 Euro C-max a year, according to left-lane.com. Peak year, over 150k, was 2004, the year after introduction. According to the chart on page linked below, in 2016 C-max (including "Grand") sales are 4th out of 14 in the mid-sized MPV segment in Europe. Prius is in that segment - and way at the bottom (could be late arrival of the 2016 model): http://left-lane.com/car-sales-europe/car-sales-segments/midsized-mpv-segment/ So decent sales and recent make-over suggest Euro C-max will continue. Since the new EV will be produced along side the Focus at the Mexico plant, it seems reasonable to conclude it will be based on the same platform.

All electric with 200 mile range may make good sense as to many 2-car families. Perhaps Ford will try a mostly electric hybrid that uses a small gas engine, like (but better than) the BWM i3 REx. Apparently Ford offers a small and light-weight turbo 3-cylinder in the C-max in Europe: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_EcoBoost_engine This Ford 3-cylinder is small (block is the size of a standard A4 sheet of paper, says Wikipedia) and light (213 lbs). This is a larger more capable engine than the tiny 650cc 2-cyl engine in the BMW (reportedly borrowed from a BWM scooter) In a hybrid vehicle an option might be to use an electric supercharger as needed to squeeze more power out of a tiny light-wieght engine. Ford could build a car that runs mostly on electric and battery, but can run adequately on gas and top itself up As battery costs continue to fall, we may see more hybrids that shift the balance from relying mainly on gas to relying mainly on EV, while keeping a long range. Fords widely used 1.6L Ecoboost engine weighs just 250 lbs, according to the article above. That's only 30-40 lbs more than the 1.0L, with a big increase in displacement / torque. Of course using gas engines entails additional weight and space for cooling, exhaust, fuel tank and fuel.

Ford CEO Fields told analysts yesterday that Ford will have a competitive 200 mile electric vehicle - likely a version of the Model E: http://www.extremetech.com/extreme/227542-model-e-now-ford-plans-a-200-mile-electric-vehicle

hide that gas syphon, markd. Hide that gas syphon, markd. ;)

According to EPA at current gas prices (they say that is $2.07) the C-max annual fuel cost is $800 whereas the Fusion hybrid is $750. So $50 difference for an average mix of hwy and city driving. I drive less than 15k miles so the difference for me is less than that, maybe $25-$30. I tried both C-max and Fusion and the C-max was easier to get in and out of, had better visibility, and felt less confining / claustrophobic. Ease of hauling the occasional office chair, 2x6", or antique this or that is another C-max plus. So for me C-max was the better choice. But I gather from the sales figures most buyers have different priorities. It will be interesting to see how the Ioniq and hybrid RAV-4 sales go. C-max is 6" taller than Fusion. Drag coefficient reported to be .30 vs. .27. So about 10% difference in each parameter. You can compare fuel costs here, and by clicking "personalize" at the bottom adjust city / hwy mix and total number of miles driven: http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/Find.do?action=sbs&id=33010&id=33083

The coolant temp gauge display does not show a blue thermometer on my C-max when coolant is cold, contrary to the manual and online vids. Perhaps this went away in some module firmware update. My 2013 factory block heater quit working this week. I am hoping it is just the connector at the heater. In any case it should be under warranty (build 7/2013).

I wouldn't be surprised if these dates get revised. At any rate there should be a 2018 C-Max, introduced next year and produced at least until summer 2018 in Michigan. It is not clear what happens then - C-Max continues in production for one year in Mexico, or C-max hybrid ends and there is a year gap until Model E production begins Fall 2019. Or maybe that 2019 date is just wrong. With an aging population I expect there will be similar easy-access efficient vehicles available from multiple makers. Some EV or hybrid models will have electric motors on both axles and so may call themselves SUVs or crossovers. The Kia Niro does look promising. Tesla may enter this segment. The new larger Honda Fit is similar in body to the C-max; Honda could "hybridize" it. Ford could do the same with a future Escape revision. Subaru should eventually produce a less-mild hybrid Crosstrek tall wagon to boost its fleet mpg numbers. GM may resurrect an EV Vibe variant. I am not worried about being able to find future choices with many of the C-max virtues. One technology that seems relevant and feasible to these segments would be adjustable road clearance. I haven't seen that being explored. An ARC vehicle could be fuel efficient on the highway and on good dry roads yet offer SUV benefits as needed in snow belt and mild off road. Edit: well, I see "height adjusting suspensions" are being used to improve aerodynamics and handling on a handful of cars, and access on others - and that adjustable height was banned by the Feds from 1974-1981 under stringent uniform bumper height regulations. I knew about the way-cool hydraulics laden 1954 Citroen DS. But I didn't know that some early Subaru had a similar feature . Current vehicles listed at Wikipedia as having "variable height suspensions" include some Ford Expedition, Mercedes, 2011+ Jeep Grand Cherokee, Audi A8, and Tesla S. So one EV and no hybrids. Yet. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Height_adjustable_suspension

Ford will replace the C-Max with an electric vehicle to be named the "Model E". Production begins Sept 2019, according to source AutoForecast Solutions. The Model E will be built alongside the Focus at the new Ford Mexico plant. Reported here: http://gas2.org/2016/04/06/ford-build-model-e-mexico/ and in video report here: (Ford news begins at approx 3:30)

Update on new Ford Mexico plant and C-Max and Focus production there beginning 2018: http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-ford-mexico-car-factory-20160405-story.html Confirms future Ranger production at Wayne plant. Mentions huge US/Mexico labor cost disparity ($60 vs. $8 per hour total compensation), and political aspects of plant moves. Presumably move will coincide with a C-max re-design (so about 6-year run for 2013 MY design). Seems aa bit long in time of rapid tech change.

New Car and Driver review of Toyota Two Eco sheds a bit more light on how Eco differs from new Prius models. The Eco is EPA rated at 58mpg city - 4 mpg more than non-Eco models. http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/2016-toyota-prius-two-eco-test-review The Prius Two Eco model costs $500 more than the standard level "Two". The Eco saves 65 lbs by using Li-ion battery and has an inflater kit instead of spare tire. Wheels are 15". This model also "gets special Dunlop Enasave 01 A/S low-rolling-resistance tires, inflated to slightly higher pressures, and a solar-reflecting windshield to reduce the air conditioner’s workload. " According to an owner post elsewhere, recommended pressures for the Two Eco are 39 front 36 rear, whereas the non-Eco models are 36psi all around. The door-jamb sticker says the optional 17" wheels on other 2016 Prius models with lower profile (45) tires get 32/33 psi: http://priuschat.com/threads/tire-pressure-from-dealer-50-lbs.162375/ The review reports the Dunlops are noisy. A web search reveals the Dunlops are also used on the Mitsubishi i MiEV and appear to be available only in 14" and 15" size. Tirerack says larger tire diameters mean higher rolling resistance. http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/techpage.jsp?techid=175 Car and Driver also says: "Overall, the new lighter and more compact Prius powertrain is more like the Ford hybrid transaxle arrangement, which is based on Toyota patents. " Also Toyota reportedly cut drive-train electronics losses by 20% (in the Fords, the electronics has its own liquid cooling system, a symptom of the large conversion losses - it s not clear to me if Toyota needs a separate cooling system). Elsewhere on these forums there has been discussion of shifting to N and coasting rather than using regen to avoid those losses. SO: special 15" Dunlops on the Eco, running 3 psi higher in the front only, No spare tire. Hard to believe that can produce 4mpg more.

Jennie, congrats on getting a buy-back. Good luck with shopping. My 2013 seems to have been cured by routine module firmware updates the dealer did in December - I haven't experienced the problem noise this winter. If you have a chance, let us know how Ford determined the buy-back price.

Another difference between the Ford and VW cases may be the nature of the pollutants. Understating mileage means understating CO2, something our own metabolism makes and we exhale. VW's fraud involves Nitrous Oxides, dangerous reactive molecules and notorious smog producers. There are limits on NOx production for direct health reasons. The Ford's lower-than-stated mpg just means they are more like non-hybrids and fleet averages than originally stated. So the difference between the Frod and VW cases is a bit like the difference between selling Gin that doesn't meet label-stated alcohol proof vs. Gin that contains methanol.

Consumer Reports' annual "April" 2016 auto issue is now online. One of the features is the list "Best American Cars: Top Picks for 2016." The Ford C-max is the pick in the category Compact Car. The Ford Fusion is top American Mid-sized car. The Ford Edge is rated best US Mid-sized SUV. They can't recommend the "refined and nimble Ford Escape" because of below-average reliability and a Poor score in the IIHS offset crash tests. http://www.consumerreports.org/cars/best-american-cars-top-picks-2016/ "Returning 37 mpg overall, the Ford C-Max hybrid doesn't match the fuel economy of a Toyota Prius, but it is more enjoyable to drive and more refined.The tall body makes for easy access, good visibility, and abundant cargo space. Ford's new Sync 3 infotainment system is also a big improvement over the buggy and unintuitive MyFord Touch system it replaced. It also comes as a plug-in hybrid with 18 miles of electric only range. Built in Michigan U.S./Canada content: 46 percent " [As noted here earlier, Ford has announced "Built in Michigan" will become "Built in Mexico" for the C-Max in a few years.]

Report from Germany that as part of the settlement of the diesel emissions scandal at VW, the EPA is negotiating for VW to produce electric vehicles at their TN plant and to help establish electric charging stations. That could introduce a new major player in electric vehicles here. http://www.reuters.com/article/us-volkswagen-emissions-usa-idUSKCN0VU0JA

This car looks interesting. ConsumerReports has a first-look item today. http://www.consumerreports.org/kia/2017-kia-niro-hybrid-aims-for-the-toyota-prius/ They say: "New for the Niro is an available system that Kia calls Eco-DAS (for Driver Assistance System), which uses the navigation system to look at topographical data for the planned route. Eco-DAS has two clever features: Coasting Guide, which coaches the driver on when to coast and when to brake; and Predictive Energy Control, which makes informed decisions about when to pull power from the battery and when to recharge it. It's impressive to see Kia taking advantage of the car's ability to sense its environment in order to improve efficiency." C-max has altitude sensor and GPS built in also, but Ford decided to make very limited use of the information ("EV+"). Plus Ford chose to make navigation an expensive option. I like Hyundai decisions better. The CR write-up says the Niro interior is very nice, and they attribute that to Hyundai hiring Audi's design chief awhile back.

Mine did not have the TSB 14-B0101 "check the mics" work (mentioned above) done, as far as I know. I took the C-max in for a recall to reprogram the PCM. The service receipt I got when I picked it up said they reprogrammed the PCM, IPC, DCDC and GWM. The PCM (Powertrain Control Module) is a major one, and, as I understand it, controls, among many other basic things, what rpm the engine runs at under various operating conditions. The IPC controls the instrument panel. It may or may not have something to do with ANC. DCDC I believe is the module that controls charging of the 12V battery. Finally, "GWM" is a mystery. Could be a typo for GEM (W is close to E) - GEM is Generic Electronic Module and besides controlling the lighting, wipers, locks and alarms, may well have something to do with ANC. The GEM also turns off some electronics if the battery voltage drops below a threshold, so it is also important for maintaining 12V battery charge. In any case, my car was making the objectionable noise before going in, and hasn't done so since, and we have had plenty of cold weather conditions like those where it used to set my teeth on edge. My conclusion is that they may have fixed this with firmware updates. Since they don't reveal the bug-fixes that their updates address, there is no way to tell what changes they made. Or maybe updates fix the problem in some cars and not others - and I was lucky. Knock on simulated wood-grain trim. I hope others with this problem can have it fixed this simply.

You might ask your dealer to run the vin and check for service history. Should be one if the car was originally purchased or serviced there. Alternative (may cost): Carfax

The problem, which was pronounced in my 2013 last winter, seems to have been fixed by multiple module reprogramming done by the dealer in December 2015. When temps here are sub 20°F I can hear a panel resonance when the ICE is running and I am going up a moderate hill (about 2kw power being delivered, according to the Empower gauge). But it is much better than it was last winter, when it was unacceptable. Ford seems to have fixed a problem with the Active Noise Cancellation turning the noise into eardrum pounding torture. So for me it seems to be resolved. Apparently they revise firmware for modules from time to time but generally don't issue recalls or bulletins. I would suggest anyone who has experienced this particular problem confirm they had reprogrammed all modules with available updates as of mid Dec 2015. At my same mid December visit dealer service said they fixed some wiring and checked the 12V battery, which was ok. It has started like a champ in sub-0° weather, a by-product of the design using the high voltage battery to start the engine. I did request 0W-20 oil at that same Dec dealer visit (cost an additional $15). That lighter oil may help starting some, and I suppose could conceivably have some effect on engine / drive train vibration and noise, though I doubt it.

The 25% transmission failure rate for the four C-max's the Feds are testing is somewhat alarming - worth watching as they add miles and update the reports. On the other hand, other repair tracking sites (e.g. ConsumerReports) are not reporting that high a problem rate. Automate's collecting build dates of transmissions might turn up useful info. Do we know if it is bearings that are the component that fails? (can't be worse that the terrible problems Chrysler had in early 1990s). If so, do they seize or do they just get noisy? or is there vibration under load? No one has had "catastrophic" tranny failure, where the car quit going while being driven? Is the main warning sign bearing noise?

I'd been thinking a bit about energy use charging vs. coasting; thanks for the posts here on experiments. As I remember, my Dad's 1946 Fraser had "freewheeling" - it would automatically coast (perhaps this could be turned on and off?). I see there is a Wikipedia article on it, and how it can be done mechanically. With electronic controls, there might be easier implementations 70 years later. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freewheel

Earlier we saw that Focus and C-max production will move from Wayne MI to Mexico. Now there is news that Ford will both increase size of existing plant there, and build a new plant to double total Mexico production to close to 1,000,000 vehicles a year. This article again mentions a hybrid developed to compete against Prius in late 2018 - seems it will not be a Focus, as it has been described as a dedicated hybrid model. But it should be on same C2 platform as the C-max and Focus. https://www.autonews.com/article/20160208/OEM01/160209848/ford-plans-to-double-mexico-vehicle-production-report-says