NRGTi

I haven't heard this before, and I think I read most of the posts in the old site. Can anyone else confirm or deny this? My limited understanding of the C-Max Energis that it has a separate 1.5 KwH battery capacity on the hybrid side, the same as the Hybrid model, and the HVB adds 7.5 KwH on top of that.

I'm seeing battery degradation too. My 2017 Energi has 58,000 miles, and I'm getting just 4 KwH out of a charge. My fuel efficiency hasn't suffered much, though. The car got 70 mpg for the lifetime of the original tires. I reset the MPG meter when i changed to Primacy runflats, and the car dropped to a steady 60 MPG. High fuel efficiency- that's the real goal, isn't it? So the car seems worth keeping as long as it performs and behaves like new- right?

I have the Consumer Reports reliability rating page for the C-Max up in front of me now. The 2013 models scored 3/5 on Reliability Verdict, and 2/5 in Owner Satisfaction. That improved greatly in 2014, with 5/5 reliability and 4/5 satisfaction. The next two years dipped a bit, as 2015 was down to 4/5 and 3/5, 2016 at 5/5 and 3/5. My 2017 year scored 5/5 and 4.5. Looking at back issues when I chose my car, in 2014 the C-Max was on CR's no-buy list. Two years later, with data in on the later model years, they were recommending it as a reliable, economical choice. It's common that first-year cars are trouble-prone. It's also obvious that every part and system in a 2013 is older and more worn than a newer car's. And consider that a 2013 will be a ten-year-old car in two years. That may not be eligible for a bank loan, which would reduce its resale value. All in all, I think the only good reason to buy a 2013 C-Max is if you really like that pale green color, available only that year.

I am SO happy to see someone finally modding their suspension. I didn't want to be the first! As for a tire swap, when my 2017 Energi's tires were done at 40 K miles, I changed over to the same size Michelin MVM4. My mileage dropped from 70 mpg to 60 mpg, which is still an excellent result. The new tires are runflats, but they ride about the same, without the infamous harshness.

A four-inch lift would be pretty radical. You'd alter the angles of the axles and wheels so much that the life of CV joints would be reduced. That might change the effectiveness of the vehicle's stability control, too. I lifted my TDI Beetle by two inches, years ago, and that was a significant change that bro ught no ill effects during the next 50K miles I owned the car. If I ever feel like replacing or upgrading shocks, I'd do a one-inch lift on my C-Max just for a little curb and pothole protection. This question has been asked here before, but no one has reported doing a lift. I have seen one spacer kits out of Russia listed on ebay, so maybe that's an option. I've always assumed that the suspension parts are interchangeable with Ford Focus models, but I haven't confirmed that. Nobody seems to modify C-Maxes, and the online community is thin, so you're on your own, Mi Amigo.

To the OP- why are you set on a 2013 model? They're plentiful, since the car sold well initially, but all the stats I can find show that the car became much more reliable in 2015 and later years (as fewer people were buying them). It's not just the transmission problem. Consumer Reports blacklisted the 2013s, but by the later years they were recommending the car. My wife's C-max Hybrid is a 2014. It's been trouble-free for 50K miles so far. My 2017 Energi actually has a problem- a laggy SYNC 3 system that I've not yet had fixed, because it's an intermittent problem. Compared to the older car, my 2017 Titanium has some advantages over her 2014 SEL: - Fully adjustable power passenger seat - The left hand dash vents are more adjustable, and don't blow cold air on your left hand (this is no small matter) - Better looking wheels and headlights - Newer SYNC 3 system, with better displays and better backup camera - Key has tailgate open/close button In general, I prefer buying cars from later in the model run, with more of the initial problems ironed out. Good luck with your search!

Maybe you told the tale several pages ago, pt- but how, pray tell, did you obtain your unicorn? I've just searched and found no evidence of any new Escape Energis in my vicinity, at any price. I thought the car had been indefinitely postponed or cancelled, saving those scarce chips for the well-hyped F-150s and Broncos. Are these cars on sale now, anywhere?

Today I did one of my infrequent test of total plug-in battery capacity. My 2017 Energi has 57,000 miles on it. Today I got 4.1 KWH out of the battery before the car went to hybrid mode. When new, the car got 5.5 KWH out of the battery, so it's lost 75%. From what I read here and on the old forum, that's not unusual. I can see several possible ways to feel about this. What's your preference? 1) Holy Spit! My car's one-quarter worn out. Better sell it before it's too late! 2) Hold On- the car's still doing what it always did for me: 60 mpg in mixed driving. (That dropped abruptly from 70 mpg when I replaced the first set of tires with some stickier ones.) There would be no economic or environmental return on replacing it, would there? Personally, I'm leaning towards the latter. Especially since every potential new replacement is more expensive than this car was. New cars have worse visibility and force me to do everything through a touchscreen, and I'm not into that.

Does this sound familiar? My 2017 Energi's Sync has become laggy and forgetful. Sometimes it works normally, but more than half the time, my button pushes to select radio and phone options have become suggestions instead of orders. It's taken up to 20 seconds for routine button commands like radio tuning and audio source to take effect. Once I got a spam call on my phone, in the car. I'd dumped that call on the phone for five seconds before it came in separately over the SYNC, where I had to dump it again. I've been through one round with the local Ford dealer. Yes, sometimes this happens, and sometimes a software refresh can help. But in my case, it didn't. They've offered to apply that $170 towards a $1000 replacement of the "hub," a unit behind the Sync screen. Have any of you tried this repair? It's the first big repair for my car, whichh has been utterly reliable and trouble free, otherwise.

Thanks for that correction, Billy. Today I did my 50,000 mile test. I got 4.3 KWh out of the HVB, which works out to a 26% loss in capacity. That's not the good news I hoped for. Overall, though, the car still give exceptional economy. After the HVB was gone, it still scored in the high 40s mpg on the rest of my fast freeway trip in 95 degree temperatures. The overall fuel use, reset 10K ago when I changed tires, still hovers around 60 mpg. This suggests that the car might have only 50% HVB capacity at eight years old. I'll deal with that at the time, but for now, this is still of of the most efficient cars I could get.

It's not that bad. Don't overthink this, like so many of our knowledgable contributors tend to do. Some of them are engineers, some are computer geeks, and optimization is their game. You don't need to set up real-time telemetry on your battery. You needn't avoid using the plug-in feature just so it will be preserved for the next owner to use. Just follow a few simple rules: - Save EV miles for city streets and lower speeds - Don't recharge in the heat if the day - Switch to "EV Later" mode to save the last 2-4 miles of the battery (I remember to do this only about a third of the time.) My initial EV-to-empty test at 25,000 miles showed 5 KWh consumed, which would be a 2% reduction in capacity. I'm doing my 50,000 miles test soon. If I wind up with 90% capacity after four years, that's acceptable. I'll still have 18 miles of EV range remaining, which is more than any other non-plugin car. The figure that really matters is 60: that's my overall MPG since switching to stickier, runflat tires.

Better check your sources. There were no 2018 Energi cars sold here.

Good choice! Owning both a 2014 Hybrid SEL and a 2017 Energi Ti, I've noticed so many things that were improved and corrected in the newer cars, including: - Much better dash screen, sharper with more contrast. The graphics are simpler and clearer, and there's Car Play if that's your style - My favorite button: the DISP button that turns off the dash screen (I use this a lot) - The left AC vent doesn't blow cold air on your hand, with no adjustment - Better looking wheels, with black accents - They reversed the red and white taillight colors- how cool is that? Ho-hum, but the headlights do look much more modern. The straight-line daytime running lights head my quite short list of favorite stying features. And if you're a passenger, the best thing: a fully adjustable seat. Generally I'd rather own the last model year of a car than the first, so I jumped at my last chance to buy one of these new.

My Energi Titanium is the quietest car I've ever been in, though I don't ride in the luxury brands much.

Oops, I didn't read about your decision. Good choice, hope it serves you well.

I beg to differ. I have two C-Maxen in my driveway, a 2014 Hybrid SEL and a 2017 Energi Titanium. On the old Energi site I posted a list of the useful and pleasant interior improvements. That's lost to the ages now, but I'll repeat: - sharper dash screen with more contrast - a handy button to shut off the screen when it's distracting (for me, that's all the time). - left dash vent has adjustable louvers to prevent cold air blowing on your hand, as it does in the 2014 - fully adjustable power passenger seat I'll take the "tired" look of the C-Max to the cheap interior materials of the new Escape, with its tacked-on billboard screen on the dash. The C-MAX's screen, integrated into the dash, provides a sunshade above the screen, and a shelf for stabilizing my hand when I'm touching it. I don't want to be aiming my shaky arm towards a little box on the screen while I may be bouncing down a rough road. I know, every carmaker is dropping physical controls to squeeze in the biggest screen possible, but thats not ergonomic. We'll probably trade the 2104 for a hybrid crossover someday, but I've seen nothing that persuades me away from my 2017.

It's disturbing to see this site spammed, trashed and ignored this this. Ultimately, it will reduce the value of our cars. When I researched before buying, I consulted this site for owners' experiences and problem reports. When I saw there was no sub-forum for "Engine Issues," I was convinced to switch over from VW! Now what will used-car shoppers see to support the choice of a C-Max? I would certainly be willing to share moderation duties here, at least to check it periodically and sweep out the spam.

I just wear a wide-brimmed hat! Fortunately, there's sufficient headroom. Denver sun is brutal, but I'd never tint my front windows. You need to be able to see at night.

I think this is an unnecessary worry. Twenty electric miles go quickly, especially in an upper Midwestern summer or winter. You're thinking of "long road trips," and even driving to the next little town and back will demand some gas usage. I drive a lot, about 1300 miles a month, and I gas up once or twice a month. Anyway, yuor car knows and will warn you to quit hoarding gas...

If my car has a problem, my hearing is too bad to notice This is an eerily quiet vehicle! Those who experienced problems, do you all have aftermarket subwoofers?

Congratulations and welcome! you posted this on the one-year anniversary of my purchase. MPG figures are a complicated concept with these cars. More than others, how you drive determines what you get. I've met a C-Max owner who claims 200 mpg, but he only uses it for those under-20 mile short trips, on EV. I'm using mine for everything, with a couple hundred highway miles every week, so I'm settling for 66 mpg/ That's twice what I could achieve on my best day with my past car, and very satisfactory.

The older, smaller Tiguan is worth a look. They've been made the same for nine years, so it's proven and reliable, for a German car. I'd recommend the lower model trims. I selected a 2013 SEL model for the options (power seats, adaptive headlamps), but it came with 18-inch wheels and Sport Suspension that make for a harsh ride. The base model gives you a powerful 2.0 turbo engine, but City mileage will be disappointing.

A TC hybrid would appeal to plenty of outdoorsy Subaru market, as well as to practical seniors and small families looking for a minivan alternative. I like it, but I don't need the space.

I agree on both points. I love my NRGTi, but there are sloppy, visible welds and mismatched interior seams that would horrify a designer from VW. Volkswagens (and I had many) got the small details so right, but they often failed at the big ones, like reliability and economy. That's what the C-Max does so well: providing transportation that's economical, eco-friendly, comfortable, capable and sporty. I'm exactly one year into ownership, and if it were totaled tomorrow, I'd buy another.