C-MaxJaxon

http://www.autonet.ca/auto-news/automotive-industry-news/2013/01/24/test-drive-ford-c-max-hybrid/ (5.7 L/100 km or 41.27 MPG)

I calculate 601.4 miles / 20.87 hours = 28.82 avg MPH. Not sure how that can be right with 70% freeway.

Someone who rented a C-Max averaged 41 MPG. http://www.carrentingreviews.com/2013/01/23/2013-ford-c-max-sel-hybrid/

I use a quick cancel/resume on the steering wheel cruise control button to force EV model on a downhill. It's usually not very smart about doing it quickly by itself. Decreasing cruise speed by 1-2 MPH may also work. When not using cruise, you can let off the accelerator pedal for a second.

It should stay in EV mode for a while when starting out. The things that I know of that will prevent EV mode at startup include: 1. Battery charge below about 20% 2. Outside temperature is below approx. freezing 3. Having the climate control turned on which forces the engine to run until there is heat Even with #1 and #2, I can usually get EV mode to engage at a stop light 1 mile from home as long as I use the heated seats and leave climate control off.

I was thinking of one way to test it. Set cruise control to 60 MPH with Eco Cruise off on a flat highway. Then reset a trip screen when you pass a mile marker. The trip screen should show 1 mile and 60 seconds for each mile marker you cross. If it's off 1.5%, you will be 0.015 * 5280 ft = 79.2 feet or 26.4 yards or almost 5.5 car lengths off at each mile marker, and it would continue to drift off more at each one.

I asked the dealer about installing the Ford engine block heater that is an option for at least fleet buyers. The price for the part was about $80, but the labor was $500 to remove the catalytic converter and drain/refill the coolant to install it. So I guess I won't be doing that. :rant:

Cars.com posted a video review. The screen shows 36.9 and 36.7 MPG in different shots, with an outside temp of 28. http://blogs.cars.com/kickingtires/2013/01/2013-ford-c-max-hybrid-video-1.html

Edmunds has some recent consumer reviews with a range of MPGs. http://www.edmunds.com/ford/c-max-hybrid/2013/consumer-reviews.html?style=200421534

There typically is a range of horsepower output if you put a bunch of the same model of car on a dyno. Some engines come from the factory with higher or lower output. It could be inconsistencies in manufacturing tolerances. Or maybe it could be based on whether the engine went through the gentle/low speed break-in process or a higher speed/WOT break-in process. I followed the Owner Manual recommendation on page 246: "Avoid hard accelerations and driving too fast for the first 1000 miles."

So I'm not sure what people are trying to accomplish by posting complaints here on the forum about poor mileage. What do you want the other forum members to do to fix the problem with your car? We can't to anything directly. We can offer suggestions for driving techniques. We can tell you to wait until the engine is broken in and the weather warms up. We can suggest that you complain to your dealer or to Ford. Not sure what else we can do.

A new review from a pretty clueless reviewer. No MPG numbers. Everyone can enjoy making fun of this one. http://skeetercarz2.blogspot.com/2013/01/2012-ford-c-max-review.html

I see references to a fleet block heater as a Ford optional accessory on a few pages when I searched. I would prefer something approved by the manufacturer over a third party product. I've been testing with clear tape covering the grille opening, but I'm not sure it makes much difference. I was still getting trips over 40 MPG before I tried the tape and continue to do so with it.

I'd like to see how much of a difference a block heater or oil pan heater would make in winter mileage. It still won't overcome reduced efficiency winter blend fuel. Anyone in the great frozen north want to bug their dealer and see if Ford has or recommends a way of plugging in some kind of engine heater? Then you will be obligated to be our guinea pig to test how much improvement it makes. :)

The window sticker shows mine was built in late July. It looked like the middle and lower grilles on my car would be covered by the shutters.

You doubt the credibility of CR (as do I), yet you accept some random posts from anonymous users posting on the Internet. This is completely anecdotal evidence and has little credibility. There is a possibility of it being partly driven by people hired by competing auto companies to try to damage Ford's reputation with false or exaggerated claims. Ford claims they had no negative feedback about low mileage until after the CR report publicized it. I tried unsuccessfully to find a chart someone posted that showed even the Prius mileage on fuelly.com dipped significantly in the cold winter months. I believe this is a normal problem with cold weather and winter blend gas that will disappear in the spring. You can choose to approach your problem in a negative or destructive way and reinforce our image as whiners and lazy people. Go file your own lawsuit or join the existing one, or try to get the dealer to buy your car back. Or you can make a small effort and try some of the driving strategies in the fuel saving tips thread and try to reduce your extra costs. I agree that it's unfair, but life's not always fair. http://fordcmaxhybridforum.com/index.php?/topic/861-fuel-saving-tips-and-tricks-part-1/

Yeah, I saw the date after I had already posted. So let's go see how many they have on the lot right now: http://www.fordfairfield.com/new-inventory/index.htm?SByear=2013&SBmake=Ford&SBmodel=C-Max%20Hybrid&SBtrim=clear&SBbodystyle=clear&SBprice=clear http://www.fordfairfield.com/new-inventory/index.htm?SByear=2013&SBmake=Ford&SBmodel=C-Max%20Energi&SBtrim=clear&SBbodystyle=clear&SBprice=clear 21 Hybrids and 10 Energis at just that dealer alone. So I guess my snarky comment still applies, and even more so now.

Ford and the EPA seem to think EPA tests of hybrid fuel economy isn't always accurate: http://www.thecarconnection.com/news/1081169_ford-stands-firm-on-fusion-c-max-fuel-economy-claims "Ford is talking to the EPA about updating fuel economy tests for all hybrids to make them more accurate: '[W]e agree with EPA that hybrids are far more variable in testing than conventional vehicles compared to real world driving so we’re addressing the industry issue.'" Other hybrids also have problems: http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20121215/AUTO0102/212150324 "Consumer Reports said Toyota Motor Corp.'s Prius falls short of mileage expectations by 6 mpg and the Prius c Two falls short of mileage expectations by 7 mpg." Not everyone has as severe a discrepancy as you do. My average is 42.5 MPG over the last three months of cold weather driving. I expect it to increase significantly in the spring and bring up my annual average. And gas is under $3/gallon where I live and I drive 11K miles/year or less, so any extra annual cost for me is of little concern. I think the lawsuit against Ford is going nowhere and that they should be suing the EPA instead. And the EPA is covered by the "Actual results will vary for many reasons..." disclaimer on the window sticker, so they are also likely safe, even if they probably deserve to be sued.

This seems pretty unfair for the people who have been waiting months for the C-Max they ordered. :cry:Here's a dealer in Fairfield, CA with over a dozen of them on the lot and a truck just came to deliver more. It almost makes you wonder if Ford is deliberately focusing on sending their allocations to places with warmer weather and making the people in colder areas wait until it warms up to reduce the amount of negative publicity from owners complaining about low gas mileage. http://cmaxchat.com/?p=19

I've never agreed with the idea of increasing speed on an uphill. I think it's more efficient to maintain or slightly drop speed on the incline and then slowly ramp speed back up on the flat or downhill.

You can do a quick cancel/resume on the cruise to force it into EV mode instead of dropping speed a couple MPH. I think one way that the mileage can be improved with the eco cruise method is to strategically cancel the cruise when you see a slight hill coming that you know will force the engine on. Then back off the accelerator pedal slightly until the top of the hill, then use the cruise resume on the flat.

Doing the math will show that the annual cost between 37 and 47 MPG is actually pretty small (see calculator link below). Only $173/year extra when driving 10K miles with $3/gal gas. When the weather warms up and the engine is fully broken in, there should be almost no one averaging way down in the 30s. Ford isn't the bad guy here anyway. They are just following the flawed testing procedure that is required by the EPA. http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/savemoney.shtml

Here is someone who is trying the foam block method. The only potential problem I see is the wind pressure at 70+ MPH (worse with a head wind) could push the blocks out the back if they aren't fit very tightly. http://www.cleanmpg.com/forums/showthread.php?p=368345

I've been driving 67-68 in 70 MPH zones for years. That is the speed that many semis are governed at, so I don't worry about impeding traffic or being passed by every vehicle on the road. Having EV mode available at higher speeds would have little benefit without a bigger battery and motor. I cannot stay in EV mode for very long above 60, even on a flat road with light wind. Wind resistance ramps up dramatically the faster you go. There's no cheating the laws of physics.

It's been asked before. http://fordcmaxhybridforum.com/index.php?/topic/366-horn-notification-of-door-lock/