HIGHWAY MILEAGE C-MAX VS E-ASSIST

[BIG ROCCO]

I drive a 2012 Buick LaCrosse 4 cylinder with e-assist.  Previously had a Northstar Cadillac, and the Buick is a great near luxury car with great MPG.  I get around 35 MPG on a trip with AC going ~70 MPH or 37-38 MPG with no AC, or around 34-35 MPG going to and from work 30 miles each way 60% highway 65-70 MPH and 40% suburban 45-50 MPH.  Does anyone here have a C-Max and a Buick or Chevy e-assist vehicle?  Thinking of the c-max for the wife...I assume a full hybrid like the c-max would do much better in-town, but any ideas where the c-max would come in on a trip, with AC, at ~70 MPH with just normal conservative driving?  From what I've read here, it doesn't seem like it would be any better than my Buick, does it?

[jmckinley]

Can't wait to see the responses on this one.

 

First, check Fuelly.com and see what a fairly large sample is reporting.

 

Don't know about everyone else, but if I set the cruise at 70 mph, no AC, I get about 38 mpg on a good day with minimal wind.

[Recumpence]

The C-Max will average 38mpg at 70mph with the AC on typical expressways. However, around town with no AC, I get 52 to 56mpg consistantly (my wife and I both average this in town). So, it all depends on how much driving your wife will do in town. The C-Max has a large frontal area due to being so tall. That affects expressway MPG.

 

The C-Max is phenominally compfortable and has a beautiful (in my eyes) interior. The best I have found in this price range. The Sync system is buggy, though. But, I can live with that.......

 

Matt

[fotomoto]

Sounds like you are a good, efficient driver and would get good mileage in just about anything.  The C-Max is now available as a rental or maybe you can get a 24 or 48 hour test drive like I did and see for yourself.  Generally speaking, hybrids do great in town but OK on the hwy.  

Edited May 2, 2013 by fotomoto

[Edsel]

From what I've read here, it doesn't seem like it would be any better than my Buick, does it?

 

Not from my experience.

 

Edit:  I was focused on the 37-38 mpg, and not the fact you are getting that without running the A/C. 

I would have to agree with the above/below posts getting about 38 mpg at 70 mph running the A/C.

Edited May 2, 2013 by Edsel

[Bob999]

My experience is the same as Recumpence--about 38 mpg at 70 mph using the AC.

[JohnnOhio]

I've noticed that just below 70 (67-69) it jumps to 42-43 mpg. I never use cruise so that I can feather the throttle and get the best mileage

[BIG ROCCO]

Thanks for the replies so far, folks.  I think it seems the C-max would be a little better than the Buick on the highway - a lot better in town...that's kind of what I was thinking too.  That's OK, I think.  We're interested in the cargo capability of the cmax vs. the Buick, which has a small trunk and only a small pass through with the seats down.  I haven't found anyplace that rents them so far, but will keep looking.  The wife and I are going to check out colors and maybe a test drive for her tomorrow.  I already drove one on a short test - I thought it was OK, but nothing like the Lacrosse.  No offense meant, by that.  The LaCrosse probably weighs about the same as the C-Max, but it is quieter and more luxurious and somehow feels much more solid and heavier - really feels like a tank.   So. you say. if I like the Lacrosse better, why not buy that?  Well, if it were for me, I would, but the wife doesn't like driving the Lacrosse, plus we like the cargo carrying of the C-Max.  BTW, if we do this, we are replacing a 2005 Lincoln LS 6 cylinder...only 77K miles on it, but it only gets 17 MPG around town and 27 MPG on a trip with no AC or 24 MPG with AC, and that car requires Premium 

[SnowStorm]

Well, the hybrid wasn't invented for continuous 70 mph + AC.  Once the ICE has to run all the time at significant load the hybrid part goes unused.  As pointed out, the C-Max has more frontal area than smaller/lower cars and some have a better drag coefficient (although the C-Max is quite good).  So you can find non-hybrids that do better at 70+AC but they won't have other features we love in the C-Max.  And they will be much less fuel efficient at other driving conditions of course.

 

If all you want is the best mileage at 70+AC, other things equal, you would go with a diesel.  But then you're paying more for fuel and, with certain popular diesels, replacing timing belts at 100k miles which adds another $0.45 to each gallon (dealer quoted $1100 for the belt job - that's 1.1 cents per mile).  To me it's overall long term cost that counts.  That cost factor plus all the features made the C-Max a winner with me.

[ScubaDadMiami]

I haven't found anyplace that rents them so far, but will keep looking.

 

Budget rents them.  You have to arrange for it; you likely won't just find one at the agency.  You have to call the local rental, explain that you want to rent to test drive one, and let them know that you need that exact car--not that or similar.  Let them know that you are flexible for dates, so that they can get one to your local agency.

 

My 24 hour test drive was the final convincer for me.

[asb]

38 mpg on a long trip going 70 mph.

My dad drove the car back - I have no idea what speed he was driving at, but I'm sure it was more than 70.  It was also very, very windy.  He got 27 mpg.

[JAZ]

38 @ 70 is just about my experience, too.

[BIG ROCCO]

Thanks all - picked up the C-Max over the weekend (white diamond 302A) - got 41.7 MPG driving home from the dealer mostly 65-70 MPH highway, with AC.  With some around town driving since, the average is already up to 42.5 MPG.  With my Buick e-Assist, it's a mild hybrid, so the engine is always running anytime the car is in motion; I'm amazed when driving the C-Max in full electric mode, sometimes quite far and not just at extremely slow speeds, either.  I'll update you once we do a long trip to our place in the mountains and back (~320 miles round trip).

 

Thanks again to everyone for their input...oh, and by the way, the C-Max is the wife's car and she said it's the best car she has ever had!

[CassidyB]

I really like my C-Max..... But I did catch myself cruising the Buick dealer's lot last year.. The Lacrosse has a great shape.. If the Buick Encore would have been out last September, who knows what would be parked in the garage right now. Upper 30s for me on the interstate at 70+MPH.

[BIG ROCCO]

LaCrosse is great, but has a smallish trunk made even smaller with the e-assist battery, and while the seats fold down, there is just a small pass through on the passenger side.  It does get maybe ~ 6 MPG less than the CM on the highway, and probably ~10-15 MPG less in the city.

 

(should have written: small pass through on the left side, and no pass through on the right side)

Edited May 9, 2013 by BIG ROCCO