HendersonD Posted January 1, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 1, 2014 The other thing I forgot to mention is back seat leg room. If I had young kids, I would seriously consider the Forester. Young kids grow up through those teenage years and the back seat on the C-Max has nowhere near the leg room of a Forester. Over the years we did a lot of longer driving vactions with our kids and having extra leg room in the back is a big plus. My two kids are out of the house now so it is just my wife and I so the back seat will only get occasional passengers so the C-Max will work fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mamalou16201 Posted January 1, 2014 Report Share Posted January 1, 2014 I think there is a lot of leg room in the backseat. C-MaxSea 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HPRifleman Posted January 3, 2014 Report Share Posted January 3, 2014 I know I'm late to the party and the OP has already made his decision but I have to chime in. If I had to do it over again, I would absolutely buy another C-Max. Not only that but I have been very happy with the options I originally chose and would also choose the same ones. Apart from the great fuel mileage there are other benefits. Something that really didn't come across during a short test drive is how comfortable, smooth, quiet, and stable the C-Max is. In other small cars I feel like I am driving a tin can. This is one of those things that you can't describe very well with stats or in a TV commercial. Now, after 7 months and 8000 miles, I have no regrets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HendersonD Posted January 3, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 3, 2014 Thanks for the feedback, gives me confidence I made the right decision.What options did you get? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HPRifleman Posted January 3, 2014 Report Share Posted January 3, 2014 Thanks for the feedback, gives me confidence I made the right decision.What options did you get? They are listed in my signature. Basically the 302A option package has everything you can get with the car except the self-parking (that's the 303A package). While the panoramic sunroof sits slightly behind and above the driver and I can't really see it, it lets in a lot of light and makes the car seem very open. The cargo space is also quite good and my previous vehicle was an SUV. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mamalou16201 Posted January 3, 2014 Report Share Posted January 3, 2014 Yes, we love our cmax, lots of room, very comfortable ride, beautiful inside and out. Great my ford touch. Only thing we don't like, lots of dirt on back end. Would definitely buy again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fbov Posted January 3, 2014 Report Share Posted January 3, 2014 Welcome to the Forum, and congrats on choosing the C-Max. I expect you'll be very happy! (And if you hold out for a 2014 Hybrid, I'd love to compare model years.) I'm in Bushnell's Basin, so I use Van Bortel Ford; they seem competent. The car's been in for service twice, once for oil change (prior owner), once for mandatory recalls (SW updates). About the worst that's happened is fuel consumption has skyrocketted now that Winter's here. I liked your response to Laurel, as I've yet to see AWD provide a necessary benefit to Rochester winter driving. After 30 years in RWD Volvos, the last thing I'd want on a snow-coverd road is the ability to accelerate past safe maneuvering and braking speed. It seems odd not to be fishtailing... One pleasant surprise is excellent driver visibility during night snowfall. Most cars blind the driver by illuminating the falling snow at eye level. At speed, all you see is white specks flying at you. I'll have plenty of traction, but I can't see the road. In C-Max, you sit higher, and Ford got their headlight design right, because you don't get the "star wars" effect without high beams. Have fun,Frank Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HendersonD Posted January 3, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 3, 2014 Frank I am sitting in Van Bortel placing my order right now Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fbov Posted January 3, 2014 Report Share Posted January 3, 2014 Congratulations! You know where to post the details... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisl Posted January 4, 2014 Report Share Posted January 4, 2014 (edited) Over the next week I will be test driving:Ford C-Max SELSubaru ForesterToyota Rav4Honda CRVToyota PriusI have a 2000 Toyota Camry that has been reliable but is ready to be replaced. We live outside Rochester NYWould you purchase a C-Max again? If so why? If not why? I'm a little late to the party, too, but I'll put in my $0.02 for any future readers asking the same question.a) Yes, I would get the CMax again, and probably the same SE with the 202A (the power liftgate just seems like one more thing to break since I'll probably keep the car til it dies of old age. I also didn't particularly want the winter package, but now that I see that the heated seats will warm you up nicely without firing the ICE, I like it. I also like the puddle lamps a lot. As for comparison to the other cars:Subaru Forester-- A better match for the Cmax is the Impreza Sport. Nearly the same cargo volume (Cmax slightly better), but with AWD, and you can get a pretty comparably outfitted one for about the same price. Gas mileage on the Impreza is much worse, and in most conditions the AWD is a FWD anyway. The Impreza was my other car I was looking at. A friend has a Forester and it's quite a lot larger, but I think the 2014 gets similar mileage to the Impreza, making it appealing. The only thing the Subarus have that I really wish was at least an option on the Cmax is rack rails. Thule makes a fit-kit, but I have a ton of mounts for Yakima round bars so I'm going to end up with landing pads on the roof. IIRC, the Cmax has better Power/weight than both of the Subarus. RAV4- didn't drive one so I can't really comment. Have been in one and for the size I'd expect it to feel bigger inside.CRV - again, wasn't on my list, so no comment Prius - I test drove a Prius V. It seemed *way* underpowered for the cargo capacity, even just getting over a little hill by the beach, and I live at the top of an ~800' climb. I had a rental regular prius for a week for work and the things that I disliked were: the gas pedal felt laggy, which isn't good for fast heavy traffic in LA, and the sight lines out weren't good. The pillars seem overly large and badly placed, so they're always obscuring your view of what you need to not run into. The 0-60 time on the V is also terrible-- I'd be afraid to try to get it onto the 110 from one of the short ramps (essentially zero length) in any kind of traffic. I need to haul bicycles around regularly, and it seemed underpowered for that. Edited January 4, 2014 by chrisl Jus-A-CMax 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catsailor Posted January 4, 2014 Report Share Posted January 4, 2014 Hey Chrisl did you check out this brand of roof mounted rack for your bikes http://www.seasucker.com/shop/1187/#tab-description I am a bike guy (in the custom bike biz) and we have a lot of bikes at home plus a tandem too. I have a few clients with this rack and they all swear by it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisl Posted January 4, 2014 Report Share Posted January 4, 2014 I've never seen that rack before, but it kind of scares me... I've seen suction cups be temperature sensitive and release when it gets hot-- I'd trust magnets a lot more. I'm going to end up just doing the landing pads, but I'm being extra careful about locating the holes and haven't had the half-day or so that I'd like available to do the work. I'll post pics and measurements when I get to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jus-A-CMax Posted January 4, 2014 Report Share Posted January 4, 2014 MY wife and I don't do that much biking but when we do, we just dump it inside the cabin. But its jus a day one. Go check out the FB page and the Energi that some bikers got to play with ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Posted January 4, 2014 Report Share Posted January 4, 2014 Yes, most definitely! It's fun to drive:comfortable for daily use and for trips,it is easy to get into and out of,easy to park,has a great deal of head room, andit is easy on the budget.Tom C-MaxSea 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HotPotato Posted January 6, 2014 Report Share Posted January 6, 2014 Congrats on your decision. For others considering a similar shopping mix... The C-Max combines the best attributes of a small hatchback (very high MPG, short for easy parking), small SUV (good sightlines and good cargo space), and driver-oriented sedan (quiet, excellent ride/handling balance, smoothly responsive acceleration and steering), all at a very reasonable starting price. For me, that's the perfect car. Compared to the C-Max... A small hatchback gives you the handy size and high MPG at a lower price, but none of the other attributes. A small SUV gives more cargo room and the option of AWD, but a rougher ride and much worse fuel economy. A premium sedan gives you the top-tier driving dynamics, but not other attributes. But with the current crop of hybrid sedans, it gets murkier. The hybrid versions of the Fusion, Camry and Accord are outstanding: spacious, powerful, comfortable, high MPG. They're more expensive, but if you have the money and you don't have a dog or other tall cargo to carry, they make a strong case. C-MaxSea 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jus-A-CMax Posted January 7, 2014 Report Share Posted January 7, 2014 (edited) I won't go back to a sedan no matter how good or better they are. I am jus too used to the view and the upright driving position. Infact, the seating in the sedan makes me feel like I am lying in a coffin....ugh, no thanks. Edited January 7, 2014 by Jus-A-CMax Adair and C-MaxSea 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tdefny Posted January 7, 2014 Report Share Posted January 7, 2014 Amen Jus. Jus-A-CMax 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C-MaxSea Posted January 10, 2014 Report Share Posted January 10, 2014 (edited) Amen too, Jus; and with peanut butter on it !!! Can't imagine ever owning another sedan; they make my skin crawl these days. Edited January 10, 2014 by C-MaxSea Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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