Would you buy the CMax if the advertised MPG was below 47/47?

[Jus-A-CMax]

With so much controversy over the real world MPG vs EPA MPG of the Ford CMax, I am curious if the owner/non owners in this forum - would you buy the CMax knowing what we know now? Does the MPG play as a major influence in your decision?

 

As the OP, here's my take...I fell in luv with the CMax for its great handling, power, cockpit and superb view of the road. The fold flat rear seat was a bonus and as total snow bunnies, EVERYTHING fit into the CMax and trust me when I say, our family will bring a kitchen sink to the snow if we could, just for the comfort.

 

The 47MPG was great but even if I got 35MPGs, I would be more than happy with our Max. Infact, my real world experience on my long hauls from SoCal to Mammoth Mountain is showing around 37MPG average roundtrip in somewhat harsh, cold driving conditions for hybrids.

 

Also, as Max doubles as my work car and being an appraiser, I do a lot of slow stop and go driving so having an EV mode was a major bonus - knowing I am not burning gas going from house to house. Also, being in stealth EV mode has its advantage in not alerting home owners when I snap photos of the comparables - oh...the time I waste trying to explain to these people that this is my job and what I am doing is totally legal...*sigh*.

 

So yeah, I would have bought the CMax even if the MPG was below 47/47.

 

Your vote and thoughts are appreciated....thanks for participating  :)

 

 

Edit 08/21/2013: Thrown in the "Happy or not" question, if you are an owner.

Edited August 22, 2013 by Jus-A-CMax

[RedLdr1]

Even on a bad day the C-Max still gets twice the gas mileage of my SHO.... :)   I needed a small "station wagon" and the C-Max meets my requirements better than anything else on the market.  This is my third hybrid and is easily the best...

[C-MaxJaxon]

I was leaning toward a Focus at first, rated at 27 city/38 highway, which was higher than the 25/35 minimum that I was looking for. It's likely that I would have still picked the C-Max if it was slightly below the Focus ratings.

 

But my C-Max is averaging 42.5 over the last three months, and I regularly have trip averages over 40, with some in the 50-60+ range, so I'm quite happy with the mileage so far. I expect it to go up quite a bit in the spring and summer. I expect to exceed the EPA numbers in the city, and still be in the low 40 range on the highway.

[plus 3 golfer]

I bought it knowing that I would likely not get 47 and my mpg would likely be around 40. CR and other reviews were out. Performance, handling, and styling / comfort / interior rank higher than FE for me. In it's price range, it best met my criteria.

[zhackwyatt]

It was either the C-Max or an Escape for me.

[darrelld]

I bought it knowing that I would likely not get 47 and my mpg would likely be around 40. CR and other reviews were out. Performance, handling, and styling / comfort / interior rank higher than FE for me. In it's price range, it best met my criteria.

+1 The Jetta TDI I traded averaged 35 mpg on .60 more per gallon diesel while driving the same cycle. I would definately buy again. Edited January 17, 2013 by darrelld

[ptjones]

My first and 6th tanks averaged 47.3 mpg so I was satisfied that the car was capable of 47 mpg. I owned two Ford Escape Hybrids and the C-Max is more comfortable and nicer to drive so I don't regret buying it! Plus I'm having a lot of fun trying to make it better!

[valkraider]

I wanted a PHEV and didn't like the Volt and the Prius plug in is a joke. So yeah, I would...

 

Now the MFT and MFM issues really piss me off because there is absolutely no excuse for them.. ;)

Edited January 17, 2013 by valkraider

[zalusky]

+1 - Yes.

 

I average about 40 and am really curious to see the numbers this summer.

[Laurel]

Four stars out of five--would give it five with better mileage.  But absolutely would buy it again as I love my C-MAX!

[Jus-A-CMax]

My first and 6th tanks averaged 47.3 mpg so I was satisfied that the car was capable of 47 mpg. I owned two Ford Escape Hybrids and the C-Max is more comfortable and nicer to drive so I don't regret buying it! Plus I'm having a lot of fun trying to make it better!

 

ptjones, sounds like you are having a ball there and I have to say, I am amazed the amount of thought and work you have put into the grill covers to help out the CMax mileage issue in the cold weather. My hat is off to you sir  :rockon:

[roninsd]

I have wanted a hybrid for several years.  When I saw the C-Max I was intrigued.  I never expected to get the EPA listed mileage, but the 40 MPG I'm getting now is much higher than what I was getting.  I love getting 500 miles per tank as opposed to 300!  I love the feel and look of the car.  Yep, I'd buy it again!

[dtorres]

The MFT definitely has quirks and I've had one dead battery episode. But I also knew I was buying a first generation vehicle that might have these issues.

 

That said I would absolutely buy it again!

[Jus-A-CMax]

I'll relate an interesting experience I had talking to a service manager yesterday (I sent my Max in for a Sync/Nav update). I asked him about whether hes been confronted with the mileage issues with the Max and he said definitely. One lady had less than 100 miles on the odometer for her CMax and she was not at all pleased it was not getting the 47 advertised mileage right away. He then explained to her the engine is too brand new and needed broken in - well we all know the story. The other tidbit that I got was that I said to him, the manual says 1000 miles to break in, I understood it was more like 3000 to 5000 - and then he said it was more like 5,000 to 10,0000. Will the real break in threshold please stand up, lol?

 

IMO, the real world expections of 47 is not met and it is very disappointing to the new owners, just look at some of the threads in the Welcome section. But seriously, everyone who posts here are informed - enlightened - drivers who understand the fundamental workings and issues with hybrid driving and are getting close to the EPA numbers. Also, as I learnt myself coming from hungry V8s, there is a learning curve to hybrid driving and trying to maximize the FE (another bloody acronym) makes you read the roads better so you try to maximize - hey, here's a hill, I'll use it to coast to the top then roll and lay off the gas, saving say X gallons. If it was a gas engine, I would not have cared one bit if the road was inclined or not. I expect as the summer and weather heats up, the average MPG will rise as well.

[MikeB]

Well, I bought the Energi, so my EPA numbers (outside of EV mode) are 44/41/43. It appears that the Energi is going to end up much closer to those numbers than the Hybrid is to it's EPA numbers. So I'm not quite as disappointed as many of you.

 

But my goal was to get into a PHEV that I liked, with a battery range that covered my daily commute, and highway efficiency that was reasonably close to my previous VW Jetta TDI. And by those criteria, the C-Max Energi is just perfect.

 

As an aside, my last fillup in the Energi netted 66mpg, so paying a little extra up front for the bigger battery is making me rather happy. Even if it takes me a few years to make up that cost in gas money, the reduction in pollution and the benefits to our economy has it's own satisfaction value.

[Generalbeluga]

First, let me say that I love my C Max even though I would like to see the MPG closer to the EPA numbers!  The great styling, technology, quiet and responsive ride, high quality fit and finish and added interior passenger room and comfort, made the sale for me!  Having said that, I doubt that any of the current hybrids on the market today can truly be cost justified.  Beyond their higher initial purchase cost, there remain a number of relatively unknown costs, i.e, battery replacement and the hidden cost of a lower re-sale value.  A good analogy is buying a $150,000 Class A RV.  You can surely rent one for the 15 days a year camping or stay in hotels for a lot less.  For those that choose this life style, they have a difficult time explaining their purchase from purely a financial point of view.  They refer to a life style, camaraderie, and the like.  Buying a Hybrid is a similar experience.  You have to love the technology and the challenge of hyper-miling, just for the fun of it.  How much will an eight or nine year old hybrid be worth in the resale/trade-in market is still shaking down as the first generation Prius's are hitting the resale market.  But, MPG is not everything and to me, cars are not merely transportation.  I want a vehicle that has styling, comfort, safety and efficiency and I think that my C Max strikes a perfect balance between all four.      

[RMS13]

I was looking at the new Escape. But the wife liked the C-MAX more. I was/am planing on getting ~ 40 mpg, don't believe the 47. We are getting 39+ with only 1800 miles on it so it is not broken in.

[JulieB]

I never expected to average 47 MPG. Even in this weather, the MPG is outperforming our old guzzler, and that's what we wanted.

[roninsd]

MikeB and other Energi owners:  Do you have a recharging station at your workplace, or are you able to get there and home again on one "battery fill."?  Has recharging at home increase your electric bill significantly?  Just wondering.

[Catmobile]

I am very happy so far with the mileage on the C-Max, even though it's not hitting 47 yet.  I've just been letting the average go for some days now without resetting, and I'm getting over 42.  That's with the auto climate control on, E10 gas, and no extreme "hypermiling" techniques -- I don't advocate doing unsafe things like drafting behind 18-wheelers.  I have about 1,100 miles on the odo.

 

When I originally went to the Ford dealership I thought I was going to buy a Fusion hybrid, but checked out the C-Max and decided the versatility it gave me as far as passenger and cargo space was too good to pass up just because the Fusion is a good-lookin' thing.  And one of my frustrations with my previous car, a Honda Civic Hybrid, is that I didn't feel I could take it up to the mountains west of me; it strained the engine so badly, plus on  steep hills it wouldn't hold at a stoplight.  So the horsepower this has was a big draw, and the ability to put a couple of my friends in it and have them be comfortable is a plus also. 

 

I also liked the interior a lot, and all the goodies that I've missed from when I owned a BMW, like automatic headlights and the auto-dimming rearview mirror.  My only frustration with the car so far has been the MFT, like it is with a lot of people.  If they could fix that @#$&^% thing it would be close to perfect.

 

That said, I'm also an environmentalist, and would not have bought the C-Max if it weren't a hybrid and if it got less mpg than it does.  I would probably be in a (yuck) Prius.  I researched whether you would be putting out the same amount of pollution from your tailpipe if you could find a "regular" gas-powered car that got the same mpg, and the answer was NO.  Getting the same mpg from a regular car would still put out a lot more pollution than a hybrid, especially those pollutants that cause ozone (a BIG problem in the city I live in), and smog.  So I bought the most fuel-efficient hybrid I could that had the criteria I needed (I don't have a garage so a plug-in isn't an option, plus you have to think about where that energy would be coming from).

 

 

[MikeB]

MikeB and other Energi owners:  Do you have a recharging station at your workplace, or are you able to get there and home again on one "battery fill."?  Has recharging at home increase your electric bill significantly?  Just wondering.

My daily commute is 10 miles round-trip, so I get home and have battery range left to get dinner or groceries. But my office also has a pair of outlets in the bottom of the parking deck, there's a Volt and an iMev that recharge there during the day. I expect the building manager will try to get more outlets installed, she's apparently an EV advocate.  My local power rates are about $0.10/kWh, so a full recharge is about $0.75. Yes, that is increasing my monthly power bill, but since I can only charge about once a day it can't go more than $30/month. 

[Tree63]

Transport Canada (our EPA) mileage rating for the C Max is 4.0/4.1 L/100km or about 59 MPG(US).  Friends with Prius's were getting 5.7 or about low 40 MPG, so I was expecting that or better with time, as a first hybrid owner.  Have had errand runs that hit as much as 3.1 or 75 MPG, and with more tips from the forum am hitting low 5,x (about 42-45) consistently now in cold weather after about 2500 miles.  Last night I was surprised:  car was sitting outside 15F for nearly 3 hours - and the EV ran for the first quarter mile! (go figure)  Bonus surprise was seeing insurance costs drop - apparently that industry favours safety features of C Max.  So straight savings overall will be about what I expected.

 

I agree with comments that this is a fun car to drive.  A few times I have needed acceleration and it snapped my head back.  When stretching mileage with P&G, the results make the effort worth it.  It was one of the few cars I could get into without bumping my head (6-4) and my wife (5-2) can drive with good sight lines and reach.  It's tall build and wide swinging doors make it easier for an 80-something mother to get in and out.  Storage for 2 sets of golf clubs - not a problem.  And I'm sure there will be more to come.

 

Great car - not perfect - but well worth it so far.

[Chinto]

I wanted to double my mpg when I bought the C Max which even with the winter temps I have accomplished.  My Sable would average 19 in the winter and 21 in the summer in town which is 95% of my driving.  So right now my winter time average with the C Max is 39.5mpg with occasional trips in the mid forties.  I am satisfied with my C Max on fuel economy even in the winter which will only get better from here as we approach spring.   As far as my satisfaction with the comparative  benchmarks of the C Max and all the other cars I considered over the 4 months of looking and researching - my C Max is still at the top of my list.  I just like to drive the thing because it is surprisingly fun.   The other observation I made with other cars was that I didn't like the turbo effect.  I did not like the delay/lag that others all had when you push the pedal.  The C Max responds like a high performance car only without the HP.  

[valkraider]

My insurance went up. Higher than both our other cars... I called to ask why a compact Ford Hybrid cost more to insure than our 2011 Camaro convertible. The answer?

 

Batteries.

 

Batteries are incredibly expensive and almost always damaged in a crash.

[darrelld]

My insurance went up. Higher than both our other cars... I called to ask why a compact Ford Hybrid cost more to insure than our 2011 Camaro convertible. The answer?

 

Batteries.

 

Batteries are incredibly expensive and almost always damaged in a crash.

 

My insurance went down, Travelers gives a hybrid discount.