Ford C-MAX

cshelley

I ordered a C-Max Energi in August. I've been blogging about it since that time. There's quite a bit of information at my website that may be of interest to C-Max owners or prospective owners. http://cmaxchat.com

davemco3

It was the first energi that the dealer sold. I have dealt w/ this dealer for over 25 years and he made me a deal " I couldn't refuse". I leased it as there is a $3750 up front rebate on a lease and only $750 on a purchase. My final lease cost was $31500. w/o the glass roof. But like I said he made me a very good deal and said that they probably won't discount these cars until they become plentiful. Right now they are selling within one or two days after arriving at the dealer.

hof

On a lease, there are three ways that they can deal (1) trade-in allowance; (2) cost factor/ leasing factor (like the interest rate), and (3) the residual value. What kind of rate and residual did you get? How did that compare to the non-Energi C-max?

cshelley

I should probably just let Mr Liu respond, but here's a discussion of the sale on C-MaxChat's Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/CMaxChat/posts/563136167036493?comment_id=119061664&not- - if_t=share_comment

sliu777

I didn't lease, I bought it financed thru my credit union. Also I didn't have a trade in for my neighbor wants to purchase my 1993 Acura Legend Coupe L.

deltaromeo

Just picked up a new C Max SE. Have had a Prius for 22 months as a comparison.

The Good: C Max performs very well on dry roads. Out performs the Prius. More powerful than the Prius. Brakes OK, but Prius may have a slight edge. Road noise not an issue, but is a major problem in the Prius. C Max handles very well in high winds as does the Prius. A lot more extras as compared to Prius models. The C Max sound system is outstanding with the Equipment Group 202A (MyFord touch & Sirius package). Highly recommend this. In storage space the Prius has the edge. Settings easier to read than on the Prius. The out of date LCD format on Prius is a major problem, but the C Max has LED or other bright formats.

The bad: Some of the gauges and setups take some getting used to. Maybe not just as user friendly as the Prius, but not a deal breaker. No spare - I repeat no spare tire. Window tint essentially non-existent. You will have to spend $244-279 bucks to make it right.

The ugly: 23 mpg during hard city driving. 36 mpg on highway with conservative driving by a well experienced Prius driver. If you are truly interested in a green hybrid that gets 47 mpg (as advertised), then this is a deal breaker. This is a first use experience. Will give interval update.

hotpotato

My experience is similar to yours.

I have a C-Max hybrid as my personal car and a Prius as a company car.

A C-Max is heavier, taller, wider, and considerably more powerful than a Prius V, so physics dictates that it won't get better mileage--but surprisingly it doesn't do much worse either, with owners of both reporting numbers in the high-30s to low-40s range on Fuelly.com and fueleconomy.gov. The Prius Liftback will out-MPG either one all day long, of course.

I find the Prius dashboard computer estimated MPG about as realistic and accurate as the C-Max's EPA estimated MPG--that is, absurdly optimistic vs actual calculated MPG. (The C-Max's computer is pretty accurate.)

Personally I wonder if Ford erred in positioning this car against any Prius, because to some degree the cars appeal to different people. I respect the Prius for its mileage supremacy, but don't like the compromises it makes to eke out those last few MPG (in acceleration, handling, road noise). In short, I like to drive, and the Prius doesn't. The C-Max drives like a German entry-luxury sedan, gets the MPG of a flyweight Honda Fit, and swallows cargo and dogs like a Mazda 5 minivan. For me, that's the sweet spot.

deltaromeo

Follow up on 2013 C Max SE. There have been a few minor problems that were easily taken care of by the local dealer. Passing 5,000 miles, overall MPG is 37.3. This is with very careful driving with a light foot and lots of coasting.
Ford dealer has no explanation and was of no help regarding the mileage.

At this 4 month interval my conclusion based on the experience of one C Max: If you are planning to purchase the C Max to get 47 MPG, you will most likely be disappointed. If you just want a good little hybrid that is fun to drive and gets fairly good mileage, then consider the C Max. The Prius is still the hybrid gold standard for MPG, but Ford is definitely in the ball game.

edmondford

Hi there was woundering since yoy get $3750 on federal taxes, how much would you get for state of illinois taxes on return

early74b

Also being from IL, I can share with you that unfortunately the C-Max Energi (the version with the plug-in battery, not just the 'regular' non plug-in Hybrid model) does NOT qualify under the IL EPA program due to the fact (again, these are the IL EPA rules) that it has a 'regular' internal combustion engine along with a battery pack versus something like the Chevy Volt whose gas engine is actually a generator that powers up the battery while doing its backup duties. You can find more information on what cars are eligible on the IL Green Fleets site at:

link title

We currently own a Nissan LEAF which is 100% electric so we received a $3,725 cash rebate (the rebate is 10% of MSRP up to $4K), no tax return is necessary to get it. Another agency in IL also offers a 50% rebate on the equip + install of an EVSE (the 240V connection for faster than 120V charging) as well. The C-Max Energi has a fairly small battery so many go without putting in a charger.

On last thing about the IL EPA rebates, they're for purchased not leased cars unlike the Fed Tax Credit which could be applied against the lease or taken as a tax credit after you file your tax return. Believe me, we checked out all the angles before hand --- IL also has special 'EL' plates for $18/yr but only for 100% electric cars.

The C-Max (either version) was a possibility for us but the battery version simply lost too much storage space versus the hybrid and we found those 2nd row seats too hard and uncomfortable. For a couple, who doesn't need extra space and carry many people its not a bad commuter ... if you drive very short distances the Energi model would do well on 100% electric but it's pricey for what you get IMO.

As we'll be in the market for another short trip (30 mile r/t) car that would replace a smart fortwo coupe we're hopeful the 100% electric version will be coming to IL soon as well as the Fiat 500e and BMW i3 but as always, electric cars have be slow to come to IL so we need to be patient.

hof

I've had my 2013 C-MAX SE Hybrid for three months now, about 2,300 miles total I went from May 8 to June 8 on one tank of gas, about 560 miles. I might have made it to 600 if I ran on fumes. My observed MPG peaked right at 46.7 MPG right before I started using air conditioning regularly. With the air conditioning, it has dropped a couple of MPG and is more variable. My lifetime MPG just hit 43.0 and is still climbing. This is 80% city driving. If much of your driving is interstate highway over 65 MPH, especially over 70 MPH, the C-Max isn't the car for you. At that speed, there are many cars that will do as well, and something like the Volkswagen Passat GDI will probably do better.

dweiser

Some will be impressed at that and others will say it isn't exactly 47 m.p.g. but I'm very pleased. Brought the C-Max SE home October 2012 and was getting around 35 m.p.g. here in the mountains of western NC in Winter. I'd traded in a Honda Fit which got around 32 m.p.g. so I was looking to do better even though the C-Max is a nicer vehicle all-around, if more expensive. With the arrival of Spring and warmer temps my mileage started creeping up, about 0.1 every time I went out. Today I was very pleased to reach and arrive home at 40.0 m.p.g. Today's (just today's) trip averaged 50.0 m.p.g.

rrollntdi

I've had a C-Max Energi for about 6 months now. It's approaching 6000 miles, of which about 3800 were on electricity. The lifetime average is about 54 MGGe (I have it set to figure in the electricity). I'm not sure of the actual cost of the electircity yet as I'm using 110V outlet for recharging for a little while longer. The 240EV changing station is due in anytime. Fuel economy and charge life is dependent on using the climate control and outside temperature. I usually get to work, 21 miles one way (stopping at 4 or 5 lights, mostly 40 mph speed limit) and have about 4 to 7 miles left on the battery if I do not use the A/C. This usually results in about 160 to 170 MPGe. The return trip results in about 60 to 80 MPGe. It's lower on the XWay, about 40 MPGe after the battery runs out with the A/C or heat on. I bought gas last on June 4th and still have 1/4 tank left. I love this car! :shades:

ducky26

Have been driving our new C-Max SEL for about six weeks. We are very pleased with this great hybrid. There was a lot of discussion on the web that people were not getting good mileage, so my wife and I decided to read the manual and follow the advice from Ford. We have driven over 1200 miles and are averaging over 43 mpg. We drive country roads and small city roads and on one 80 mile trip we averaged 46mpg. We didn't expect such good mileage right out of the showroom. We are extremely pleased.
The technology is outstanding. Take some time to understand how it works, and read the manual. We live up a mountain and this car has good power climbing the hills. The sitting room is outstanding. I am 6 feet six inches tall and my wife is 5 feet two. We both have no problem driving this car. As far as cargo space goes, the two of us and our Ausralian Shepherd have enjoyed our weekly trips into the Adirondack Mts.
There is a lot to love about this car, and fun learning all the technology. Ford gets an A.

davemco

I originally posted (post #28 ) on Nov. 12, 2012 about our then new C-Max Energi. The car now has just over 12,000 miles on it and we could not be much happier with it. Our mileage peaked at 69.9mpg (w/ recharging every night), since summer started we go to our summer place in the Adirondack mountains every week (avg 450-500 miles weekly) and only get to recharge about 2 times per week. So as of this date our mileage is "down" to 59.7mpg. Up to now the car has performed flawlessly through the winter snow and into the hot summer months. The "Sync' and "Touch" systems work perfectly (small learning curve on what to say).

I have laughed many times over some of the posts, on this and other sites, where people who voice complaints about mileage usually expose their faults elsewhere in their post ( i.e. they do not know how to or care to drive economically). Or they complain about things that are not faults but rather the way they would like the car to be.

About the only thing I could complain about would be the Michelin tires, I think they are noisy, when I replaced the Michelin Energy tires on my wife's Fusion w, General Altimax tires the reduction in noise was amazing, and they rode better. But hard and noisy tires are part of the price you pay for mileage.

Cargo space has not been an issue for us as w/ the rear sear folded we can carry all our coolers, bins and duffels for weekly trips.

What Ford could do to improve this car IMO is to offer 1.Tinted Glass, 2. Power Passenger Seat, 3. Memory Seats. I do not feel that the lack of these items is a fault, it simply would be nice if they were available.

In my original post I said that Ford might have a winner here, after 10 months and 12,000 miles my wife and myself are convinced that they indeed do have a winner plus.

hof

When I last posted at 2500 miles, I reported 43.0 MPG. At just over 4000 miles the lifetime mpg raised to 44.4 in my C-Max Hybrid SE. I suspect that this will either be a peak or close to it because of colder weather ahead. Taking my daughter to college, driving mostly on state highways with 50 or 60 MPH speed limits, I got 49 MPG. I was tempted to slow down to hit the magic number of 50, but I decided that would be cheating.

hof

For my fellow C-Max hybrid owners, I'm sure you heard that Ford is supposed to be sending us a $550 check for the MPG discrepancy. I have not received a check as of today (9/12/13), have any of you?

garydva

I just started checking too. No updates so far. Have you called your dealer?

hof

I haven't called my dealer. I plan on bringing my car in next month for the roof recall and the software update. I'll check on it then. BTW My all-time mpg just reached 44.7 at 4500 miles on the odometer.

mick1

I'm hoping the check is an early Christmas present. Your mpg varies based on multiple factors. I've driven completely electric for 0.8 miles and 55mpg for an hour with highway rush hour traffic. I'm averaging 43mpg.

Chuckles37

I had my CMax in for the PCM and MFT updates last week. On the work order there was an entry about performance upgrade. They said the upgrade has to be reported which triggers the sending of the check. Don't know if it BS or not. If I get the check in a couple of weeks, there might be something to it.

FYI - Last tankful before the updates was a personal best 648 miles and 49.43 mpg. All was local driving.

ozztruck

It has been 8 days and 200 miles later with 170 miles all electric on our new CMax Energi. My wife uses it shuttle the kids to school and back daily 17 miles, it finishes the day with about 5 miles left on the battery, due to a gain of 15% from regenerative braking. It only has to be charged for 5 hours at 1.4KW/hour and at 9.5 cents/kilowatt, its 65 cents for 17 miles of driving.
We purchased this last week , because the $3,000 rebate w/ zero percent financing in addition to the Tax credits and the Ford X-plan made a lot of financial sense. The icing in the cake is the driving dynamics of the Cmax and the EV mode makes for a very smooth drivetrain, like a Rolls Royce. I do drive the car about 4 miles/week on gasoline only mode, just to keep the 12V battery and the gas engine lubricated.

hof

I just brought my car in for the headliner recall. At the same time, they "updated" MyFordTouch (8-inch non-Sony). I say updated, but "broke" would be a better word. Before the update, the system would generally pair and keep paired with my phone, with only an occasional dropped call. After the update, the bluetooth struggles to pair and after pairing drops after a couple seconds. I like the car, but I'm not at all happy with how Ford handled the recall. With all the other cars from other manufacturer's that I've brought in for recall work, the dealer offered me a loaner car. My Ford dealer refused to loan me a car. Now I have to find the time to bring it in and hope they can get the software back to where it was when I brought it in. Not cool, Ford. (By the way, before the cold weather hit, my lifetime MPG hit 45.1 displayed. In freezing weather, I usually don't hit 40, so the lifetime MPG is going down as expected. Current tank driven 80% of the time in freezing weather shows 36.)

hof

It is my understanding that the CVT in the 2013-2014 C-Max is a new transmission built in Michigan. Does anyone know if it is related to the mid-oughts CVT used in British C-Maxes? Here's an article from a website called honestjohn.com that discusses in length problems Ford had with the CVT in the 2003 and 2004 C-Max paired with the diesel engine. What disturbs me most isn't that the problem 0happened it is how Ford handled it. It reminds me of how GM dealt with problems in the 1980s-90s, a time period when Ford was noticeably better from what I saw.

http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/faq/ford-c-max-cvts/

rrollntdi

Hi. My Sony version of MyFordTouch seems to be good at the 3.6 update. When the Blue Tooth won't link up, it usually means I need to restart my phone. The lack of a free loaner car is a dealership issue. I bought my Energi at Roy O'Brien in St. Clair Shores, MI which provides a free loaner for all service for 36K miles or 3 years. My lifetime MPGe is also dropping daily, as expected with the cold weather. It was at a high near 60 and is down to 58.2. The last tank I only traveled 762 miles with about 68% EV use. In the Summer I can easily go 1200 miles with about 78% EV.

flitzhoff

Hi. I test drove a 2015 C-max SE the other day and it drove nicely. Doing some research, the earlier models were reported by Consumer Reports and J.D. Power & Associates to have severe reliability and quality issues, with the electrical system being the biggest worry.

I don't see any mention of electrical issues on this blog, however, and there is nothing from Ford or elsewhere that I can find that indicates the earlier-model problems were ironed out.

I am planning to wait to see if Consumer Reports lifts their "much worse than average" reliability judgment before wading in, but I would appreciate any help I can get to find good objective reporting on the issue. Note: the mileage flap is a non-issue for me.

Thanks much!