2013 Ford C-Max Hybrid: Quick Gas-Mileage Test
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2013 Ford C-Max Hybrid, Catskill Mountains, NY, Oct 2012
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Gas mileage in hybrid vehicles can be a tricky thing.
Depending on how they're designed--and at what speeds their electric motors kick in--their efficiency can vary considerably.
When we tested the 2013 Ford C-Max Hybrid six weeks ago in Los Angeles, the real-world indicated gas mileage was 37 mpg over 50 miles of mixed freeway and urban driving.
This past weekend, we borrowed another C-Max for a longer test.
Due to circumstances beyond our control, we couldn't do our usual 360-mile test route on Ford's newest compact five-door hatchback.
Instead, we only covered 238 miles--the bulk of it at 75-mph freeway speeds.
This time, we averaged 39.9 mpg, just a hair short of the 40-mpg level that is likely to impress friends and car shoppers.
That included 44 miles on electricity alone, according to the car's display.
Some other readings: Its lifetime efficiency to date over a total of 3,200 miles was 33.4 mpg.
And over two previous trips, it had attained 34.7 mpg (over 607 miles) and 32.5 mpg (over 1,173 miles).
These results lead us to echo our comment from that first C-Max Hybrid drive: "We have some questions about whether it will live up to its EPA ratings as reliably as the Prius does."
We noted on that drive that over 20 miles of largely urban stop-and-go traffic, the C-Max returned about 44 mpg.
That number is close enough to its EPA rating that we're not worried.
But the C-Max also gets a 47-mpg highway rating, for a combined number of--yes--47 mpg. We didn't get close to that number, registering in a range of 37 to 39 mpg.
We've requested another C-Max for a longer road test, and will spend some time running in city and suburban uses.
At speeds of 50 mph or below, the C-Max Hybrid uses its electric motor and can rack up those electric miles--which should improve gas mileage significantly.
Until then, however, we remain somewhat skeptical that the C-Max will deliver mixed real-world mileage much above 42 mpg. But we'll wait to find out.
For comparison purposes, our 2012 Toyota Prius V wagon, rated at 42 mpg combined, returned 40.0 mpg over a fairly hilly test route that included hauling lots of cargo.
Our 2013 Ford C-Max Hybrid carried a base price of $28,200. The "Blue Candy metallic tinted clearcoat" paint--a striking color that got a lot of looks--was an extra $395.
A single option bundle, deemed "Rapid Spec 303A," added premium Sony audio and a navigation system, a hands-free technology bundle that included hands-free tailgate operation and a keyless entry system, and a parking technology package that added Ford's Active Parking Assist--which we had no occasion to try out.
That bundle carried a base price of $3,080, with a "Rapid Spec discount" of $585 offsetting a bit of its bottom-line impact.
Adding in the mandatory destination fee of $795, our C-Max came with a final sticker price of $31,885.
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Volt is heavier than Prius Plugin, but it performs better than the Pip. And it seems to match its gas mileage vs EPA's rating. It definetly beats EPA's EV range though...
MrEnergyCzar
The C-CMAX is a tall vehicle with a good deal more frontal area than the Prius - I wonder how much of a difference cruising at 65 mph vs 75 mpg makes in this vehicle. I'd bet that mpg goes up from 40 mpg to at least 44 mpg which would put it within the margin of error of the EPA ratings...
They are the equivalent of shouting, which is somewhat rude, and they make it harder to read your thoughts.
Thanks in advance.
There is EV+ mode that you can turn off to disable the path prediction. I assume John V drove it with it on (believed to be the default).
MILEAGE: Nowhere close to the EPA estimates. Sometimes in the city if the battery is cold it's as low as 20 mpg. I have occasionally (and I mean rarely) hit 38-40 on the highway. I sometimes get better in the city, but that's even rarer. Overall MPG (according to the car) is 34.3 MPG which is about right based on my estimate. Overall, I'm fairly disappointed.
And btw, there are several websites with drivers tracking their mileage (fueleconomy.gov is one), and most other manufacturers get a little higher than their advertised mpg. The C-Max is getting 40mpg on average. This isn't a "driver" issue. This is a false advertising issue.
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