Ford started promoting the Escape Hybrid in the USA 4 years after the introduction of the Toyota Prius right here, with manufacturing persevering with by means of 2012. To interchange it, a Focus-derived MPV that had confirmed itself in Europe was given a gasoline-electric hybrid powertrain and launched as a 2013 mannequin for North America. This was the C-Max Hybrid, and I’ve discovered a kind of first-year vehicles in a Wyoming self-service automotive graveyard.
The C-Max was the primary American-market Ford mannequin that was out there solely as a hybrid, and gross sales continued by means of 2018 (after which it was canceled attributable to being insufficiently truck-like).
The thought was that it might compete for gross sales in opposition to the Toyota Prius, with its related price ticket and gas financial system specs.
Just like the Prius, the C-Max had an Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder gasoline engine offering the internal-combustion energy. Complete output with the 88kW electrical motor was 188 horsepower, which beat the Prius and its 134 whole horses. There was a plug-in hybrid model known as the C-Max Energi as effectively.
And the 2013 C-Max’s official EPA gas financial system score, whereas not fairly reaching Prius ranges, was wonderful: 47 mpg metropolis, 47 mpg freeway, 47 mpg mixed.
Sadly for Ford, American C-Max reviewers and patrons rapidly discovered that their real-world gas financial system was decrease than these numbers. A lot decrease. Litigiously decrease, in actual fact.
By the summer season of 2013, the EPA had backpedaled on its C-Max mileage scores, dropping them to 45 metropolis/40 freeway/43 mixed. Ford despatched rebate checks to all 32,000 patrons and lessees of 2013 C-Maxes in the USA. None of this appeared to harm C-Max gross sales an excessive amount of on the time… at first; gross sales of the 2014 C-Max plummeted a bit later.
The “tall hatchback” MPV physique model proved extraordinarily in style with European automotive consumers in the course of the 2000s and deep into the 2010s, and I documented fairly a number of of these vehicles throughout my whirlwind tour of English scrapyards final winter. American automotive consumers weren’t fairly as passionate about such a automobile, as will be seen by the chilly reception for the C-Max’s platform cousin, the Mazda5.
No less than the C-Max Hybrid bought higher than the Altima Hybrid and Jetta Hybrid.
Prepare for the Hybrid Video games!
All these Prius V-beating gas financial system claims went out the window quickly sufficient.
C-Max says, “Ha!” C-Max says, “Wheee!” Which is what you get, do not you see?