Ford C-MAX does the job, ecologically
2013 hybrid well-designed and practical
Ford introduced the Ford C-MAX Hybrid and the CMAX Energi plug-in hybrid at the 2011 North American International Auto Show. The five-seaters replaced the Ford Escape Hybrid and Mercury Mariner Hybrid. Ford discontinued the entire Mercury brand after the 2011 model year and the Escape Hybrid after the 2012 model.
The C-MAX is Ford’s first hybrid-only line of vehicles with both the hybrid and plug-in versions based on the European model.
For the North American market, the C-MAX Hybrid is assembled alongside the 2012 Focus and Ford Focus Electric at Ford’s Wayne plant in Michigan with the goal to become “America’s most affordable hybrid utility vehicle.” Design:
The front end is quite nice with Ford’s latest grille treatment. Thin horizontal trim lines and surrounding chrome add some sparkle to the large lower opening, while a narrow upper grille carries the blue oval badge of Ford. Projector-style fog lamps are at the lower corners of the bumpers while large headlight clusters dominate the front fenders.
From the side, the C-MAX shows off large wheel arches and a trailing roofline similar to its competitors. A bobbed rear end ensures that there will be some modicum of headroom for the rear passengers.
Inside the C-MAX cabin you will immediately notice the fresh approach to the instrument cluster and console stack design. Everything you need as a driver is readily available but laid out in bright colours. The gauge cluster behind the steering wheel, for example, features the SmartGauge with EcoGuide. That’s Ford’s lush leaves and vines, displayed in the right-hand side of the instrument cluster, representing driving efficiency; the more leaves, the more efficiently you have been driving. Then there is the Brake Coach on the left side of the cluster. This gauge helps drivers optimize their use of the vehicle’s regenerative brakes, further improving fuel economy and reducing wear on brake pads.
The windows are large and offer good views out, and the panoramic sunroof lets plenty of light in. The heated front seats and side mirrors are welcome features during a Montreal winter and may seem slightly incongruous with an energy-saving car, but I’m sure that you will only sacrifice a few leaves in your virtual garden for this luxury.
There’s seating for five with the ubiquitous 60/40 split fold-down rear seats and getting in and out is easy enough thanks to the four-door layout. There’s cargo space, too, with 24.5 cubic feet in the Hybrid and slightly less (19.2) in the Energi model due to the larger battery pack.
Performance:
Performance in a Hybrid is a different goal than in a sports car or pickup truck. We’re looking at fuel economy rather than speed or towing capacity. Both the C-MAX hybrid and Energi have the same 2.0-litre DOHC inline four-cylinder Atkinson cycle motor under the hood with DOHC, four valves per cylinder, and variable camshaft timing to produce 144 horsepower. They also each have the same permanent magnet AC synchronous motors that crank out an additional 118 hp for a total system output of 188 hp. That’s not a lot in today’s world, but they make the most of what they have through their eCVT hybrid powersplit transaxle (constant velocity transmissions). The “powersplit” allows the vehicle to drive in electric mode, gas mode, or a combination of both.
The difference lies with the batteries and charging systems. The Hybrid carries a 1.4 kWh lithium-ion battery versus the Energi’s 7.6 kWh lithium-ion and direct plugin recharging capability.
The C-MAX suspension is identical on both models with independent MacPherson struts with 25.5-mm stabilizer bar up front, Control Blade multilink with 22-mm stabilizer bar at the rear and gas pressurized shock absorbers at all four corners.
Braking is a vital part of hybrids and the C-MAX uses power-assisted four-wheel disc brakes with four-sensor, four-channel anti-lock braking, and a regenerative braking system to recuperate energy normally lost as friction (heat) and store it as electricity for later use.
Driving/utility:
The only way that the average automobile buyer will come to accept a hybrid is if it offers an advantage over a regular car. That means it has to offer a similar driving experience and achieve substantial fuel savings. If it doesn’t, why bother?
The very first thing I noticed with the C-MAX was its hyper-sensitive brakes. It is normal to have a different sensation in a gas/electric hybrid because the electric motors act as generators when braking as they recharge the batteries. They create additional resistance, a boost to the braking. But the C-MAX was rather disconcerting at first by its abrupt braking. I did get used to it and adapt my driving style, but some people who tried the car just did not like it.
The interior is a pretty cool place to be with comfortable, Intelligent Access with pushbutton start, rain-sensing wipers, reverse sensing system and ambient lighting.
Now go out there and do your best for your virtual garden and the rest of the planet.