10 Things You Need To Know About The 2013 Ford C-MAX Hybrid

The 2013 Ford C-Max Hybrid continues the Dearborn-based brand's European thrust into the American market.  By importing a high efficiency hybrid vehicle like the Ford C-MAX to the United States, after the model has already proven its ability to draw a crowd of loyal buyers in gas-only form, Ford is demonstrating its commitment to pushing a small and efficient automotive agenda instead of relying solely on light truck sales to boost the bottom line.  The Ford C-MAX Hybrid is positioned to make a run at some of the more popular battery-assisted vehicles currently available and shake things up for value-oriented and-eco-conscious new car buyers.

Let's take a look at 10 things you need to know about the 2013 Ford C-MAX Hybrid

The 2103 Ford C-MAX Hybrid is presented to American shoppers as a compact hatchback, but in reality the automobile represents what European drivers call an "MPV," or 'multi-purpose vehicle.'  This catch-all term has come to encompass a range of small vans and hatchbacks that have never really been available in the United States, where most 'minivans' are actually eight passenger behemoths.  The Ford C-MAX Hybrid was developed to ply congested city streets and offer practicality without requiring the need to find a generously-sized parking space.  It also offers the next step in Ford's revised corporate styling, which means that the C-MAX lines up well beside other small vehicles like the Ford Fiesta and the Ford Focus.

Part of the reason as to why the 2013 Ford C-MAX Hybrid bears such a strong family resemblance to the brand's current small car lineup is the fact that it rides on Ford's Global C Platform.  This platform underpins a wide range of different models, including the Ford Focus and the Ford Escape, and provides a versatile basis for the C-MAX Hybrid that gives it something of a handling edge when compared against other hybrid vehicles in its class.  This helps to differentiate the driving experience offered by the C-MAX Hybrid and position it as an every-day vehicle that just happens to sport a battery-assisted power plant.

The 2013 Ford C-MAX Hybrid is motivated by a 2.0-liter, four-cylinder engine that teams up with an electric motor in order to produce a total of 188 horsepower and 129 lb-ft of torque.  This allows the C-MAX Hybrid to easily overcome its 3,600 lbs of curb weight and provide competitive levels of acceleration and passing capability.  The hybrid system is managed by a electronic continuously-variable automatic transmission, and it also offers an EV mode that allows for electric-only operation at speeds of up to 62 miles per hour.  The C-MAX Hybrid makes use of an advanced lithium-ion battery pack that is located at the rear of the automobile.

The 2013 Ford C-MAX Hybrid was designed to combine utility with efficiency, and thanks to its gasoline / electric drivetrain it certainly delivers.  Fuel mileage for the Ford C-MAX Hybrid is listed as 47-mpg in stop and go driving and 47-mpg on the highway, for a combined rating of - you guessed it - 47-mpg.  This makes it one of the most economical vehicles in its class when it comes time to fill up at the pump.  The C-MAX Hybrid's 13.5 liter gas tank allows it to travel just under 600 miles between refueling stops, which also gives the hatchback long legs when motoring from one city to another.

The 2013 Ford C-MAX Hybrid might be compact in appearance, but opening up the rear hatch or any of its four passenger doors reveals a substantial amount of interior room.  Front passengers understandably have access to the most spacious accommodations within the C-MAX Hybrid, but those riding in the second row will have nothing to complain about thanks to a design that provides generous head and legroom.  The tall roofline responsible for the vehicle's generous headroom also allows for an appreciable amount of cargo to be stuffed within the C-MAX Hybrid's confines - up to 52.6 cubic feet, to be exact.

The 2013 Ford C-MAX Hybrid starts out in SE trim.  This model includes dual automatic climate control, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, power windows and door locks, a trip computer, cruise control, a stereo system that can play digital music files, and the Ford SYNC vehicle interface.  Upgrading to the C-MAX Hybrid SEL adds the MyFord Touch system, heated front seats, and leather upholstery.  Each of these editions of the Ford C-MAX can also be further customized via the selection of options such as a navigation system and automatic parking assistance.

The 2013 Ford C-MAX Hybrid provides drivers with the SmartGauge and EcoGuide feature.  Positioned on the dash on either side of the speedometer, SmartGauge and EcoGuide are designed to help drivers squeeze the best fuel efficiency possible out of the hybrid drivetrain.  The most eye-catching aspect of this feature is the animated image of a branch covered in leaves, which grow or fade away depending on the eco-friendliness of the pilot's habits behind the wheel.  The C-MAX Hybrid can also be had with a hands-free tailgate opening system, which pops the rear hatch when the owner waves his or her foot under the bumper to trigger the vehicle's release sensor.

A third version of the 2013 Ford C-MAX Hybrid is coming soon.  Dubbed the C-MAX Energi Plug-In Hybrid, this unique vehicle offers the ability to recharged its lithium-ion battery pack using a wall outlet, at either 240 or 120 volts (depending on what is available).  The C-MAX Energi Plug-In Hybrid is designed to offer extended EV-only range compared to the standard C-MAX Hybrid, and in all driving situations it works to reduce the amount of time that the gasoline engine is active.  The Energi Hybrid shares the same basic drivetrain as the entry-level Hybrid.

With a starting MSRP of $25,200, the 2013 Ford C-MAX Hybrid occupies a sweet spot in the current pantheon of utility-focused gasoline/electric vehicles.  The C-MAX Hybrid is $5,000 less expensive than the departing Ford Escape Hybrid - while offering roughly the same amount of cargo space, and much improved fuel economy - and it comes in far cheaper than larger vehicles such as the Toyota Highlander Hybrid.  The C-MAX Hybrid is also competitive with its closest rival, the Toyota Prius family of vehicles, and while it might be significantly more expensive than the Honda Insight, it's also better equipped and much more spacious inside.

10.  The 2013 Ford C-MAX Hybrid Targets The Toyota Prius v

As mentioned above, the 2013 Ford C-MAX Hybrid takes aim squarely at the Toyota Prius lineup.  More specifically, the C-MAX Hybrid is intended to steal sales away from the recently-added Toyota Prius V wagon, a vehicle which it matches in almost every dimension but which it manages to trump in terms of fun factor, styling, and even fuel mileage.  Pricing is also more appealing with the C-MAX Hybrid, as it comes in at just over $1,000 cheaper than the Prius V and about the same amount more than the smaller, but more efficient standard Prius.