Ford CMax Hybrid 2013 review
Driving the 2013 Ford C-Max Hybrid was a great experience. It was nice, comfortable and unassuming. I must say however that I fully appreciated driving the C-Max only after I returned it.
I ventured back to my mid sized three year old sedan and fell out of love. It seemed so much louder, so much bumpier, so much unlike the C-Max. No heated seats to keep me toasty warm during the many snow storms, no Sirius XM radio and no panoramic sun roof to keep the kids entertained while I drove.
I’ve spoken about Active Park Assist, the hands-free lift-gate and Ford Sync here so I won’t go on about how much I love them, just that I do.
For a small car, the C-Max packed a big punch. Kind of like a 5ft 2” old lady who happens to be a kickboxing champion. It was wonderfully silent even on the highway; smooth driving, comfortable and powerful.
The fact that this smooth driving vehicle was a hybrid was like eating your favorite cheesecake and finding out it’s fat free with zero calories. Highly unlikely but you get the sentiment.
I loved how every time I pressed the brakes, the car battery recharged. It’s that sort of attention to detail I’m loving more and more about Ford. They understand the customer experience.
The steering wheel controlled call answer button was a little moody on the vehicle I drove, but that was likely an isolated case. I had made thorough use of it when I tested the Escape a little while ago.
I used the vehicle’s rear-view camera in an unconventional way to save myself from what could have been an otherwise dangerous situation.
I live in Montreal and we see our share of snow, to say the least. The majority of this season has seen 4-6 foot snowbanks along side streets so driving around has been a little tricky. I was in the car with my daughter one afternoon, returning home from running errands. As I pulled onto our street I saw that the snow removal truck we contracted to clean our driveway for the season was just down our road so I waited for it to clear the 20 cm’s of snow off my driveway. While I was parked right at the corner of my street, the massive city plow turned the corner. I saw something coming but couldn’t make out that it was the city plow from my rearview mirror alone due to the snowbanks, flurries and angle.
I shifted the car into reverse and used the rearview camera to check how close the truck was from the car. It was less than a foot away. While it fortunately stopped when it saw me, I didn’t want to stick around. I took off around the block and returned home to a clear driveway.
Since I returned the car, I miss the rearview camera every time I back up. It’s a great feature to have.
Overall, I enjoyed my time with the C-Max. It was unexpectedly luxurious, comfortable and smooth on the road. I’d say you should check it out for yourself. Have you driven a Ford lately?
DISCLOSURE: Please note this review is not sponsored. I was provided a vehicle to test drive by Ford, all views are my own.
Please note pictures, scarves and accessories are courtesy of Suhaila Niazi, Creative Lead at Al Shakour.
Great review! I like your everyday take on the car, definitely a unique perspective… Keep them coming!
Thank you!
awesome review!!
Thank you so much!
Open letter to Ford:
I thought my 2013 C-MAX would be a Prius Killer? NOT! As a returning Ford buyer I feel deceived. I want to support US companies and US jobs. What was Ford thinking when they published 47/ 47/47 estimates? Based on the advertised EPA estimates, I would have been ok with low 40’s but 28-33 mpg is not even in the ballpark. This is not an issue about EPA testing standards, but rather an issue about setting false customer expectations in order to promote sales. Ford’s “47MPG” marketing campaign tarnished what should have been the roll out of a truly remarkable vehicle, the CMAX. Real world MPG estimates should have been promoted in the mid-30’s. No one would have questioned those numbers and the CMAX would have received the accolades it deserves. How these MPG estimates made it through Ford corporate is beyond me! Maybe it was the rush to go to market? I have been accused of not knowing how to drive hybrid. For the record, during the last three years I have leased both a 2010 Prius and 2010 Honda Insight Hybrid, and consider myself an experienced hyper-miler. My mileage in the Prius is 50 plus, the Insight is 40 plus. The C-MAX is a well-built car, with extremely inflated EPA estimates. I respectfully request that this matter be investigated as soon as possible. My efforts to deal with this locally and through Ford customer service have frustrated me to no end. The constant response? “You need to learn to how to drive hybrid type of vehicle “. Is there a difference how I drive Prius Hybrid vs. the CMAX hybrid? I think we all know the answer to that. I need someone at Ford to reach out to me and assist in a proactive manner so we can put this matter to rest.
Ronald Kramer Yankee Ford Customer
South Portland, Maine
Thank you for your comment. Unfortunately I am not affiliated with Ford, I was loaned this vehicle to test drive. I can however vouch for their social media team. Please take a moment and visit: facebook.com/ford to share your concerns. I am hopeful they will be resolved in a timely manner.