2016 Ford C-MAX Hybrid - Review and Road Test

The Ford C-Max is a tall 5-passenger hybrid wagon that slots neatly between the Toyota Prius and the larger Prius V. How does the C-Max compare against these hybrid heavyweights? That's a question we answer in this video.
For the latest Ford C-Max pricing, reviews and vehicle information:
www.kbb.com/ford/c-max-hybrid/...
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[@Tommaso77777]

Ten years later, 2014 CMAX Hybrid Energy! Still the envy of all friends & family! 44,000. Miles & running fantastic! FORD you made a good one here!

[@backtoasimplelife]

I've had a 2014 Ford C-Max for nearly three years. Still in love with the car. The only think lacking is more range.

[@BohoFlow]

I've had my 2017 Titanium for a 1 1/2 years now. I can get 50mpg city during the Spring & Fall, and 47mpg during Summer & Winter (because of AC and Heat). So I'm kind of bummed I'm averaging 47 right now, especially with gas prices up, but thats still SUPER GOOD. I could get even better mileage if I min-maxed, so I'm getting those averages just by driving normally (45-50mph, sharp turns, quick accelerations, etc). I just make sure I get 100% on braking. Man I love this car. I also test drove the Prius and hated the brakes & visibility. And the Niro was a little too big for me. At first I wanted a Prius so bad, but I really hit the jackpot when I found out about the C-Max. Wonderful, wonderful car, and really fun to drive. It's so cute and fat, and has everything I wanted in a car, EXCEPT heated steering wheel. Thats seriously my only complaint! Otherwise I'm so extremely satisfied. Almost at 40k miles, and here's to many many more!!

[@TomDeVito]

I gotta say it's a zippy little hybrid it's comfortable, spacious, excellent visibility, the ride height is absolutely fabulous hahaha and easy step in/out height. I'm 5'10 now words alone can't begin to explain how AMAZING the head room is! It's a shame Ford decided to kill the c max

[@JustWasted3HoursHere]

A lady I used to work with has one and swears by it, but it sold poorly which is why Ford had to kill it. Similarly, one of my neighbors has a Chevy Volt (not Bolt), and swears by it also but it was just too expensive for the average consumer and didn't sell quite as well as Chevy had hoped it would and it was killed too. It's the perfect choice for people who would like to drive electric but still have some range anxiety as it does 50+ miles on electric only and then kicks on the gas motor to charge the battery and drive the wheels.

[@supertuner63]

250k miles on my Cmax Energi and 126k on my Cmax Hybrid. Ford really made these cars SOLID and FORD TOUGH!! Never had issues!

[@planetmongocommoditiesexch9079]

What model year Energi? Love my 2014, a little concerned about the CVT issues.

[@Sir......]

@@planetmongocommoditiesexch9079 .. the CVT issue is 13-15 models, so you have to get record that the previous owner had the 'free' CVT bearing replaced from Ford ... or buy a 16-18 model

[@mikespencer3824]

Do you still have your cars? How many miles on them and any problems?

[@freeguy0007]

II have 6000 miles on my 2015 C Max hybrid and since May have been averaging 50 mpg per tank. On several trips requiring more highway driving with the air conditioner turned on, my mileage was between 45 and 47 mpg.

[@robnews11]

I hit 47 MPG on the last tank and went over 600 Miles and 1000 KMS using 13.5 gallons. My average is 44MPG and that is with the AC running half of the time...It depends how you drive it. The C MAX forum has great driving tips that work!

[@MrDarenhayes]

ive gotten 58 mpg before , 47 is not that difficult. its the best car ever.

[@MrChris-bx7ss]

Use full synthetic oil, proper tire pressure and drive easy and you should get 50 mpg

[@Kahn4]

i think im sold. The Prius c and regular Prius may have the slight MPG advantage but that horsepower is more important. I hate having to get on freeways and and prius will make that very difficult based on its lack of acceleration. I'll gladly sacrifice a couple mpg for all that extra power

[@raheemwilliams5475]

Me to

[@robinsnest59]

I purchased one with all the trimmings today. Happy Happy!!!!

[@mhchoudhurymd]

We have a cmax hybrid from 2015 and have been pleased. Very quiet and efficient. Have no problems at all. It is very comfortable and safe.

[@aluminumferl]

Love my 2015 c-max energi Electric only mode covers my daily driving. For longer drives, a full tank of gas and full battery gets 615 miles. Not one problem. Feels and sounds as solid as day one. Wish Ford continued the line past 2017.

[@mikespencer3824]

How many miles does your CMax have on in and problems yet?

[@aluminumferl]

@@mikespencer3824 sold it nearly 2 years ago. It had 25k miles and no problems. My only complaint is that when driving in gas only mode it felt underpowered, especially with passengers.

[@dansanger5340]

Why does the title say 2016 when this was published in early 2013?

[@roadrookie]

Illuminati confirmed

[@TrainsLater]

Ikr

[@mhchoudhurymd]

Great car with easy driving and no range anxiety. Battery charge hassle free. Excellent gas mileage. Comfortable and plenty of room for a energy efficient car. We will keep it for a while until the electric cars get better ranges and prices . Thanks

[@horsekiller68]

just bought a used 2013 Energi , absolutely love it gets 43mpg without even trying ,drops to about 38 using the heater . what I can keep my kids from driving it and get the battery charged overnight ,it gets in the 50's

[@skyguyfll]

I just bought a used 2013 Ford C-Max SEL and so far I love it. I started out looking at the Prius but test drove the C-Max and was very impressed. I ended up liking it better than the Prius. I like the way you set up in it. It has good visibility and great pick up if you need it. I think Ford did a pretty good job with this one.

[@Sir......]

keep an ear open to the engine/trans when the gas engine is on at a stop... try going in reverse and drive and if you hear a 'grumbling' or slightly electric surging noise, id suggest having ford check it out. a 2013 c-max hybrid with under 100k miles has a factory transmission warranty... ( just got a used c-max and am making use of that warranty for a free new CVT). supposedly the first year transmissions had a bad bearing design that would go bad, and years ago letters were sent to owners for a 'free' fix.... im guessing most didnt bother with that. In general, the noise the car made that was easiest to hear was when the gas engine kicked on, it sounded like a loud whine (as if power steering was going bad... but that noise is actually the CVT). Hopefully this was helpful !

[@danieljackson8411]

some reviews claim loud engine noise transmitted to the cabin, what is your opinion?

[@davidlyday7373]

For those asking how the years add up, this video was published about the 2013 model and they updated the title as the car aged but did not change significantly from the vehicle shown. If you look at other KBB videos, you will notice the same trend of older cars with newer model years than the publish date would it lead you to believe

[@tyler951]

Another well done kbb review.m

[@rudebeckia]

I have a 2016 and so far I love it! It's just the right size. Gets good mileage, although not in tune with even the new EPA estimates, but I'm driving with the A/C running all the time. Will have to see how the mileage changes in the winter. The ride is quiet and very smooth, and acceleration is really good. The Sync 3 touchscreen is intuitive. Seats are comfy. It's everything I wanted in a car.

[@jonathanjackson9208]

Irene Rose I don't know why the said 47mpg across the board. Realistic numbers are around 42-43

[@rudebeckia]

I have been getting between 39 and 40. I'm in southern Arizona, so A/C runs full blast all the time, and our highway speeds are 75 mph +. I noticed that when I get up to the 75 mph highway speed the car "scolds" me by downgrading my "Cruising" mark. I guess they expected folks to cruise at 65. But my last car got 18 mpg, so this is a BIG improvement! In the winter I'll probably get 42-43 without the A/C on. (we only went below 90 here yesterday for the first time.)

[@rudebeckia]

Hey Mr. Goodyear! I don't know anything about the plug-in, except that you can't go very far at all on a charge. Many don't like it because of that. Check it out. The Prius gets better mileage, but has very little responsiveness...not a fun car to drive. The CMax hybrid definitely has that zoom-zoom feeling when you need it.

[@dr.buttcheeks8576]

Seems like an improvement from my GX470 which is only 18-20, which is rough on someone like me who needs to drive 20 or so miles on a day to day basis for work and college.

[@rudebeckia]

I find it a big improvement over my old car. It also 'teaches' you how to save more gas by driving more sensibly. I find that feature useful. The only thing that's a pain is the GPS, but I understand that most peeps find it easier to use their phones than the SAT/NAV in their cars--too many steps to get going!

[@gene978]

Excellent review Micah! I was wondering the ride of the C Max more sporty? More Prius like? more Focus like? 17 inch wheels and when I look at this car I swear it has 15's on it. Tanks for keeping us entertained as well as informed Micah Muzio!

[@emjayay]

2016 Fords now have a new touchscreen system that is much better than before.

[@toyotaprius79]

Who the hell disliked this? Regardless what car it is, the main reason why I and many others watch this is that these reviews are enjoyable and interesting to watch, even the music never goes wrong for me. It's Micha Muzio for feck's sake!

[@LouieYan]

Bought a 2016 CPO Energi lease return with under 40k miles 2 months ago from a Ford dealership. I thought it was a reasonable deal at under $14k with a bumper-to-bumper warranty through 2023 and a hybrid battery and components warranty through 2024, both warranties through 100k miles. The previous owner likely charged the battery frequently because the average MPG when I took possession was 55. I've gotten everything from 38 to 57 MPG, depending on how I drive, where I drive, and how frequently I charge. I use AppleCarPlay all the time for phone, voice text, and navigation. My car doesn't have a backup camera and I miss it; I may pay the $1k or so to have it installed at the dealer. It feels more comfortable and substantial than a Prius. The not-so-drastic slope of the roof and space allocation in the cabin allow my 6-foot-4 son to fit in the rear seat comfortably; that would not have been possible in the Prius, Volt, or Ionic.

[@slofiz5336]

this car is surprisingly comfortable and does get great gas mileage. i had both a prius and cmax in my time and cmax has better looks and the prius would only go into electric mode when going under 25mph. "bummer"again had prius in 2010. cmax was built stronger in my opinion.

[@longbeachdarrell]

Longbeachdarrell the C-Max everybody keeps forgetting is towable behind a motorhome we pulled it a lot of places, we launch are Seadoo at the river have absolutely no trouble with it, we love it

[@Mgilvan2002]

the only hybrid car i consider to buy

[@e1r2i3k415]

they sell in taos nm, it snows here every other day and the temperature is usually barley above freezing

[@shahulhusman]

Well done video btw

[@1234krise]

I have the same model same color, but it's a 2013 but it's the same thing. Love that car, don't regret buying it other than I bought the base model. Yes it really is quick for a hybrid!

[@MrFeddup2]

Just purchased a used 2017 Cmax Energi, with 27,590 miles. Have 33,500 miles now. Have to say I love this car. Why they quit producing after 2018. Will never get it.

[@raheemwilliams5475]

This is a great car

[@TonyWoody]

They forgot to mention the whole 700+ miles on one 14 gallon tank thing

[@omarkhanlilcurry]

Excellent review as always! Hey have you guys heard anything else about the 2014 MDX?

[@seinsmeld13]

I saw one of these on the road today. Not a bad looking ride and that's coming from the driver of an Audi.

[@crazybusdriver1]

A real cool thing about the C-Max is the maintenance intervals are 10k instead of 3 or 5k with regular cars. The car also uses a new synthetic 0-20 weight oil that improves efficiency .... I read the owners manual from ford and was blown away by the 10k oil change intervals.. Was going to change it at 3k miles but the oil still looks like its just been changed..

[@planetmongocommoditiesexch9079]

The oil change interval for the Energi plug-in can be as long as 20k

[@mss627]

Ford dealers have dropped the price on the 2015 SE by about 6 grand in Maryland. That's pretty hard to pass on.

[@brianellsworth4767]

+Martin Smith I rejected the dealers offer twice before they gave me a better deal. .Shame but they still inflate the price until you walk out of the showroom.Since I am not sure about reliability years down the road I leased with manufacturers 36/36 with 24 hour road service included . I have 800 miles on mine with half a tank still left... I suspect those numbers will go down during winter and hot summer days . I gives a great ride city and highway. I would take a pricey performance sedan too out perform this car with this much comfort.What would you be saving with a 50k + thirsty vehicle anyway. Shop for deals at a couple dealers before any purchase . I almost signed for other vehicle before purchased this one . VW , Suabru, Jeep all were good ,but I really love this car and so much cheaper .

[@mss627]

+Brian Ellsworth Yeah. It really depends on the time of year. The Best time to buy is when the new models arrive and dealers are looking to dump their inventory for the previous year. Usually around August. Also there are seasonal factors like trying to purchase a SUV when there's snow on the ground or looking for a hybrid when gas prices are sky high.

[@brianellsworth4767]

+Martin Smith You are right . Gas prices jump up and down and winter snow can vary....The dealer will cash in when the opportunity arises ... . I can't understand the BMW plug hybrid .. 0 TO 60 3.5 SECONDS LOOKS SPORTY . 140K.... who would care about gas mileage savings with those numbers?. Maybe they want to be green and drive a muscle car at the same time ??

[@-Unguardian-]

+Brian Ellsworth Lexus ct200h is very affordable lux hatchback. I am waiting for a complete refresh which toyota did with the Prius V, but i'll continue to enjoy my 2012 Mercedes C300 Sport Sedan

[@brianellsworth4767]

Luxury sedans are beautiful..agreed My c-max was $25K . I have used only one tank of gas so far and 1700 mile. on the odometer . I really haven't lost any interest in driving this thing. I feel like all other cars on the road will soon become obsolete.. I can drive all electric or hybrid without sacrificing luxury or performance. NJ is talking about a 37% tax on gas ... What? me worry?

[@PrincessAww]

Have the Energi I get 30miles on electric only

[@aeusem88]

At the time of writing fuelly.com gives an avg of 37.9 mpg (sample size= 85)

[@Windgrace]

Agreed.

[@bladerunner5680]

This is so sad why didn't ford really push this car in the market. IT seems to be the same dilemma that the EV1 faced when it came out in the late 90;s. Either the powers to be didnt want this pushed out or whatever. All these reviewers shot it down somewhat but from independent drivers they loved it!. So who do you want to listen to? The car reviewers or the real people driving! I listen to the individual people driving it!

[@aeusem88]

It wouldn't have hurt if he had at least mentioned the well-known fact that very few people can actually achieve those official EPA numbers in real world driving.

[@joabayona6184]

as it can be a 2016 model and this video was published ago. Eight years ?

[@poker_18rs92]

I’m thinking about going from my 2013 Focus to a C-Max but I’m just not sure yet.

[@peewee61693]

I love mine!

[@shahulhusman]

Europe even has been selling more hybrids the last 2 years. Diesels are great but a vw tdi gets about 30 city/40 hwy and a cmax gets 47/47.. That's 17 more mpg in city. Even if those claims aren't 100% then also look at the cost of diesel over regular gas

[@oldschool1928]

Cruising the LBC.

[@DJTEVAdotCOM]

Ergo, and not surprising at all a California based law firm has filed a class action lawsuit against Ford. The lawsuit alleges that Ford led a “false and misleading marketing campaign for its 2013 C-MAX and Fusion hybrid vehicles.” It is asking for punitive damages that include full reimbursement of purchase prices of the vehicles named in the lawsuit.

[@chekainc]

Also I have a picture of mpg to prove I'm not bias.

[@TecnamTwin]

The EPA needs to do a re-evaluation.

[@MicahMuzio]

Excuse my creepy fast reaction time but this comment made me laugh. You're too kind.

[@rkramer40]

I thought my 2013 C-MAX would be a Prius Killer? NOT! What was Ford thinking when they published 47/ 47/47 estimates? I would have been ok with low 40's but 28-33 is not even in the ballpark. I have been accused of not knowing how to drive hybrid. I lease both a 2010 Prius and 2010 Honda Insight 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 great car, with extremely inflated EPA posted estimates.

[@MrDarenhayes]

There are lots of people who are able to get over 47mpg easily. I dont know how they do either. I went on a hour long drive about month ago and did get roughly 58 mpg in my CMax I love it so much.

[@mikespencer3824]

Does anyone still have a Ford CMax and how many miles on your car?

[@lmb4876]

I still drive my 2016 C-Max but only have 72k miles…no issues, ever..I get approx 43 mpg

[@rickgauden]

2016 130k miles 36.5mpg

[@DMaster27]

It's 2021 and the video says it was posted 8 years. The CMax is 2016 so that makes this vehicle on 5 years old..? Weird.

[@refuse2lose_ceo_]

Only came to this video because my company just picked up this vehicle. I was hoping to find traction control, lol

[@fudgemuffins9866]

The C-Max doesn't hold it's value very well. I bought a 2016 model and I've put about six thousand miles on it. In just this short distance my c max is only worth about sixteen to seventeen thousand, just over half of what I paid for it, and it's not even a year old!

[@skt1731]

I was looking to buy used Prius V but because of more features + better price I got interested in C-Max, even though I had not heard about it before. Prius has been around for several generations, and California has Prius everywhere but you hardly see a C-Max. Even though C-Max is a classy and nicely equipped 'hybrid', its design should have been distinguishable from other Ford compact cars. Prius V retains resale value much more than C-Max, even though C-Max has been widely reviewed to be better than Prius V (except that Prius V has much bigger cargo space). Unfortunately, all Ford vehicles depreciate more than Toyota's because of historical perception about Toyota's brand, superior quality, durability and low maintenance. New cars anyway depreciate a lot more in first two years and especially after model change, regardless of miles. Many different makes of hybrids and electrics are flooding market. Also, the tax breaks for buying a new hybrid are being phased out. If you keep your C-Max for many years, resale value won't matter.

[@wholeNwon]

That's another major reason that so many buy Toyota products. Ford could have had a similar reputation if they hadn't made so much trash over the years.

[@planetmongocommoditiesexch9079]

Probably related to the plunging sales that caused Ford to stop making these in 2018. Apparently most people want a big SUV now, not a compact MPV. Buying used is the way to go. I'm very pleased with my 2014 Energi.

[@rigolicious1]

I gave it the same review

[@TheDrunkardHu]

ford is really making a comeback in my book.

[@OneWheelMan]

1, source for the 47mpg rating? Because when I search the 2013 ford C-max, I'm seeing everyone else seems to show 37 highway, 42 city. Where is this 47 mpg coming from. Two.....how are you reviewing a 2016 C-Max in a video posted in 2013? These discrepancies seriously damage your credibility. I'm surprised the majority of people are giving this a thumbs up.

[@Sir......]

the EPA did originally say 47 mpg ... but their EPA test isn't quite the same as regular people driving it, so it got revised to the newer lower numbers that are easier to achieve

[@donlaxner5950]

No spare tire

[@ProBenja5]

its not a very tall wagon, its a c segment mini mpv

[@wasfyadawood5421]

كم سعرها اقساط

[@9965paul]

I like the chevy volt but it's made for midgets. Make it larger dammit!!!

[@MrCMAX]

Here is a video on How to get Great Gas Mileage in a CMAX Hybrid. fordcmaxhybridforum.com/topic/6568-how-to-drive-a-cmax-hybridffh-to-get-great-gas-mileage/page-1

[@philipocasio4720]

The music they used for the reviews is horrible... But, the Max looks to be considered in the future, which I am...

[@user-it6bx9tt5h]

test drove one... very disappointed... turning radius is caught my attention first.. felt big for its size, and I when I googled it later, I was correct. turning radius is 38.3 ft... compared to cars similar in size that get around 35ft... turning radius for this car is similar to a big van. also their no alternator, so when the hybrid battery dies, your engine will shut off... trunk space is maybe good for a few bags of groceries... the plug-in hybrid looked like it had less trunk space. climate control is awkward to access because the shift knob was waaay too close. everything was waay too compact. noy impressed. I bought a different model hybrid. MPGs are also wrong in the video.. its 40 city/ 37 highway ...not 47 for both

[@gramirez72]

@ 0:42 "....total C Max passenger space...". Was he supposed to say something before "...total" ? This guy talks so fast, you have to listen carefully.

[@Lincolnator721]

Reliability seems to be mixed. Some people say it's reliable, others say it's junk. Eh.

[@fatboy19831]

My friends that have owned TDI Jetta's have averaged MPG in the low 40's with the manual and slightly higher with the DSG. No of them baby their cars in any way. The best I could do on my 8 mile test drive of the Cmax was 39 mpg.

[@TheBikemaster94]

A shorty minivan 😗

[@SB-tg6mn]

looks like a ford escape that was lowered.

[@DJTEVAdotCOM]

i heard the 47 MPG claimed by FORD is way off more like in the 40s top

[@toyota420xp]

Could we say every ford interior is the same

[@MrFeddup2]

I guess you could!

[@ivlark1]

Huh

[@maryalejo4275]

I won't lift g

[@DJTEVAdotCOM]

They are even getting sue for these false MPG claims

[@wholeNwon]

Who is Sue?

[@yeelee4619]

How do you review a 2016 car in 2013 lol

[@codypowell6088]

Have you heard of a mirror.

[@YesIagreeBut]

LOL Just a miniature Ford Escape.

[@liviuholca6136]

The gas use it's not the issue, it's the idiotic design of the dashboard, no arms rest, a useless "sync" feature, worthless radio, too small knobs, and mostly : once in a while will simply shut down then can't close doors and can't open the trunk door ! Dealer does not know why. Then there is a continuous annoying buzzing sound, then the recalls, then the ... etc, etc.

[@weirdshibainu]

good car ,horrible name...sounds like a brand of tampax

[@skywu5839]

ford make this c max are garbage, corrosion and coolant leak found on my cmax dealership answer was it's normal and corrosion not cover under 3/36 eithe. owning a ford vehicle it was on the circles, they won't fixed the issued you have under 3/36 ford dealership services are suck, I were been different dealership to perform alignments on my 2015 c max energi, but there was no technician can fixed the steering issued on my c max energi

[@meztesh1997]

where is Ford's reply?

[@NadrianATRS]

Prius is still cheaper

[@MSNet1]

Why are Hybrid so ugly...

[@vantheman3857]

Anybody get a flat tire and try to put the spare on. LOL there's no spare tire. Total joke. Needs to come at least with a handgun so you or any family members don't get murdered.