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"If small, affordable hybrid sedans were ordained to cook up commutes the same way toasters warm bread no one told Ford. The new boogey, and if the C-MAX trailed the iconic Toyota in fuel economy there wouldn&amp;#039;t be anything new about it, but the Ford also pips the Prius at the pump. Pointing to their nearly 500 hybrid powertrain patents Ford says it&amp;#039;s many detail improvements that boost the C-MAX&amp;#039;s efficiency so there&amp;#039;s no big breakthrough here, but rather sweating details every step of the way.        2013 Ford C-MAX Hybrid    From the driver&amp;#039;s seat it&amp;#039;s easy to forget the C-MAX&amp;#039;s hybrid status. Yes, there&amp;#039;s a healthy hit of electrically-assisted torque off the line, and with the throttle on the mat the 2.0-liter and CVT transmission combination quickly hits a high note and stays there, but mainly the C-MAX simply goes. The C-MAX can hit 62 mph on electric power alone, a propulsion refined and powerful enough to mask the gas engine&amp;#039;s coming and goings which are far in the background\u2014almost impossible to detect\u2014in normal driving. In fact, our C-MAX tester&amp;#039;s most noticeable &amp;quot;hybrid&amp;quot; quality was a sticky brake pedal; something very difficult to get right when balancing friction and regenerative motor braking, and likely to be largely tuned-out by the time production models hit the showrooms.        2013 Ford C-MAX Hybrid    Best bet to recalling the C-MAX Hybrid&amp;#039;s roots is the leaf-growing graphics on the instrument cluster&amp;#039;s economy meter. This snappy backlit display first seen in the Fusion and Escape hybrids is now augmented by a Brake Coach display for teach optimum use of regenerative braking. Another reminder would be the infrequency of gas station visits as Ford says the 13.5-gal. fuel tank provides a 570 mile range.        2013 Ford C-MAX Hybrid    Aside from a refined mating of gas and electric power, the big reason the C-MAX comes across as a &amp;quot;real&amp;quot; car is because it is one. Interior room is generous in all dimensions for front seaters and definitely adult-adequate in the second row for the usual short four-up missions. Likewise the rear 60/40 seats flip and fold with one touch, providing a flat loading floor with voluminous 52.6 cu. ft. of cargo room. In fact, likely because of the large interior room Ford labels the C-MAX a utility vehicle even though it&amp;#039;s front wheel drive only and rides on a Focus/Escape floorpan with a taller-than-a-Focus sedan body. Comfort and convenience features abound, including Ford&amp;#039;s nifty hands-free liftgate\u2014just swing a leg under the rear bumper and the rear hatch motors up or down.        2013 Ford C-MAX Hybrid    Materials and design are a pleasant surprise, and the feature content is excellent in both the well-equipped SE and full-boat SEL trims. The SE experience is a cut above average; for sure you sit in a manual seat and it starts with a conventional key, but the electronic options are comprehensive and there&amp;#039;s still access to the stand-alone, non-opening panoramic sunroof option. Opting for SEL trim means pushbutton starting, power seats, heated seats, dual-zone climate control; what we&amp;#039;d call near-luxury just a few years ago.   Look for the C-MAX in showrooms in early fall with the plug-in C-MAX Energi version perhaps a month later. Pricing starts at $25,995, which is simultaneously cut-throat competitive in the hybrid market and reflective of the initial financial bite required to purchase parallel powertrains. "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.roadandtrack.com/new-cars/first-drives/reviews/a18383/2013-ford-c-max-hybrid/>