2016 Ford C-Max Hybrid SE Review - Hugely Efficient And Surprisingly Fun In The Real World

Over the course of one week driving the 2016 Ford C-Max Hybrid SE, the Ford's onboard computer declared that 107 of the 211 kilometres we drove, 51 percent, were completed on electric power alone.

THE GOOD + Very efficient + Quiet in every way + Serene ride quality + Fun handling

THE BAD – Cabin design – Cargo area cramped – Not the prettiest car – A non-foldable key?

As a result, the C-Max consumed only 5.1 litres of fuel for every 100 kilometres of mostly urban driving, equal to 46 miles per gallon on the U.S. scale.

That might surprise the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 

Ford originally – and incorrectly – linked the C-Max's fuel economy to that of the more aerodynamic Ford Fusion Hybrid. 

Afterward, the C-Max's fuel economy ratings took a big hit, plunging from 47 miles per gallon to 40 mpg. 

Yet three years after our test of a 2013 Ford C-Max Hybrid SEL ended in a week-long result of 47 mpg, or 5.0 L/100km, we easily matched those figures in another C-Max in May 2016. 

Almost. 

10.77 litres of $1.00/L gasoline for 211 kilometres of driving in a family hatchback sure ain't bad. Rather than the 5.0 L/100km achievement we saw three years ago, this year's test in the less handsomely equipped C-Max Hybrid SE resulted in one-tenth of a litre of additional fuel for every 100 kilometres of travel. The fuel pumps at our local Irving filling station agreed with the C-Max's onboard computer: 5.09 L/100km. 

2016 FORD C-MAX HYBRID SE Base Price: $27,699 * As-Tested Price: $28,824 * Colour: Kona Blue Metallic Drive Type: front-wheel-drive Transmission: continuously variable Engine: 2.0L DOHC 16-valve turbocharged I-4 Horsepower: 141 @ 6000 rpm Torque: 129 lb-ft @ 4000 rpm Battery: 1.4 kWh Li-ion Battery Power: 35 kw Combined Horsepower: 188 Curb Weight: 3640 pounds Length: 173.6 inches Width: 72.0 inches Height: 63.9 inches Wheelbase: 104.3 inches Tires: Michelin Energy Saver A/S Tire Size: 225/50R17 Passenger Volume: 2823 litres Cargo Volume: 694 litres Max. Cargo Volume: 1490 litres EPA City: 42 MPG EPA Highway: 37 MPG NRCAN OEE City: 5.6 L/100km NRCAN OEE Hwy: 6.4 L/100km Observed: 46.1 mpg Observed: 5.1 L/100km * Canadian dollars, includes $1700 in fees.

The numbers are impressive given our unwillingness to drive the C-Max differently than we would other cars. Because of its supple ride and communicative chassis, the C-Max doesn't ask to be driven in an environmentally-friendly fashion. 

Indeed, even with eco-minded tires and Ford Focus-based underpinnings that lack any Focus ST or Focus RS stiffening, the C-Max would rather be driven quickly down a twisty rural road than hypermiled through city traffic. 

Still, here we are with two consecutive tests in which the Ford C-Max Hybrid overperformed.

Driving styles, of course, aren't the only factors to consider. This test of the C-Max required very little HVAC operation because of not-too-warm/not-too-cold spring temperatures along the Atlantic coast of Nova Scotia. And while our driving does take place in the suburbs and city, there is very little traffic and a fair number of 60 kmh cruises, sans stoppages. 

Thus, like the EPA and Natural Resources Canada's Office Of Energy Efficiency, we're not telling GCBC readers that you will match the figures we've seen from the Ford C-Max Hybrid. But we also won't deny that the efficient behaviour of our 2013 Ford C-Max Hybrid was matched by a 2016 Ford C-Max Hybrid. 

Speaking of things we won't deny, there's no escaping the fact that the Ford C-Max arrived in late 2012, and it must now compete with an all-new, fourth-generation Toyota Prius. 

The new Prius has combined fuel economy ratings of 4.5 L/100km, or 52 mpg from the EPA. (There's very little difference in a typical driver's at-the-pump money costs once cars become this efficient.) But in addition to the new Prius's efficiency gains, the Toyota remains the obvious choice. Like Kleenex and tissue, Band-Aids and bandages, the Prius is hybrid. 

All Photo Credits: Timothy Cain ©www.GoodCarBadCar.net
Click Images For A Larger View

And now, the Prius is a more modern device. We'll have a full review on the new 2016 Toyota Prius in the next couple weeks, but there's no doubt the C-Max SE's superior dynamic qualities aren't able to completely overcome an interior lacking more modern Fords' control layout or feature count. 

Not only was this $28,824 2016 Ford C-Max SE lacking keyless access, the key was a bulky item that didn't fold up to better fit inside a pocket. Moreover, the buttons for remote starting were on another fob altogether. 

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These would have been odd complaints a decade ago; they'd have suggested inordinately lofty expectations at the C-Max's 2012 debut. But now we're mid-way through 2016, and the game has moved on.

The C-Max also lacks the spacious cargo area you'd expect from one of Europe's mini-MPVs, because the hybrid's lithium-ion battery pack elevates the height of the cargo floor. 

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Historical Monthly & Yearly Ford C-Max Sales Figures
2016 Toyota Highlander Hybrid Driven Review

2014 Honda Accord Hybrid Driven Review

2015 Volkswagen Golf TDI Sportwagon Driven Review

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Nevertheless, with manual transmissions disappearing and ride heights rising and autonomy becoming a part of everyday cars, it's a pleasant surprise to have fun in an efficient small car. It's something with which owners of Volkswagen Golf TDIs are familiar. Driven like it's capable of being driven, the Volkswagen Golf TDI doesn't suffer on the economy front. 

Neither, apparently, does the 2016 Ford C-Max. But this is an efficient car that you can actually buy.

Timothy Cain is the founder of GoodCarBadCar.net, which obsesses over the free and frequent publication of U.S. and Canadian auto sales figures. Follow on Twitter @goodcarbadcar and on Facebook. The C-Max was supplied by Ford Canada's press office.

Review: 2015 Ford F-150 Platinum EcoBoost SuperCrew 4x4 - A Truck's Truck

Maybe I'm older than I think, but it doesn't seem that long ago that hopping into the new pickup truck owned by a neighbour or uncle went hand in hand with hoping they'd optioned it up with air conditioning.

The pickup truck market went through two major transformations in the 1990s, however. First, the 1994 Dodge Ram brought intentional style to the pickup truck arena. Year-over-year, sales of the Ram tripled in 1994. 

A few years later, the tenth-generation F-Series modernized the Ford F-150 lineup for the first time in nearly two decades, and in 2000, Ford began the process of bringing crew cab mentality to the mainstream truck market. As Ford furthered that idea with a new F-150 for 2004, the year before Hurricane Katrina spiked fuel prices, total U.S. F-Series sales rose to 940,000, a total seen neither before nor since.

THE GOOD • Mighty, mighty powerplant • Handsome exterior • Expansive interior • Enough equipment to keep you busy • Huge towing/payload capability

THE BAD • EcoBoost? Try BoostEco • Jittery FX4/20-nch wheels ride quality • Stuck with MyFord Touch for now • Lighter body, but still feels ponderous • Trucks aren't pricey; trucks can be pricey

The pickup truck market isn't in a revolutionary phase at the moment, but trucks are changing more rapidly, and the market's tastes are evolving rather swiftly, as well. FCA's Ram brand brought diesel back into the light-duty market. GM's two-pronged full-size approach is producing class-leading market share in the United States, and GM has also restored interest in the small/midsize pickup truck segment. At Ford, aluminum bodies were a key part of the F-150's transformation for model year 2015.

And while luxury marques were pushed out of the truck market – there's no more Lincoln Blackwood or Mark LT; no Cadillac Escalade EXT – premium pickup trucks form an increasingly large portion of the truck market. TrueCar said one-quarter of all F-150s sold in the United States last year cost more than $50,000.

North of the border, prices reach into the upper echelons of luxury. The 2015 Ford F-150 Platinum EcoBoost SuperCrew 4x4 we tested last week is not the most expensive F-150 Ford Canada sells. But the window sticker still reads $77,349. 

WHAT IS IT?
Ford's F-Series range of pickup trucks, led by the light-duty F-150, are the best-selling vehicles in North America. Rarely does a moment pass when you can't spot a handful of F-150s at once. Six out of every 100 new vehicles sold in Canada is a Ford pickup truck; four out of every 100 in the United States.

They're not all $77,349 Platinum grade pickups. 

All Photo Credits: Steffani Cain ©www.GoodCarBadCar.net
Click Any Image For A Larger View - Photo Shot in Hartlen Point, Nova Scotia 

In Canada, official unincentivized F-150 pricing starts at $27,099, or $35,199 with four-wheel-drive. In popular XLT trim, a four-wheel-drive SuperCab (using a rear-hinged rear door, not a conventional door like competitors at Ram, GMC, Chevrolet, and Toyota) starts at $43,399. The XLT SuperCrew – four full-size doors – comes standard with a 5.0L V8, and with the 5.5-foot bed, costs $47,149. 

2015 FORD F-150 SUPERCREW 4X4 PLATINUM ECOBOOST Base Price: $68,799 * As-Tested Price: $77,349 * Drive Type: four-wheel-drive Transmission: 6-speed automatic Engine: 3.5L DOHC 24-valve twin-turbocharged V6 Horsepower: 365 @ 5000 rpm Torque: 420 lb-ft @ 2500 rpm Curb Weight: 4890 pounds Length: 231.9 inches Width: 79.9 inches Height: 76.9 inches Wheelbase: 145.0 inches Tires: Hancook Dynapro AT-m Tire Size: 275/55R20 Passenger Volume: 3732 litres Cargo Volume: 1495 litres EPA City: 17 MPG EPA Highway: 23 MPG NRCAN OEE City: 14.2 L/100km NRCAN OEE Hwy: 10.4 L/100km Observed: 17.8 mpg Observed: 13.2 L/100km * Canadian dollars, includes $1800 in fees.

Our tester wasn't an XL, XLT, Lariat, or King Ranch. This is the Platinum, only sold in SuperCrew 4x4 form with the 5.5-foot bed and four-wheel-drive. Standard with the 5.0L V8, the 3.5L twin-turbocharged EcoBoost V6 adds $900. Our truck also added $400 red paint, a $1,750 twin panel moonroof, $1,500 adaptive cruise control, the $750 FX4 off-road package, a $1,250 technology package (Lane Keep Assist and extra exterior cameras), Ford's $550 Active Park Assist, and $1,350 worth of floor mats, bed side steps, bed extenders, and spray-in bed liner. Options total on a $68,799 F-150 Platinum? $8,550.

HOW BIG IS IT?
An F-150 SuperCrew with the 5.5-foot bed isn't the biggest F-150. In fact, the SuperCrew with this smaller bed is the same length as the F-150 SuperCab with the longer 6.5-foot bed. Indeed, the longest F-150 is the SuperCab with the 8-foot bed, unavailable on the SuperCrew, a truck that rides on a 163.7-inch wheelbase and stretches 250.5 inches from nose to tail. 

Relative to its rivals, the F-150 SuperCrew with the shortest bed, at 231.9 inches long, is 1.9 inches longer than a similarly outfitted Chevrolet Silverado and 2.9 inches longer than a Ram 1500. With 79.9 inches of width, excluding the mirrors, the F-150's body is one-tenth of an inch narrower than the Silverado and half an inch wider than the Ram. Height and ground clearance depend greatly on configuration. The last Ram 1500 Crew Cab we tested was a 2014 EcoDiesel weighing in at 5,802 pounds. Our 2014 GMC Sierra Crew Cab 5.3L SLT tester tipped the scales at 5,341 pounds. Ford says this F-150, at 4,890 pounds, is 912 and 451 pounds lighter than those two trucks, respectively. 

The Toyota Camry, North America's best-selling car, is 41 inches shorter, 8.2 inches narrower, and 1,410 pounds lighter in V6 XSE trim.

DOES IT WORK?
Start outside. We typically have very little to say on the subject, since we figure can study the pictures yourself and because style is subjective. But the F-150 is very handsome, very authoritative, and very obviously a Ford. The massive "Platinum" plate across the tailgate is, sadly, both garish and chintzy. The proletarian FX4 badge seems tawdry on such a highfalutin truck. But for the most part, in a world of fairly attractive pickups, the F-150 stands out without sticking out like a sore thumb.

Inside, the 2015 F-150 is still let down by an infotainment unit that wasn't impressive three years ago. MyFord Touch works – there are no system freezes – and it's not really all that complicated. But it's slow and fiddly. (Newer F-150s will operate with SYNC 3.) Tech aside, the F-150 interior is, for the most part, a wonderful place to spend time. The sensation of space is as strong as you'd expect, perhaps stronger. The truck is well built, and there are unique touches like the door pulls, a nifty sliding panel ahead of the shifter, and plentiful ambient lighting to keep things interesting. Visibility isn't best-in-class, however, and the seats in this Platinum tester were deemed by everyone who tried them to be too firm with seams too prominent.

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Historical Monthly & Yearly Ford F-Series Sales Figures
2015 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel Outdoorsman 4x4 Quad Cab Driven Review
2015 GMC Sierra 6.2L SLT Crew Cab 4x4 Driven Review
2015 Ford Mustang V6 Driven Review

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On the move, the F-150's 3.5L twin-turbo V6's 365 horsepower and 420 lb-ft of torque are made known just off idle. Not only is the F-150 3.5L EcoBoost far from slow, it's verifiably quick, with nought-to-highway-speed times well below six seconds. The 6-speed automatic isn't the wonder that Ram's 8-speed is, but it's never caught flubbing shifts; never drawing negative attention to itself. 

The jittery ride is attention-grabbing, unfortunately, though it may be exacerbated in this truck by 20-inch wheels and the FX4's off-road-tuned shock absorbers. Never does the F-150 let you forget that you're in a truck, as opposed to the magic carpet ride one encounters in an upmarket Ram 1500 with air suspension. 

The F-150 doesn't steer as quickly or with as much precision as the Ram, either, and the delightfully progressive brake modulation enjoyed in a GMC Sierra/Chevrolet Silverado is missing in the F-150. Cornering too quickly in the Ram or GM twins? You'll be alright, as they'll instill you with a measure of unexpected confidence. In the F-150, you'll back off. The F-150 is the lightest truck of the bunch, but it feels like the more ponderous in most situations.

IS ANYONE BUYING IT?
Sometimes it seems like everyone is buying it. But F-Series sales aren't as strong this year as last. Blame can be laid, in part, at the feet of supply. As Ford transitioned from one generation to the next, it was difficult for consumers to find the exact F-150 they wanted. As a result, the F-Series' Canadian market share in the overall truck category is down to 34% in 2015 from 38% in 2014. The F-Series is Canada's top-selling truck and top-selling vehicle vehicle, but sales are down 5% this year. 

In the United States, F-Series sales are up 1.5% in 2015, but for the first time since 2009, GM's full-size twins will combine to outsell the F-Series, which isn't expanding its volume nearly as fast as the overall truck category.

SHOULD I BUY SOMETHING ELSE INSTEAD?
If there was only one reason to look elsewhere, it would likely be price. Because supply is still relatively constrained compared to demand, Ford isn't incentivizing F-150 purchases and leases to the degree that General Motors and Ram are. This was a topic we discussed in our review of the Ram 1500 EcoDiesel last week. Although you may think the optional diesel upgrade is too expensive, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles' steep discounts make the Ram 1500 EcoDiesel a very interesting value proposition.

The prices we quoted above, even for this specific truck, are not the out-the-door prices an actual customer will pay for the F-150. But if you're not tied to the Blue Oval, it's worth considering trucks that may cost less than the F-150, particularly since the Ram excels in ride/handling terms and the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra offer such a quiet interior.

HOW MUCH SHOULD I PAY?
If you're considering a luxury pickup truck, I'm not going to stop you. Not only is this Ford equipped like a true luxury vehicle – heated steering wheel, full-length moonroof, cooled seats, abundant safety kit, 360-degree cameras, power retractable running boards – but it also proves that space is luxury. Spread three across in the back, your kids' shoulders won't even be close to touching, and they won't be able to stretch their legs far enough to reach your seatback. 

But it's a lot of money for a truck that is, in essence, very much the same as an F-150 SuperCrew 4x4 with the shockingly quick 2.7L EcoBoost V6 and Ford Canada's popular 302A package: powered and heated seats, remote start, power-sliding rear window, backup camera, reverse sensing. That truck currently lists for less than $50,000. Pretentiousness and fripperies account for much of the $27,000 difference.

WHAT'S THE VERDICT?
Put to work the way many modern pickup trucks are – as a family car and commuter – a 2015 Ford F-150 on 20-inch wheels with the FX4 off-road package simply isn't as effective an on-road companion as a Ram 1500 with air suspension. EcoBoost power is, at best, more like BoostEco. And in a nearly $80,000 pickup truck in 2015, making MyFord Touch/SYNC a part of your daily journey feels a little like paying extra for an iPhone 3GS in a world that's already welcomed multiple generations of newer iPhones. 

As a true work pickup truck, however, even in Platinum trim, the 2015 Ford F-150 EcoBoost excels. Abundant power and torque and a strong structure create payload and towing capacity that shame the Ram 1500 EcoDiesel we reviewed last week. Sure, the Ram consumes less fuel and drives nicer when not working, but it can't work as hard. F-150 SuperCrew 4x4 EcoBoosts are rated to tow up to 11,400 pounds with payload capacity of up to 2,650 pounds. Together, those are unbeatable figures in the light-duty segment, figures which crush the Ram and are challenged only by GM's 6.2L V8, which narrowly bests the F-150 in terms of towing but doesn't come close in payload capacity.

If you need your truck to be a car, the F-150 is not quite as good as the Ram, Silverado, and Sierra. If, on the other hand, you need your pickup truck to be a pickup truck, while replicating some car-like characteristics, the 2015 F-150 is the truckiest truck. 

Timothy Cain is the founder of GoodCarBadCar.net, which obsesses over the free and frequent publication of U.S. and Canadian auto sales figures. Follow on Twitter @goodcarbadcar and on Facebook. The F-150 was supplied by Ford Canada's press office.

FORD TAURUS SEL AWD - DRIVEN

"It takes a long time to turn a big country around. Just be of good cheer and keep working on it," the 42nd President of the United States once said. If Bill Clinton were comforting me these last few days instead of the whole of America, he'd have used the word "car" instead of "country". Because my fellow Ameri... er, auto enthusiasts, living with the new Ford Taurus is an adventure inherently related to the size of this car, first and foremost.

GoodCarBadCar.net has already gone over the Taurus's dimensions in detail. Not only is the Ford larger than its direct rivals, its specs also prove plenty of large vehicles are smaller than the Taurus in one direction or another. Thankfully the Ford isn't a monster on the outside with little fruit to show for it in the cabin. Rear seat space isn't special, but there's plentiful knee-room to be found for big people way back there. Ford clearly devoted more attention to the trunk where the Taurus's measurements make its cargo carrying capability better than almost any other sedan on the market.

Analyzing The Taurus's Dimensions

Opting for the Taurus in SEL trim won't net owners a luxury car by modern standards, but surely the Taurus more than meets your needs. Leather seating surfaces, abundant power features, a thumpin' sound system, heated seats, SYNC, dual-zone climate control, obligatory rear parking sensors, and a steering wheel built for reach and rake make for pleasant accomodations. However comfortable the seats initially seem, side bolstering is all but nonexistent; a problem in a car with surprisingly little body roll in corners. Hold me in, please.

Stereo and climate controls are designed with gloved hands in mind - finding a satellite radio station playing something other than Miley's "Party In The USA" won't be hard on cold snowy mornings like today. It's nice to place the steering wheel (and the adjustable pedals) exactly where I want everything, but Ford's designers were sniffing some seriously high octane junk on Steering Wheel Shape Day. Perfectly thick on the sides. Thinning in an acceptable way on the bottom. But wait, what's this: the top third of the wheel is spindly, thin enough to remind me of very old Buick Centurys. Yuk. As a nod to senior citizens, this steering wheel earns a wag of the finger from The Good Car Guy.

Checking Out the Ford Taurus & Its Most Direct Rivals

Upon exiting Fairley & Stevens' lot in Burnside with some verve, my first thought was slight disappointment with the ponies. 263 horsepower just ain't what it used to be, at least not when hooked up to 4,224 pounds of Ford four-door. Car & Driver tested the Taurus with this 3.5L V6 and published a 0-60mph time of 7.0 seconds. While 263-bhp may provide lesser acceleration than we're accustomed to as a result of the Taurus's portliness, the non-turbo 3.5L provides enough thrust for aggressive driving.

No less important than the satisfying V6 is the chassis' competence on twisty roads. Indeed, even this non-SHO Taurus copes admirably when chucked into tight, slow-speed corners. The Nurburgring may reveal a car's tendencies in high-speed situations on wide open sweepers and bumpy switchbacks, but if a big car can't cope with twisties in low-speed situations, if its discomfort is manifested, then the car's overall ability to grip and handle might as well be forgotten.

So I took the Taurus to Shore Drive in Bedford, Nova Scotia, and kept the speedometer in an appropriate range for a residential community. On a grimy November day, the Ford revealed just two faults on this tough test. Brief but steep inclines resulted in a complete lack of visibility because the Taurus has a very un-Honda, very Mustangesque cowl height. Only the falling leaves at the tops of trees were noticeable to me. Looking through the rear window is more difficult than peering past the pillars in the cheap seats at the old Montreal Forum.

Early Impressions Of The 2010 Taurus

Ford Taurus - 3 To Beat

Worse than lack of a greenhouse is the absence of fun. Yes, I was driving slow. Yet even more typical car-testing drives later in the week neutralized the Taurus's spunky V6 and flat cornering. Does the Taurus shrink when pushed hard? A little bit, luckily. Pushing the Ford Taurus hard is not far from driving in absentia. You won't feel a thing either way. This Taurus does handle nicely, remaining level without excessive understeer; but it does so without any interaction. There's just no way this is a car to drive but rather a great car to be driven in.

Indeed, a terrific car in which to be driven. Bumps, holes, yumps, dips, hardened slush, and uneven surfaces are dismissed with nary a second thought. If your goal is to be isolated from the great outdoors and from anything underneath four wheels, this has got to be one of the best cars for such a purpose. One gets the feeling that the Ford Taurus is, in a voice imperceptible to humans, quietly whispering to the wind and the road, "Silencio". Yes, roads these days speak Spanish and wind is now multi-lingual. Quite seriously, a Ford Taurus, kitted out as an SEL and equipped with all-wheel drive, feels like an utterly safe and predictable way to transport thyself from A to B. You won't remember anything in between and there's no reason to take the scenic route except for the landscape, but the Taurus keeps the world at bay.

GoodCarBadCar.net's Ford Taurus SEL Photo Gallery

Preconceived Notions From An Anti-Taurus Generation

In Canada, Ford's Taurus SEL runs up against the $35K barrier with all-wheel drive. A base Taurus can be had for $1.00 less than $30,000. Opting for the Taurus Limited, surely a car Ford will build in numbers as great as can be sold, starts just over $40,000 although the one in Fairley & Stevens' showroom was optioned up to $48+, the price of an SHO. South of the border in Ford's homeland the Taurus starts at $25,170 and rises $12,000 to the SHO. While in Canada the Limited is fitted with all-wheel drive as standard equipment, customers in the U.S. see all-wheel drive as an option. SHOs are all built with all-wheel drive, in addition to being the exclusive Taurus home of the EcoBoost 365-bhp twin-turbocharged V6.

Obviously the Fusion has taken the place of the Taurus as Ford's Camry/Accord competitor. Certainly the Fusion offers more of a driving experience than the Taurus, but the appeal of the bigger Ford is hard to ignore. Coping - yes, coping - with the Ford Taurus's bumper-to-bumper, mirror-to-mirror amplitude will be the biggest reason I can think of for anyone rejecting the Taurus after first being impressed. Apart from that, a joke of a steering wheel and some hard plastics on the centre tunnel shouldn't be enough for dismissing the Taurus as a viable family car.

The 2010 Taurus is too big to be heartily recommended but too good-looking and comfortable to be denounced. Regardless of its bulk, the Taurus shoots ahead of many a midsize sedan and most full-size sedans as a sedan of choice for North Americans with large garages.