Ford C-Max -- A Prius Alternative

The Toyota Prius has been successful partly because it offers something better--and is now an iconic presence on the road. Even people who don't own one or have even been in one know that a Prius is a hybrid that gets great mileage and is environmentally friendly.

Well, who says the Prius has to have all the attention? Ford has offered numerous hybrid alternatives, most notably the compact Fusion sedan and Escape SUV, but those cars look almost exactly like the gas-only versions and can't match the Prius' posted 50 mpg.

Ford has decided to build the Europe-designed C-Max in Wayne, Michigan. The C-Max is a compact but tall four-door hatchback, and will sell only as a hybrid in the U.S. And it not only looks like a member of the new Ford family--it stands apart as a hybrid only. Now the marketing people can take over and create a recognizable brand.

It's a very nice vehicle, as I discovered with a week of driving one. My Blue Candy Metallic Tint Clearcoat SEL model had the feel of a new car but also the familiarity of what a hybrid is supposed to be. The side window line was pretty close to a Prius, I have to admit, but the nose has the new Aston Martin" grille appearance--although it sits low on the prominent plastic bumper, close to the road. 

The real point of a hybrid, of course, is to get high fuel economy and drive clean while you're doing it. There may be a bit of "hey, look at me, I'm driving a hybrid," too, and Ford's high-tech screen actually thanks you for driving a hybrid!

Like a good hybrid should, the C-Max mates a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine and an electric motor to make your fuel fill-ups take you further. The Prius has made a point of showing you a screen of wheels turning and where the energy is coming from and where it's going. The C-Max doesn't, but has a coach to guide in in driving intelligently. It shows you how much power is in the battery and displays when you're charging it by regenerating power while braking. It even tells you the percentage of energy you regenerated. One screen on the highly-configurable MyFordTouch instrument panel lets you grow leaves with your good driving behavior.

The airy cabin is welcome--and a buyer expectation from dedicated hybrids. The windshield goes way forward and there are little triangular panes in the substantial pillars. The various angles and surfaces in Ford of today are always moving your eyes around the cabin, so you don't get bored. The tall ceiling also lends a sense of connection with the outside, but you won't hear much from there. And, when the car's using the electric motor only, it's blissful silence.

Ford's SYNC system is a fascinating look at the future (and some might even say the present) of automotive technology. The problem is, it's frustrating to use. I spent substantial time testing the voice commands for the audio system, navigation system and climate control. I asked for an artist and sometimes got the wrong person. I set up a destination via voice and the car actually took me to the wrong address.

But when it worked, it was satisfying, and even when the system let me down, I kept going back for more. It discovered that it works a lot like software, in that you need to move from one screen to another, systematically. It would be great if the system understood a sentence and didn't need to be fed a series of commands, such as "Audio > USB > Sirius > artist > song." Ford has taken a hit for confusing and confounding its buyers, but this is exciting--even if it feels like we drivers are working as Ford's beta testers.

The car is listed by the EPA as averaging 47 miles per gallon (and the same for City and Highway ratings). Sadly, with my long stop-and-go commutes and in-town driving, I averaged just 37.9 mpg over my test week. That's actually great--and better than virtually any other car I've driven, but the Prius does better and the sticker said 47.

Perhaps it makes more sense to compare the C-Max to the new Prius V, which is more wagon-shaped. My test of a 2012 Prius V recently came up with 38.8 mpg--pretty much a wash.

The Prius has never been been renowned for it's sporty driving experience despite its undeniable competence at everything else. That may be the Ford's biggest selling point. The car handles tautly, and feels more alive on the road. Of course, you're up high, so it's not like a sports car, but the steering is more direct than the Toyota and the engine feels responsive.

At this point, C-Max models include the SE and the SEL, but a plug-in hybrid model is coming soon. Like the Prius Plug-In, it offers fuel-free motoring for a limited distance and you can charge it with a plug and cord to make that happen. For folks not intending on traveling major distances routinely, it could offer the advantages of an all-electric car with the freedom to add fuel and take off for wherever you want.

Prices for a C-Max SE start at $25,200. The SEL, with additional content, starts at $28,200. My car had a $3,080 optional equipment group that included Premium Audio and Navigation, a power liftgate, keyless entry, the high-tech parking technology package, and the charming and aggravating hands-free technology package. Like a Prius, the price range starts out fairly reasonable and moves into entry luxury territory in a hurry.

The C-Max is a new entry in the American car market, and seems to have the right ingredients. Perhaps passing on the SYNC voice interaction would be a good plan, but for hauling your family and gear--with some driving satisfaction--it seems poised for success.

Engines of Change - The 15 Most Important Cars

Paul Ingrassia wanted to write about the 10 most important cars in American history. He ended up with 15--which is good because we get five more great stories. Ingrassia, who in 1993 shared the Pulitzer Prize with Joseph B. White for his work on management crises at General Motors, is more than qualified to write this new book. He was the Detroit bureau chief for the Wall Street Journal. Yeah, he knows his stuff.

Ingrassia's new book, Engines of Change -- A History of the American Dream in Fifteen Cars, is next on my reading list, since I was lucky to get an autographed copy last night when he addressed the Western Automotive Journalists in the San Francisco Bay Area. But much like a college student at the last minute, I will issue my report without reading the actual book, but based on Ingrassia's amusing and insightful talk.

The 1908 Ford Model T is an obvious place to start. It changed the lives of  millions of people with inexpensive mobility and the $5-a-day jobs it created.

The 1927 LaSalle introduced luxury and style to the ancestors of the Yuppies. Folks loved the Model T but it was basic transportation.

The 1953 Corvette -- of course it's included -- but it was almost cancelled after one year and may have been an automotive footnote if not for the Russian Zora Arkus-Duntov, its designer and champion.

How about those towering fins on the 1959 Cadillac? Still an icon of 1950s excess.

Volkswagen Beetle and Microbus? Of course--the antithesis of the Cadillac. Back to basics. Sold in the U.S. so Germany could raise cash to rebuild their economy.

How about the Chevrolet Corvair? Vilified by Ralph Nader, it was a game changer, and the legal precedents came into play in the mid 1990's McDonalds hot coffee case.

The Ford Mustang? Drop a sexy body onto the lowly Falcon's platform and bingo. Secretaries become sexpots. An American legend for nearly 50 years.

The Pontiac GTO helped bring in the short-lived but socially significant muscle car era. It's important for the songs alone--Ronnie and the Daytonas' hit song is still played regularly.

The 1970s were in many ways tough times in the U.S. We had oil crises, Watergate, Disco. The car industry suffered, but a hero (and still champion) was the modest Honda Accord. A small car, it's big today--both in size and sales volume, and was the first to start American production of Japanese cars--common today.

The Gremlin--no, it's not on the list, but Ingrassia thought about it.

The Chrysler minivans were just what baby boomers needed in the 1980's and they became a whole new market segment, replacing the station wagon. Boomers had many less than happy memories of those family haulers. Hello, soccer moms (a new classification).

The BMW 3 Series and its ancestor, the 2002, saved the company and it's still the go-to sports sedan. It epitomized the 1980's style of success--nothing like the "fancy" large cars the Yuppies' parents coveted. The 3 still wins in the buff magazines.

Jeep? It made its reputation in World War II but was moribund until Chrysler bought it and created the Cherokee--the perfect vehicle for offroad intenders. Then came the LL Bean catalogue, Patagonia, and the other outdoor lifestyle products and nobody looked back.

The Ford F-150  pickup outsells everything else year after year. What could be more American? It's country music on wheels--and represents many things, including a huge voting bloc in the Red States.

What car is most important today? The Toyota Prius. It is the "Kleenex" of hybrids--universally recognized, loved and despised, and hugely popular (now four versions available) -- and truly significant.

And there you have it. Did he leave out anything? Can't wait to read the book. Then, I'll think about writing a actual book review.

Prius C - The Cute Prius

Photo: Victor Llana (www.boundlesscaptures.com)

In case you haven't been paying attention, the Toyota Prius, the world's most successful hybrid, is now a family of FOUR models. Not only is there the "regular" Prius, now subtitled the Liftback, but there's the Prius V, a larger wagon style model and an electric plug-in version of the Liftback. It's the first Prius you can charge--and you can get up to 13 miles of completely fuel-free motoring out of it.

The new Prius C brings gas/electric power to the masses, slotting in below the Liftback. The engine is smaller, but the principle is the same--a gas engine part of the time supplemented by an electric motor for maximum fuel economy. As with other Prii, you find yourself using gas on the freeway, but often running on battery power alone on surface streets. The car shuts off at traffic lights.

This means an average of 50 miles per gallon per the EPA--53 in town and 46 on the highway. In reality, I achieved 47.3 mpg--still about as good as it gets short of a pure electric. You can get a wealth of information about your fuel economy in charts, graphs, and lists of information on the numerous screens on the dash. Just push buttons on the steering wheel and it's all before you. There's the same flow diagram as on other Prii, but reduced in scale, that shows you where the energy to run the car is coming from--and how the battery is being charged. You have to be careful not to lose your focus on the road ahead. As in other Prii, you can learn to drive more efficiently by paying attention to the numbers.

The thing is, despite its fuel-saving mission, this car is nice to live with on a day-to-day basis. Inside, the surfaces have the multiple textures that other Prii have. It used to be that all plastic in cars tried to replicate leather or pigskin. Now, it could be rice paper or a kind of wavy line pattern. It's light gray and charcoal here, with some fanciful rolling gridwork that makes the surfaces pulse organically. A blue trim line tones in with the blue plastic motif on the floor shift lever of the automatic--the same plastic insert as found on the big Prii.

The car is a good foot shorter than a Liftback--I know because I parked next to one--but it doesn't feel shortchanged inside. There is real rear seat room for a full-sized person back there, and adequate headroom, too.

The Prius C comes in four levels. Level one gets a surprisingly level of standard fare, including full climate control, a multi-information display, AM/FM/CD with Bluetooth, Level two throws in cruise control, split rear seats and a rear cargo cover. Level three adds a smart key--a real upscale feeling item--and upgrades the screen interface. My test car was a three--in Habanero--a friendly and comment-inducing orange. Want alloy wheels? That's level four--with artificial leather covered heated front seats.

Prices start at $19,710--including shipping. The top price, not including any options, is $23,990. So, it gives you lots of choices before you even touch the Liftback.

With 1.5 liters of engine putting out just 73 horsepower, and a combined horsepower rating of just 99 including the electric motor, performance is not exciting. With just me in the car, it was a competent hauler on streets and freeways--quiet and smooth. And with nearly 50 miles per gallon, it's cheap to run.

This is a cheerful, easy-to-like little car. The small dash screen greets you with a cute Prius C image zooming by and says goodbye when you turn it off. It should make the Prius an even stronger brand--and make it a purchase option for young, first-time buyers.

Toyota Prius V - Bigger, but Thirstier

The Prius V has arrived! It provides more cargo space and practicality than the standard Prius, and is the third member of what is becoming the Prius family of cars. Besides the Plug-in Prius, a fourth model will arrive this year, the Prius C (compact, or, perhaps "cheaper"). The C will not offer significantly greater fuel economy numbers, but will be 19 inches shorter than the standard Prius and will, most importantly, have a lower entry price, bringing hybrid ownership to first-time compact car buyers.

The Prius has never been a particularly small car, but in the interests of maximum efficiency, it tapers down at the back.This gives it a coefficient of drag (cd) of just.25--excellent. The new V is more of a crossover/wagon configuration, with a more straight-back roofline and full vertical tailgate, so it rates at .29 for its cd. That, along with a weight gain of 232 pounds using the same 134 horsepower gasoline/electric powertrain, drops the fuel economy numbers. While the familiar Prius hatchback averages 50 mpg, the Prius V gets just 42. I averaged 38.8 mpg over my test week, which included a lot of freeway driving. Incidentally, the 0-60 time drops from 9.8 seconds to 10.4 with the V.

Those fuel economy numbers bring up an interesting point. One big difference between hybrids and normal cars is that the City rating for hybrids is usually higher than the Highway figure (it's 44/40 for the Prius V). So, oddly, if I had spent more time in town my average might have been a bit closer to the EPA's 42 mpg.

Toyota has made the Prius V feel a little more like a crossover SUV inside by giving it a more symmetrical and solid-looking dash panel. My Prius-owning neighbor noticed that the center console is not attached to the dash, so it feels more spacious up front. Of course the wagon-like practicality behind adds cargo space. Cargo space jumps from 21.6 cubic feet to 34.3 with the V, and with the seats folded, it can be up to 67.3 cubic feet--that's generous for a car that can get 40 mpg.

The price is a bit scary. My tester, a top-of-the-line level 5 model, was $36,692--approaching entry luxury territory. The list for the level 5 starts at $30,750, including shipping, but mine had the Advanced Technology Package, which added many things, including $5,580 to the bottom line. Prices for the Prius V level 2 start at a more affordable $27,160.

Prii for everyone! Stay tuned.

Prius C - Baby of the Family

Toyota released photos of the Prius C yesterday. The car will be formally introduced at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit next month and will be available at dealerships in 2012. The question is, why didn't they think of this sooner?

The Prius, Toyota's hybrid vehicle, is the poster child for high efficiency driving. It's by far the largest selling hybrid and is almost the generic name for gas/electric vehicles--like "Kleenex" for tissues or "iPod" for MP3 player. Expanding the family makes good marketing sense, since the name is already familiar and associated with high efficiency motoring.

One way to give a car higher fuel efficiency is to make it smaller and lighter. That's why a car like the excellent Mazda2 can get superior mileage without the extra cost, complexity and weight of a hybrid. Remember -- a hybrid has to use a gas engine and an electric motor -- and all the technology that links them together, including extra-large batteries and the regenerative braking system.

All that being said, the Prius C (compact?) will be smaller and lighter than the standard Prius, which actually is much larger than you might think (check out the back seat and cargo capacity). Based on the subcompact Yaris platform, the Prius C should already be pretty efficient just by its size and weight. If the standard Prius can average 50 miles per gallon, could the new baby Prius get 60? If so, it would immediately carve itself a nice fat slice out of the high efficiency car market. Being smaller and lighter, it should be more affordable too, putting a Prius in even more garages across the U.S. and the world.

The Prius V, a bigger wagon model, just debuted. It's a lovely thing, but with its larger size and greater weight, its fuel economy numbers are lower than a standard Prius (44/40).

I eagerly await a test of the new Prius C and will report on it right here.

Which Car Should I Buy?

I was sitting with a friend of mine last night talking about the new cars she's considering buying to replace her 10-year-old Toyota Avalon. She's looking at midsized sedans, so she's already considered the Honda Accord, Toyota Camry, Volkswagen Passat, and a few others. I suggested she add a new Korean products - the Kia Optima -- (pictured) to her list, although she wasn't that impressed with it's cousin, the Hyundai Sonata. She's narrowing it down pretty well, having already weeded out several candidates.

Makes you wonder what people really want in a car and how they decide. Here are some things to consider:

Do you need to carry other people? How many?
Be sure you have enough seats so that everybody has a seatbelt. If you need a minivan, get one. They offer all the style, comfort and features of cars now. SUVs and crossovers (tall station wagons) do too, but they may be less fuel efficient, depending on model.

Do you need to haul a lot of stuff ? Any specific oversized objects?
For seriously heavy and dirty stuff, buy a pickup, but many SUVs can handle loads too. If your cargo is, say a large musical instrument, one of today's hatchbacks may surprisingly do the job. I've fit an upright bass in a MINI Cooper and the Honda CR-Z two-seater.

Do you ski or plan on going off road?
You can get all-wheel-drive (it works automatically) in many cars. I especially recommend Audis (luxury) and Subarus (more modestly priced). For serious rock climbing, the Jeep Wrangler is ideal, but for most of us, traction is what it's about. Don't buy a giant SUV if you can do fine with a four-wheel-drive sedan or wagon.

How much do you have to spend?
You can get a new car for 11 or 12 thousand dollars today, but you want to be sure you have what you need in it. Don't suffer with roll-up windows or a crummy stereo if you can afford it. Also, consider a two- or three-year-old low-mileage used car to save some cash. I've found that $18,000 seems to be the place where some nice features come included in a new car. The current crop of economy hatchbacks and sedans are well made, comfortable and plenty powerful out on the highway, including small cars like the all-new Hyundai Accent and Toyota Yaris.

How long do you plan to keep the car?
If you plan to trade in three years, you want to be sure that the resale value of your car remains as high as possible. That indicates sticking to cars that hold value, including most Toyotas and Hondas, for example. Do some research online to find out. Leasing can save you money and offer a lower initial payment in a three-year period. If you want to keep it a long time, buy the car--don't lease and then buy it. That will cost you more and take forever to pay off. If you plan to keep it a long time, be sure you really like the car and that it will accommodate any changes you may expect (babies?)

New or used?
With a new car, you are not inheriting anyone else's problems and you get that "new car smell." That could enhance your pride and pleasure of ownership, but it will usually mean spending more money. I suggest staying away from any used car over three or four years old or with unusually high mileage (25,000 miles a year). In California, certainly, a used car should look new at two or three years old with no snow or road salt to corrode it. Some cars depreciate so little (example: MINIs) that it's almost not worth buying one that's two years old.

Do you care where your car is made?
This can be tricky. Is it the brand that you're concerned about or the factory location? Toyotas are built in Kentucky and Fords are made in Mexico. The American-built Japanese and Korean brand cars seem to be of high quality and are using 80 percent or higher domestic parts now, so they are essentially American. You can check the label in the car, too. I suggest buying what you like, regardless of brand, but you have a choice, and today's American cars, such as the Chevy Malibu and Ford Fusion, are now very nice and reliable.

What features do you want?
Be sure you get those heated seats or satellite radio if you want them. The first time you use them you'll be glad you didn't skimp. But you don't need to have everything on the options list. Don't worry about the cold start package if you live in Los Angeles. You can still order a car exactly the way you want if you're willing to wait.

Manual or automatic transmission?
Most cars sold in the U.S. are automatics--we seem to like them better than the Europeans. Fuel economy is no longer an issue--some automatics are actually better, but they may cost more. If you're looking for a manual transmission you may be in for a long search (BMW and Mazda can help you, and some bottom-of-the-market vehicles still offer it--on the entry model).

How many miles do you drive typically in a day? Do you ever need to travel long distances?
This question is especially important if you're considering one of the new electric vehicles, such as the Nissan Leaf. If you drive 75 or fewer miles a day you may find the limited range of an electric car (for now) to be no problem. But if you finish your daily commute and then want to head from San Francisco to Los Angeles, your electric won't be able to do it yet. Regardless of powertrain, if you drive a lot be sure your car's seats have a wide range of adjustment and are absolutely comfortable from the start (and get a good audio system).

Is the highest possible fuel economy your goal? Do you want the lowest possible emissions?
The two-word answer to this question is either Toyota Prius (hybrid) or Nissan Leaf (electric--see above for a caveat). Because the Prius recharges its battery as you drive it, and can run part of the time in electric-only mode, it beats other types of hybrids, such as Honda's, which use the electric motor to supplement the gas engine, which is always running (except at stops). Priuses (Prii?) have top ratings in the EPA's Green Vehicle Guide. Of course, the Leaf uses zero gas, but the electricity it consumes is generated somewhere, and that could be a coal-powered plant. There's no free lunch.

There are more questions, but that's the heart of it. I always encourage people to be sure their new vehicle can do what they need it to do, but otherwise I recommend getting no more car than what they really need, for economical as well as environmental reason.

There's always the emotional side--you can't ignore it. It may very well motivate many, or even most purchases, but you can't let that be the sole determiner of what you drive home or you could end up with a Corvette in the driveways and three kids. I've actually experienced that and it's no fun (for the kids, certainly!).

Toyota Prius PHV Gives Long Electric Cruises

I'm one of the lucky journalists who gets to spend a week with Toyota's upcoming Prius PHV. PHV is a new acronym, which stands for plug-in hybrid vehicle. It's a compromise, like all hybrid cars, but it solves the problem of all-electric vehicles, such as the Nissan Leaf, which could strand you if you happen to run out of juice out on the road. Sadly, there's no AAA truck with a gallon of electricity who can come by.

The PHV looks and feels like a Prius, which is not sporty but is quite solid and dreamy quiet. However, rather than simply using electricity that it generates itself, the PHV has a great big lithium ion battery where the spare tire would normally live that can take a charge that will last you about 14 miles. If you live six miles from work, it's possible you could travel gas free.

My commute is 27 miles, but I was able to drive the first seven miles--all on city streets--completely on electricity. Also, the car would drive electrically for significant periods of time on the freeway under conditions that didn't require strong acceleration.

Electronic gauges at the front of the dash, under the windshield, let you monitor your fuel consumption and especially important, where the power for moving the car is coming from. You can see the motor working--or the engine--or both--or neither, if you're stopped at a light.

It was exciting to zoom along for nearly 15 minutes without using any fuel at all. But, the show came to an end and it was back to plain hybrid life--which isn't all that bad, really. After six days, I have averaged 54.8 miles per gallon--about 5 mpg better than a normal Prius. One of those gauges shows what percentage of the time the car was an "EV" or a hybrid, which tells the story. I got in about 8 percent as a pure electric. Someone else, with short jaunts every day, could make that 8 percent hybrid, 92 percent electric.

The plugging in to charge part was easy, but I had to remember to do it. I ran the heavy cord out of my garage and into the plug, which sits behind a door in the left front fender. The battery charges fully in just three hours on normal household 110 volt current.

Pricing is likely to be in the low to mid $30,000 range. The car's due out next spring, but folks are already signing up for their Prius PHV. Here--you can too.

More Posh than a Prius

The Lexus CT 200h offers a higher level of accommodations than its cousin, the Toyota Prius, and a different style, too.

Lexus' fifth hybrid, it boasts the best average fuel economy in the luxury hybrid industry--42 mpg. I averaged just over 40 mpg during my time with it, which ends today.

The Prius is a fine car, but the Lexus has luxury touches, from the aromatic leather on the seats to the stitched panels on the dash and doors. It feels well damped, thanks to an advanced independent suspension to filter out road irregularities. Styling is reminiscent of recent BMWs inside and out.

I was able to cruise on pure electricity on city streets at up to 35 miles per hour. It was almost like flying.

The rear seats fold flat, providing a nicely carpeted, flat cargo area.

Prices start at about $30,000 with shipping costs.

The Alpha and Omega of Car News

The world of cars is truly wide. In my emailbox today I learned of these two important and almost completely unrelated automotive events.

Today, Toyota announced that it has sold the millionth Prius in the United States. That is a lot of high-efficiency cars on the road--and the Prius is the poster child for all alternative vehicles that have come since it's introduction 11 years ago.

On the other extreme, there is a new plan to save the U.S. Economy. It's the 24 Hours of LeMons. This race series pits $500 beaters of all kinds against each other for unusual prizes--and mostly for fun. It has grown tremendously in the last few years. See this "instructional video" produced by the hilarious Jay Lamm, "Chief Perpetrator" of this popular and always hysterically funny event.

Caltranshonda - one of many wild and wonderful wrecks racing in the 24 Hours of LeMons