2013 Ford C-Max Energi Rated for Fuel Economy

Aside from the misspelling of "energy," the C-Max Energi looks to be a promising product from Ford. It is set at 108/92 city/highway miles per gallon equivalent when on electric power (it can travel to a projected range of 20 miles on electricity until the gasoline engine comes alive). Combined, that's 100 MPGe, which trumps the Prius Plug-In in terms of efficiency and electric range (95 MPGe combined running on electricity, and 11 miles of electric range, respectively). The Volt can drive much farther on electric power at 38 miles per gallon, but its combined MPGe rating of 98 MPGe on electric power still falls 2 MPGe short of the C-Max Energi's.

The gas mileage of the C-Max once the electricity runs out is still anyone's guess, but expect it to be slightly worse than the regular C-Max's 47/47 city/highway miles per gallon ratings as the Energi has a larger, and thus heavier, battery pack. This is where the Prius Plug-In has the C-Max Energi beat, as it retains the regular Prius's 50 miles per gallon combined rating in normal hybrid operation.

Including a $795 destination fee, the C-Max Energi's starting price is $33745. Unlike pure EVs and the Volt, the C-Max Energi has a $3750 federal tax credit instead of a $7500 tax credit. The C-Max Energi officially goes on sale later this autumn.

Comments

2003 Honda Odyssey EX-L Review

These pictures aren't of the actual vehicle, but the colors and trim level are correct. Those of you who have been following this blog since its inception know that my parents have two cars: a 2006 Nissan Sentra and a 2005 Mazda MPV. Well, we recently swapped our dear little MPV for a 2003 Odyssey. The reason for that is, well, there isn't much reason. It's mostly to spice things up in our lives and have a different car for a change without spending any extra money. Our Odyssey came with every bell and whistle you could get in a minivan in 2003, including a factory-installed DVD entertainment system, leather seats, heated seats in the front, and dual power sliding doors. First impressions were a mixed bag. The engine was very smooth, quiet, and powerful, apparently typical of Hondas, but there was a rough patch between 1000 and 1500 RPM or so. You can't feel the road textures at all while driving the car, but it crashed loudly over larger bumps. Loud can als...

2014 Porsche Panamera

So yesterday, the refreshed Panamera was revealed, along with all the details of the upgrades. The big news are the styling updates, more power, a plug-in hybrid model, and a new long-wheebase model. Starting with the engine updates, the base 3.6-liter V-6 engine produces 310 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque, an increase of 10 horsepower. The 400-horsepower, 4.8-liter V-8 for the Panamera S and 4S trims makes way for a new twin-turbocharged V-6 that makes 420 horsepower and 384 pounds-feet of torque. The Panamera GTS looks and handles much like the Turbo, but it uses the S's engine. Meanwhile, the Turbo's twin-turbocharged 4.8-liter V-8 gets a horsepower bump of 20, to a good 520 horsepower and 516 pounds-feet of torque. The Turbo S is discontinued for now. All of the above engines are mated to Porsche's PDK dual-clutch automates manual transmission. Finally, there's the Panamera S E-Hybrid, which is a fairly significant upgrade from the previous S Hybri...

Mini's Continuation of Expensive Little Cars

The John Cooper Works (JWC for short) moniker for Mini has meant high performance. Now, the Cooper John Cooper Works is supplemented by the bigger John Cooper Works Countryman. An all-wheel-drive, 1.6-liter turbocharged four cylinder powered fun little hatchback might lead you to believe it would be sensibly priced, but the JWC Countryman instead starts at $35550, and that's only the beginning of the story for more options. At that point, you can get a lightly equipped sports sedan than is more powerful and far more refined than the JWC Countryman would be. If you really want Mini's British charm and relatively go-cart like handling with more space than a regular JWC Cooper and an even costlier JWC Cooper convertible, this is it for you. The JWC package does get you 19-inch wheels and red trim inside and out, though. If you're looking at competitors, the Volkswagen Golf R will have to be the sole car. Its starting price is within $200 of the JWC Countryman's, and...

From the Passenger's Seat

Search This Blog