
The 2017 Ford C-Max is no longer remotely a competitor for the latest Toyota Prius in the fuel-economy sweepstakes, but it has a truly nice interior.
With one model at 56 mpg combined and the rest of the range at 52 mpg, the fourth-generation Toyota Prius drives far better than any previous model and its main drawback is really its sleek but bizarre shape.
The larger, slower, and older Prius V wagon may be a closer match to the C-Max, coming in at 42 mpg.
Both Ford's own Fusion Hybrid and Toyota's long-established Camry Hybrid offer conventional sedan shapes and interior room.
The Fusion is more stylish, and it's now strongly outselling the C-Max with which it shares a powertrain.
The Camry is, well, a known quantity, even if its EPA ratings lag a bit behind the rest of the class.
The smaller Hyundai Ioniq Hybrid is a new entry this year, and it is likely to be an inexpensive and highly efficient competitor in both hybrid and plug-in hybrid formats, though ratings aren't yet out.
A final contender would previously have been the Volkswagen Passat TDI, a mid-size sedan with German character and a high-efficiency diesel engine, but VW's diesel scandal means that car is done with for the U.S.
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Quick Specs | |||
The 2017 Ford C-Max Hybrid and C-Max Energi are still pleasant all-rounders among hybrids, but they face much tougher competition this year from the Prius lineup. |
The 2017 Hyundai Ioniq is a small hatchback that comes as a hybrid, a plug-in hybrid, or an all-electric model; it's an important new player in the world of high-efficiency cars. |
The 2017 Toyota Prius closes the gap between "driving a hybrid" and "driving a normal car," even though it still looks like nothing else on the road. |
The 2017 Toyota Prius V is the largest Prius model offered, though it's now also one of the oldest. |
MSRP From | |||
$24,175 | $22,200 | $23,475 | $26,675 |
Gas Mileage | |||
42 MPG City / 38 MPG Hwy | 55 MPG City / 59 MPG Hwy | 54 MPG City / 53 MPG Hwy | 43 MPG City / 39 MPG Hwy |
Engine | |||
Gas/Electric I-4 | Gas/Electric I-4 | Gas/Electric I-4 | Gas/Electric I-4 |
EPA Class | |||
Large Cars | Large Cars | Midsize Cars | Midsize Station Wagons |
Style Name | |||
SE FWD | Blue Hatchback | One (SE) | Two (Natl) |
Drivetrain | |||
Front Wheel Drive | Front Wheel Drive | Front Wheel Drive | Front Wheel Drive |
Passenger Capacity | |||
5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
Passenger Doors | |||
N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Body Style | |||
Hatchback | Hatchback | Hatchback | Wagon |
Transmission | |||
CVT w/OD | Auto-Shift Manual w/OD | CVT w/OD | CVT w/OD |
Detailed Spec Comparison | |||
2017 Ford C-Max vs. 2017 Hyundai Ioniq | 2017 Ford C-Max vs. 2017 Toyota Prius | 2017 Ford C-Max vs. 2017 Toyota Prius V |