Autoblog

Autoblog Podcast #319

Dan Roth — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 16:15:00 EST

Filed under: Podcasts, Classics, SUV, Chevrolet, Ford, Jeep

Jeep Grand Wagoneer, Hagerty's Future Classics, Consumer Reports Brand Perception Survey

Episode #319 of the Autoblog Podcast is here, and this week, Dan Roth, Zach Bowman and Jeff Ross talk about a team from Jeep visiting Wagonmaster for ideas to use on the upcoming Grand Wagoneer revival, Hagerty Insurance's predictions for future collectible classics, and Toyota, Ford and Honda topping the latest Consumer Reports brand perception survey. We wrap with your questions, and for those of you who hung with us live on our UStream channel, thanks for taking the time. Keep reading for our Q&A module for you to scroll through and follow along, too. Thanks for listening!

Autoblog Podcast #319:

Topics:

In the Autoblog Garage:
2013 Chevrolet Spark
2013 Ford C-Max Hybrid

Hosts: Dan Roth, Zach Bowman, Jeff Ross

Runtime: 01:23:28

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Autoblog Podcast #319 originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 05 Feb 2013 16:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Consumer Reports: Ford Fusion fun but flawed; Mitsubishi i-MiEV slow, chintzy [w/videos]

Jeffrey N. Ross — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 16:31:00 EST

Filed under: Budget, Hybrid, Sedan, Hatchback, Ford, Electric

Waiting for a Ford compliment from Consumer Reports these days is like waiting for a low-cost new product from Apple. So we weren't really expecting a glowing review of the 2013 Ford Fusion when CR got its hands on the car. The institute's crew bought three different versions of the Fusion (Hybrid, 1.6-liter EcoBoost and a Titanium with the 2.0-liter EcoBoost) to put through its barrage of tests, and while we aren't too surprised by some of the findings, they're still interesting nonetheless.

CR praises the Fusion for its "eye-catching" design and says that the sportier Titanium trim level is the best-handling midsize sedan they've ever tested, but that's about where the good news ends for Ford. The Fusion Hybrid also posted the best-ever fuel economy CR has recorded in a midsize sedan, but the only problem is that their number was 39 miles per gallon combined - far less than Ford's 47 mpg rating for city, highway and combined. As expected, CR also dinged the Fusion for its MyFord Touch, but some of the other gripes about the car include a cramped cabin and poor fit and finish.

Other Ford products tested this time around include the Focus Electric and C-Max Hybrid. Like the Fusion, CR's observed fuel economy of 37 mpg for the C-Max fell well short of Ford's advertised 47-mpg rating, and both cars were criticized for the use of MyFord Touch. CR notes that the Focus Electric's interior is also cramped, with the battery pack taking up a lot of cargo space.

In other news, CR slams the Mitsubishi i-MiEV electric car rather mercilessly, something that is perhaps less surprising. The institute digs into the low-cost urban runabout for its lack of speed, payload, and chintzy finish, among other things.

You can check out videos about the Fusion Hybrid, Focus Electric and i-MiEV by scrolling below.

Continue reading Consumer Reports: Ford Fusion fun but flawed; Mitsubishi i-MiEV slow, chintzy [w/videos]

Consumer Reports: Ford Fusion fun but flawed; Mitsubishi i-MiEV slow, chintzy [w/videos] originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 23 Jan 2013 16:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EPA to investigate Ford C-Max, Fusion fuel economy

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 07:58:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, Sedan, Government/Legal, Hatchback, Ford

The Environmental Protection Agency has said it "will look at the report and data" from Consumer Reports indicating that the 2013 Ford C-Max and Fusion hybrids don't come close to achieving their fuel economy estimates of 47 miles per gallon. In CR testing, the C-Max Hybrid averaged 37 mpg; the Fusion Hybrid averaged 39.

CR reports that the 10-mpg difference recorded with the C-Max represents "the largest discrepancy between our overall-mpg results and the estimates published by the EPA that we've seen among any current models." For reference, the Toyota Prius came up six mpg short of EPA estimates under CR's testing.

So, what happens if the EPA finds a discrepancy in Ford's mileage claims? According to The Detroit News, automakers may face civil penalties over misstated claims. Just a few weeks back, Hyundai and Kia were found to have overstated mileage estimates for 1.1 million vehicles sold in the US and Canada, prompting the automaker to compensate owners for their now-reduced mileage figures. Lawsuits, reductions in consumer confidence and even inquiries from politicians are also potential problems in the pipeline.

It's too early to suggest such drastic measures will be taken by Ford, especially since "a hybrid vehicle is going to be far more variable than a conventional vehicle" when it comes to observed fuel mileage, according to Linc Wehrly, director of light-duty vehicle center compliance division at the EPA's Ann Arbor laboratory.

Ford, for its part, issued the following statement to Consumer Reports: "Early C-Max Hybrid and Fusion Hybrid customers praise the vehicles and report a range of fuel economy figures, including some reports above 47 mpg. This reinforces the fact that driving styles, driving conditions and other factors can cause mileage to vary."

EPA to investigate Ford C-Max, Fusion fuel economy originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 10 Dec 2012 07:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Consumer Reports calls out Ford for false Fusion, C-Max hybrid fuel economy claims

Sharon Silke Carty — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 16:27:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, Sedan, Videos, Crossover, Hatchback, Ford

Consumer Reports is calling out Ford, saying the new C-Max and Fusion hybrids don't get anywhere near the 47 miles per gallon the automaker claims.

Several automakers have faced backlash after consumers discovered their cars don't quite hit the lofty fuel economy figures promised by the companies, and Ford may be the newest casualty of all this pesky fact-checking by critics and watchdogs.

The magazine drove the cars 2,000 miles and consistently got around 39 mpg for the Fusion and 37 mpg for the C-Max. Jake Fisher, director of auto testing for Consumer Reports, said this is the largest discrepancy between what automakers MPG claims and the actual real-world driving results.

"It's not to say these are bad cars at all; they still get excellent fuel economy," Fisher said. "But we've been doing this for a long time, and we've never seen such a difference between the EPA estimates and our numbers."

Ford said its figures were certified by the EPA, but the EPA only tests about 10 to 15 percent of the cars on the road. Ford said some early reports from customers showed the cars getting even better fuel economy than 47 mpg.

"This reinforces the fact that driving styles, driving conditions, and other factors can cause mileage to vary," said Wes Sherwood, a spokesman for Ford. For customers who want to optimize their fuel economy, the cars come with different driving coach software to help drivers get better fuel economy, he said.

Scroll down to watch the video report from Consumer Reports.

Continue reading Consumer Reports calls out Ford for false Fusion, C-Max hybrid fuel economy claims

Consumer Reports calls out Ford for false Fusion, C-Max hybrid fuel economy claims originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 06 Dec 2012 16:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2013 Ford C-Max Hybrid [w/video]

Michael Harley — Mon, 27 Aug 2012 11:57:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, Wagon, Hatchback, Ford, First Drives

No One Ever Said Dethroning A Prius Would Be Easy

It's generally not polite to start a story about a new Ford by referencing a very popular Toyota, but we're going to make an exception this time.

With fuel prices continuing to creep upwards, sales of advanced-powertrain vehicles are booming (in May of this year alone, nearly 46,000 units left showrooms). While some vehicles, like the Chevrolet Volt and Nissan Leaf, soldier forth with modest sales from month-to-month, Toyota's Prius family of vehicles (the standard Prius, smaller Prius C, larger Prius V and Prius Plug-In Hybrid) consistently leads the sales race. Understandably, that places a big red target on their backs.

Aiming its scope, and bracketing wisely, Ford is introducing a slew of new advance-powertrain models over the next year. These include full hybrid, plug-in hybrid and all-electric vehicles. One of the first to arrive is the all-new C-Max Hybrid, which has the Prius V aligned in its crosshairs, and not a single person carrying a Blue Oval business card is keeping it a secret.

To determine whether or not the new Ford has the right stuff to challenge the Prius V, we put one through its paces in Southern California last week.

Continue reading 2013 Ford C-Max Hybrid [w/video]

2013 Ford C-Max Hybrid [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 27 Aug 2012 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ford C-Max Hybrid officially gets 47 mpg across the board; Energi hits 85 mph in EV mode

Sebastian Blanco — Tue, 07 Aug 2012 13:45:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, Minivan/Van, Ford, Electric

Two new announcements about Ford and its upcoming C-Max line of vehicles arrived today, emphasizing the vehicles' efficiency and electric performance.

For the C-Max Hybrid, the previously predicted miles per gallon rating of 47 mpg is now official, per the EPA, and will apply across the board. That means city, highway and combined mileage ratings are all 47. As anyone Ford can reach with a PR blast knows, this beats at least one of the mpg numbers for the Toyota Prius V by seven mpg. The world's most popular hybrid lineup, in V guise, gets 44 mpg in the city, 40 on the highway and 42 combined. The standard Prius Liftback version, of course, gets 51 city, 48 highway and 50 combined.

More interesting, perhaps, is the news that the plug-in Energi model will be able to go up to 85 miles per hour in all-electric mode. Once again, Ford is hammering the Prius comparison, saying that speed is "more than 20 mph higher than Toyota Prius plug-in." The C-Max Hybrid can go up to 62 miles an hour in EV mode.

To engage EV mode in the C-Max Energi, Ford uses a "unique EV mode button allows customers to deliver electric power on-demand." We're not sure what makes it unique (other plug-ins have powertrain mode selector buttons), but it does have three modes: EV Now (where the car is only moved by battery power, as long as it's available), EV Auto (normal operation, with both battery and gas engine used for propulsion) or EV Later, a "battery-saving mode that reserves the pack power for later use." (Think of the Chevrolet Volt mountain mode.) The Energi goes on sale in limited areas this fall and nationwide in early 2013.

Oh, Ford also says, "With a fully charged battery, C-MAX Energi is rated at 195 horsepower, versus 188 horsepower for Toyota Prius." It's pretty clear which competitors Ford is going after here, isn't it?

Continue reading Ford C-Max Hybrid officially gets 47 mpg across the board; Energi hits 85 mph in EV mode

Ford C-Max Hybrid officially gets 47 mpg across the board; Energi hits 85 mph in EV mode originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 07 Aug 2012 13:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ford says Focus Electric will get 100 MPGe, C-Max models also ready to compete

Sebastian Blanco — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 11:00:00 EST

Oh, what a difference one seat makes. Ford just announced that the Focus Electric will be, "the first all-electric vehicle to achieve a 100 miles per gallon equivalent (MPGe) fuel efficiency rating." But wait, you're saying, what about the Mitsubishi i, which gets 112 MPGe? Ah, this is when you finish reading Ford's sentence, which ends, "with seating for five." The i is rated as a four-seat (two-plus-two) vehicle while the Focus is a "normal" five-seater.

100 MPGe is just one selling point for Ford's upcoming EV. The other is faster charging technology that allows the Focus EV, "to charge in half the time of a Nissan Leaf using 240-volt outlets." That means a three- to four-hour recharge time.

On the plug-in hybrid side, Ford also announced that the C-Max Energi is expected to have "miles per gallon equivalent rating in electric mode better than Toyota Prius plug-in hybrid" and the C-Max Hybrid (non-plug-in) should get "better fuel economy than Toyota Prius V." The C-Max Energi "is expected to deliver a better fuel economy equivalent in electric mode than the Toyota Prius plug-in hybrid with a 500-mile overall driving range, more than Chevrolet Volt." Even though it's not ready to give us a lot of numbers for the C-Max models quite yet, it's clear that Ford is getting ready to take on the best-selling fuel-efficient cars in the U.S. in 2012.

In California, New York and New Jersey, the first orders for the 2012 Focus Electric were taken in November. Fifteen more launch markets will open up next year. The Focus Electric has started production at Ford's Michigan Assembly Plant. The C-Max models also go on sale in 2012.

Continue reading Ford says Focus Electric will get 100 MPGe, C-Max models also ready to compete

Ford says Focus Electric will get 100 MPGe, C-Max models also ready to compete originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 14 Dec 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ford cancels seven-passenger C-Max for U.S., focuses solely on Hybrid and Energi models

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 13:59:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, Minivan/Van, Plants/Manufacturing, Hatchback, Ford, Electric

2012 Ford C-Max - Click above for high-res image gallery

Turns out Americans won't be getting another crack at a Euro-style mini minivan. Ford has officially canceled plans for its seven-passenger C-Max for the United States. Fans of small-in-stature MPVs may still be able to find what they are looking for in the Mazda5, but definitely not in Ford dealerships.

The retraction of the seven-seater means the U.S. market will be left with the C-Max Hybrid and C-Max Energi electric vehicle. These vehicles eschew the minivan-spec sliding side doors in favor of four regularly hinged portals and a rear hatchback. The Hybrid is expected to boast better than 41 miles per gallon on the highway, while the plug-in Energi promises to boast 500 miles of driving range from its battery and gasoline engine combined, along with better fuel efficiency than the Chevrolet Volt. We look forward to verifying those claims.

Ford is keen to point out that the C-Max Hybrid and C-Max Energi (yep, spelled with an 'i') models will be built alongside its 2012 Ford Focus and Focus Electric at the Michigan Assembly Plant in Wayne, Mich. Why is that important? Assuming all goes to plan, Wayne will be the first plant in the world to produce gasoline-powered vehicles, full-electric vehicles, hybrid and plug-in hybrids under the same roof.

If you'd like, you're free to peruse the official press release after the break, which is not surprisingly focused much more on the two promised green-mobile five-seaters than on the death of the seven-seater. Now, if you'll excuse us for a moment, we're going to don our solid-black Sunday Bests and mourn the passing of Ford's planned seven-seater. Poor thing never even had a chance...

Continue reading Ford cancels seven-passenger C-Max for U.S., focuses solely on Hybrid and Energi models

Ford cancels seven-passenger C-Max for U.S., focuses solely on Hybrid and Energi models originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 09 Jun 2011 13:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Detroit 2011: 2013 Ford C-Max Energi mixes plugs and petrol

Chris Shunk — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 13:41:00 EST

Filed under: Detroit Auto Show, Crossover, Ford, Electric

2013 Ford C-Max Energi - Click above for high-res image gallery

The Ford C-Max combines the look and feel of a hatchback with the people and cargo-hauling capability of a crossover. And did we mention that Ford is striving for best-in-class fuel economy at the same time? That's a formula sure to intrigue buyers, but there are some who will want all that utility with the added bonus of even better efficiency.

The first step up the efficiency ladder is the C-Max Hybrid. Ford promises efficiency above and beyond that of the Fusion hybrid, which means more than 41 miles per gallon in the city and an EV-only top speed of at least 47 miles per hour - not a big surprise given improvements to Ford's Powersplit technology. The C-Max hybrid will also utilize Ford's 2.0-liter engine running on the Atkinson cycle, which is quite a bit smaller than the 2.5-liter mill motivating the Fusion.

A quantum eleap beyond the C-Max hybrid is the Energi; an extended range people-mover that can be motivated via battery power, gasoline or a mix of the two. Ford isn't ready to spill beans on the Energi's EV-only range, but The Blue Oval is willing to tell us that owners can expect to travel over 500 miles with a full tank and a complete charge. The Energi's battery pack will be built in-house and based on lithium technology, which tells us this green-approved CUV should be able to drive several miles on batteries alone. And Ford will make it easier for smartphone owners to check out battery life with its upcoming MyFord Mobile app.

Both the C-Max Hybrid and C-Max Energy will be produced at Michigan Assembly Plant starting in 2012. Click on the galleries below to peruse the high-res images.

Gallery: 2013 Ford C-Max Energi: Detroit 2011

Gallery: 2013 Ford C-Max Hybrid: Detroit 2011

Detroit 2011: 2013 Ford C-Max Energi mixes plugs and petrol originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 10 Jan 2011 13:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2013 Ford C-Max Energi and C-Max Hybrid offer two options for fuel-sipping MPVs

Steven J. Ewing — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 00:01:00 EST

Filed under: Detroit Auto Show, Hybrid, Minivan/Van, Ford, Electric

Ford C-Max Energi - Click above for high-res image gallery

We've already told you about the 2012 Ford C-Max, the Blue Oval's new mini-minivan that's set to launch here in North America later this year. The C-Max story doesn't end with just the one gasoline-powered model, though - Ford is bringing two more versions of its small people mover to the 2011 Detroit Auto Show: the C-Max Energi and C-Max Hybrid.

What's important to note is that while the gasoline C-Max with sliding doors is actually based on the three-row Grand C-Max that Ford sells in other markets, the Hybrid and Energi use conventional front-hinged rear doors and seat five, just like the shorter-wheelbase C-Max available in Europe. The automaker's kinetic design language is in full force here, and the Aston Martin-like grille on these smaller C-Max models resembles what first debuted on Ford's Focus Electric at last week's Consumer Electronics Show.

The C-Max Hybrid uses the Blue Oval's next-generation gasoline/electric powertrain technology, and we're told that fuel economy will be higher than the 41 miles per gallon that's currently on tap in the Fusion Hybrid sedan. By building upon the powersplit technology currently used in the automaker's hybrids, Ford says that the C-Max Hybrid will be able to operate in electric mode at speeds higher than 47 miles per hour.

The big story here, however, is the C-Max Energi, which is essentially a range-extended plug-in hybrid that's not completely unlike the Chevrolet Volt. Ford is targeting an overall driving range of more than 500 miles using both the battery-backed motor and Atkinson-cycle engine, and much like the Focus Electric, the automaker's new MyFord Mobile software will allow users to monitor the C-Max Energi's charging state while on the go.

Both the C-Max Hybrid and Energi will be built alongside the standard C-Max at Ford's Michigan Assembly Plant starting in 2012, with European models being built in Valencia, Spain starting in 2013. Follow the jump for the full details in Ford's press release, and check out each version of the new C-Max in our high-res galleries below.

Gallery: 2013 Ford C-Max Energi

Gallery: 2013 Ford C-Max Hybrid

[Source: Ford]

Continue reading 2013 Ford C-Max Energi and C-Max Hybrid offer two options for fuel-sipping MPVs

2013 Ford C-Max Energi and C-Max Hybrid offer two options for fuel-sipping MPVs originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 10 Jan 2011 00:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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