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Automotive

Ford C-MAX hybrid undercuts the Toyota Prius

By Eric Mack
May 17, 2012
Ford C-MAX hybrid undercuts the Toyota Prius
Ford has announced that its C-MAX hybrid will cost US$500 less than a Toyota Prius v
Ford has announced that its C-MAX hybrid will cost US$500 less than a Toyota Prius v
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The C-MAX Hybrid is a roomy 5-seater
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The C-MAX Hybrid is a roomy 5-seater
The rear liftgate can be opened without the use of hands
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The rear liftgate can be opened without the use of hands
The C-MAX hybrid is $500 less than a Prius v at $25,995
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The C-MAX hybrid is $500 less than a Prius v at $25,995
Ford has announced that its C-MAX hybrid will cost US$500 less than a Toyota Prius v
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Ford has announced that its C-MAX hybrid will cost US$500 less than a Toyota Prius v
U.S. dealers are now taking orders for the crossover hybrid
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U.S. dealers are now taking orders for the crossover hybrid
U.S. dealers are now taking orders for the crossover hybrid
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U.S. dealers are now taking orders for the crossover hybrid
U.S. dealers are now taking orders for the crossover hybrid
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U.S. dealers are now taking orders for the crossover hybrid
U.S. dealers are now taking orders for the crossover hybrid
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U.S. dealers are now taking orders for the crossover hybrid
U.S. dealers are now taking orders for the crossover hybrid
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U.S. dealers are now taking orders for the crossover hybrid
U.S. dealers are now taking orders for the crossover hybrid
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U.S. dealers are now taking orders for the crossover hybrid
View gallery - 10 images

Ford has announced the pricing for its 2013 C-MAX hybrid, a crossover that has the look of a small minivan without the sliding doors. The American automaker says the base price of US$25,995 will undercut the Toyota Prius v wagon by $500.

Dealers in the United States are now taking orders for the hybrid that's likely to remind drivers of the behind-the-wheel experience in a Ford Focus, but with more interior space and a hands-free liftgate.

A 2.0-liter gas engine will team up with an electric motor powered by a lithium-ion battery to push the C-MAX down the road.

Ford has been successfully pushing the five-passenger gas-powered C-MAX in Europe for the past few years, with over 150,000 sold there. There's no public plans for a conventional or EcoBoost gas model in the United States anytime soon, but Ford does plan to debut the plug-in hybrid C-Max Energi model later this year.

The rear liftgate can be opened without the use of hands
The rear liftgate can be opened without the use of hands

"C-Max Hybrid offers better fuel economy, performance, technology and functionality than Prius v – and C-MAX Hybrid customers will pay less at the dealership and at the pump," said Ken Czubay, Ford's VP of U.S. Marketing, Sales and Service in a statement.

According to sales figures from April of this year, more than three-quarters of the hybrids sold in the United States were Toyotas. Ford is clearly hoping that the C-MAX can begin to level that playing field.

You can watch the C-MAX in action in the promotional video below, and let us know if you think it can compete with the Prius in the comments section.

Source: Ford

View gallery - 10 images

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AutomotiveHybridFordC-max
11 comments
Eric Mack
Eric Mack has been covering technology and the world since the late 1990s. As well as being a New Atlas regular, he currently contributes to CNET, NPR and other outlets.

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11 comments
Jim Parker
Congratulations, Ford, GM, etc. You only had to get your butts kicked for ten years before you came up with a Prius clone.
Vandalay1125
How does this undercut the Prius? According to Toyotas web site, the Prius C One starts at $18,950. I'm no math genius, but isn't that about $7000 cheaper than the Ford??
http://www.toyota.com/priusc/trims-prices.html
SeekMocha
Hey Vandalay - the price comparison is being made to the Prius V, not the Prius C. I haven't seen a comparison chart that includes all 3 models side by side, so I don't know if the the C-Max is more properly compared to the Prius C or the Prius V.
Ct
It states in the article the Prius V and not the Prius C, so yes, it is cheaper to that Prius model. The Prius V is comparable in size and capacity and not the smaller Prius C.
Vasco Regula
@ Vandalay This price is considering the tax rebate you can get from the government. the Prius C is actually about 26k.
Tierra Verde Gary
I don't believe that $500, even if you were comparing a comparable new Ford hybrid to 10 years of proven technology in a Prius, would sway many, if any, purchasers to switch. I blieve the Focus name has been around way too long and the car has probably advanced beyond it's early stigma. Ford, you need to not compare this to a Focus.
Jim Lawrence
Not as aesthetically pleasing as the Prius, inside or out, to me...in particular, really ugly front grill, yuk. Clunky looking hand brake (Prius has a foot brake), Prius has cool mini-shifter on top center console, not retro looking big old Ford shifter...just on these two features alone, I'll take Prius and Ford can keep the $500. Of course mileage is top priority for anyone buying hybrids...and five minutes of digging around the Ford site didn't yield any specs about mileage so we'll have to see...it does have a continuously variable trannie, which is super in a Toyota. Bottom line, does it really offer anything the Prius doesn't already have, and proven, in the U.S.? Time will tell...meanwhile, I wish they'd turned loose a better designer, what an uninspiring, cobbed-together look, very disappointing.
frogola
way to go fords,i think you got the Prius beat. bigger better and more fun to own. from the hack back that actually keeps you out of the rain to the fact that it's more economical.
Buellrider
I'm happy that Ford has finally gotten around to doing what Toyota started many many years ago. We are a two Prius family. We have an 04 with about 90,000 miles on it now and have a 2010 Prius that we bought used with 24,000 miles on it for $19,000. The 04 still is perfect and the 2010 regularly gets 54 mpg and that is no shiite either. We only use the ECO mode on the 2010. Fantastic cars, but the 2010 is really better than the 2004. I think the 04 would get the same mileage figures as the 2010 if they could reprogram the computer to manage the system in an ECO mode just like the 2010. The 2004 runs like the 2010 in Power Mode. That's fine but the ECO sips the gas stingier. Put a more power dense lithium battery pack in the 2010 instead of the nickel metal batter and I'd bet it would get 60 or 70 mpg but then they wouldn't sell the next upgraded Prius as well.
jmossis
Price isn't everything. My Prius has logged 400K with no serious maintenance an is running strong. Let's see if the C-MAX can do as well.
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