If there’s a more direct competitor to Toyota’s Prius, I don’t know what that might be. The C-Max is the iconic hybrid’s most obvious

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arch nemesis, and that it comes from Ford, one of few automakers that can rival the Japanese giant for global sales and one of the world’s top purveyors of electrified vehicles, not to mention the first of these two automakers to hit market with a plug-in electric and, even more of a thorn in Toyota’s side, the current producer of twice as many plug-in models, has really got to irritate everyone at Koromo.

If Ford really wanted to bother Toyota, mind you, they’d just drop off a couple of C-Max Hybrids for everyone at the Japanese brand to play with. Soon the two ovals within a circle folks would realize they have a lot of catching up to do in order to keep sales of the Prius at the number one spot, the blue-oval bunch doing a better job of delivering value for money spent.

Life

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at the top is good, or so Toyota has learned with its best-selling Prius. The car basically sells itself, with most buyers not even glancing over at the lots of potential hybrid competitors. This is unfortunate, as there’s a lot on offer from most major players, the C-Max simply being the most similar HEV in size and body style. First off it’s a five-door hatchback design, one of few available. Honda tried it for a number of years, but its Insight was poorly executed, not measuring up to the Prius in terms of interior quality, performance, ride and handling, or size, so it flopped. Through 2013 Honda Canada only managed to move 67 of them, while Toyota Canada sold more than three times as many of its much pricier Prius Plug-in models (212 to be exact), as well as 2,140 examples of the regular Prius. The C-Max doesn’t sell quite as well (no other hybrid does),

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but it put in a respectable showing of 1,383 unit sales for 2013, making it an easy second in its electrified hatchback category.

It comes out first in overall usability and utility, mind you. The 71-mm (2.8-inch) shorter C-Max is actually a substantive 85 mm (3.3 inches) wider and a shocking 133 mm (5.2 inches) taller, while it rides on a wheelbase that measures 51 mm (2.0 inches) less. The result is a car that’s a bit easier to maneuver into tight parking spaces and offers better visibility to do so; the latter due to its taller ride height, which seems to be what most new vehicle buyers are looking for these days. This ride height slots the C-Max closer to the crossover camp although Ford officially

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refers to it as a 5-Door Multi Activity Vehicle (MAV), but really this is the only thing that clearly differentiates the two cars.

Inside, the C-Max delivers a little more front and rear legroom than the Prius, more front and rear headroom, and much more cargo space at 694 litres with the rear seatbacks upright compared to 612, whereas when those 60/40-split seats are folded down the C-Max ups the ante to 1,490 litres of gear hauling capacity compared to the Prius’ paltry 1,380. Of course, Toyota will counter with its larger Prius V model, so do your homework if carrying cargo is a critical factor in your buying decision.

If the C-Max was a hunk of junk all of these numbers would mean nothing, but such

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a thought would be far from the truth. Rather, the C-Max comes fitted with an interior that should be much more appealing than the Prius to most buyers as it offers a more conventional layout with the primary gauges directly ahead of the driver, and those gauges being arguably nicer looking with some of the best digital displays in the industry, including the large MyFord Touch infotainment screen (the layout and functionality of which I happen to like more than most), truly upscale switchgear (some of which is good enough for Lincoln), noticeably nicer plastics quality, and more upscale refinement overall.

By reading this you probably think I’m a Prius hater, but that isn’t true at all. I like the Prius a lot, and respect its place as one of the forerunners of the modern-day electrified auto sector. Truly, without the Prius there might not be a hybrid on today’s

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roads. Toyota did such a good job bringing out a well-built, reliable, practical, and above all fuel-efficient compact, and Honda followed that up with an almost equally impressive Civic Hybrid (let’s just leave the original two-seat Insight as the oddity it was and shall ever be), while Ford entered the sector early with its segment-first Escape Hybrid, that the hybrid sector was allowed to flourish into a thriving alternative to conventional internal combustion engine-powered cars. If it wasn’t for the Prius, the C-Max might have never been. So, respect paid where it’s due, now it’s time for more buyers to realize that there are alternatives to Toyota’s rolling legend, and purchasing them won’t harm the eco-movement, but rather it will help move it along at an even faster pace. That it’s actually a smart decision to buy a C-Max is the bonus.

Then

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again, if fuel economy is your primary reason for purchasing a hybrid, the Prius wins this argument hands down. No doubt this has much to do with the C-Max’s taller and wider crossover stance, which of course adds weight, 256 kilos (564 lbs) worth to be exact, so therefore its 4.6 L/100km city and 5.3 highway rating, while extremely good, can’t match the Prius’ 3.7 city and 4.0 highway numbers. I took a look at the new more realistic 2015 five-cycle test results and both estimates rise commensurately, the C-Max soon to be rated at 5.6 city and 6.4 highway while the 2015 Prius is said to achieve 4.6 city and 4.9 highway.

That weight gives the C-Max a more premium-like feel all-round mind you, its doors

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thunking shut with a confident European solidity and its ride more planted on the highway, while unlike the Prius its ability through the curves is very good, much like the Focus that it shares platform architectures with. This makes sense considering it was designed and initially built by Ford of Germany. That’s why it’s a cut above with interior quality too; it’s simply what’s expected in das vaterland.

The dash top, for instance, is made of nice soft-touch plastic that looks great, feels luxurious and absorbs sound very well, although Ford doesn’t stop at mere surfacing for reducing NVH levels, incorporating active noise cancellation along with numerous insulation measures to enhanced on-the-road refinement. Back to that soft pliable material, it extends yet further down the instrument panel, butting up against a thick piece of gloss silver-finished V-shaped metallic trimming that

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spans the width of the dash near its base and then flows down each side of the centre stack and around the gearshift lever before continuing to cover the entire centre console ahead of the centre armrest/storage bin. It’s like the C-Max has exposed its skeletal system for all to see, complete with a couple of ribs and spine, a slick bit of design in a class that sometimes forgets to visually impress. And once again back to that premium-level soft-touch plastic (I believe I just digressed in the middle of a digression), the front door uppers get the soft pliable treatment too, while additional attractive metal trim is thoughtfully added throughout

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the interior. The switchgear I mentioned earlier doesn’t only look impressive but is nicely damped throughout the car; while some of it gets rubberized grips for a nicer feel and better usability.

My top-line SEL tester featured gorgeous black leather upholstery with sporty contrasting cream stitching, that when combined with the aforementioned “metallic ribs and spine” plus all the bright colourful electronic interfaces made for a seriously tech’d out experience. Overhead, a handy sunglasses holder is set within an upper console that houses lighting buttons and a switch for the powered shade covering/uncovering my tester’s stunning two-panel panoramic fixed glass sunroof.

I

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know all of this kit sounds like the stuff of Lincoln lore or some other premium brand, but it really is available in the C-Max SEL. Likewise the front seat heaters are a step above rivals with five-way temperature control, the result being a mild to wild spread of warmth. Those front seats are firm and supportive in Teutonic tradition, with better side bolstering than expected. As mentioned earlier, the C-Max gives a commanding view of the road and excellent visibility all around, but take note that a reverse camera with guidelines is part of the SEL deal too. Being an audiophile I appreciated the optional Sony stereo system more, a little Japanese technology in this Euro-American offering.

You probably heard me say that my tester was a top-line SEL model, which means that there’s a lesser variant available. That would be the SE, priced to be directly competitive

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with the Prius at $26,499 plus $1,600 for freight and pre-delivery preparation. As expected in the hybrid sector the SE gets a fairly full feature set, including remote keyless entry, a tilt and telescopic multi-function steering wheel, cloth upholstery, a trip computer, exterior temperature display, cruise control, wireless phone connectivity, a decent sounding audio system with aux and USB inputs, plus all the usual powered accessories, but unusually (in a good way) this base model also includes power windows with express up/down all-round just like those in premium brands (and Volkswagen, the lone German mainstream brand sold here), plus powered side mirrors with blind-spot mirrors and integrated turn signals, dual-zone automatic climate control, rear-seat heater vents, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, speed-sensitive volume for the audio system, a 110-volt household plug, Ford’s handy Easy Fuel capless fuel filler system, MyKey, and a really useful in-floor hidden storage bin housed under the second-row footwell behind the driver’s seat. A nice set of 17-inch alloy rims on 225/50R17

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rubber also came standard, providing good grip for the four-wheel discs with ABS and emergency brake assist, while all-weather control is further enhanced with all-speed traction control via Ford’s AdvanceTrac with Roll Stability Control. Finally, in case of accident a complete set of airbags includes one for the driver’s knees, whereas SOS Post-Crash Alert will automatically notify the authorities.

SEL trim increases the price to $29,199 before freight, and ups the equipment ante to include the leather upholstery I previously noted, as well as proximity sensing remote access with pushbutton ignition, an ultra-comfortable 10-way power adjustable driver’s seat, heated front cushions, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, the MyFord Touch infotainment system, security approach lamps for the side mirrors, rear sonar, rain-sensing wipers, a universal garage door opener, ambient

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lighting with adjustable colour and intensity for the footwells, door panels and cupholders, plus fog lamps, and a unique piano-black grille.

Options included that fabulous nine-speaker 100-watt Sony audio upgrade I mentioned before, navigation, active park assist, the aforementioned panoramic sunroof, a powered liftgate with automated foot activation, and more.

As mentioned, the C-Max makes significantly more power than the Prius too. It comes fitted with a 2.0-litre Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder that combines with a permanent magnet AC synchronous motor and 1.4-kWh Li-ion battery for peak battery power of 35 kW and overall maximum net output conservatively estimated at

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188 horsepower, plus gobs of readily available torque (combined torque is difficult to figure out with hybrids, so it’s best not to bother guessing). Electric motors use torque to their advantage, uniquely making 100-percent of it at a fraction over zero rpm. This results in an electrifying experience when getting on the throttle, the C-Max feeling very energetic off the line when compared to its rather lethargic primary competitor. Its continuously variable transmission, the norm in this class, means that power delivery is a completely linear experience.

I also find the C-Max has the ability to go faster and farther in all-electric EV mode, the last Prius I drove switching to combined gasoline-electric hybrid mode right around 18 km/h every time without fail. I don’t know about you, but city speed limits in my town force me to drive faster than that, relegating the Prius’ EV mode to parking lots and near standstill traffic jams. The C-Max, on the other hand, can easily be driven at city speeds in EV mode, which can really effect its mileage

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if you’re willing to patiently eke the most out of the drivetrain, accelerating slower, applying the brakes earlier, more gently and more often so as to recharge the battery via the kinetic regenerative system, and all the other methods for getting the most out a hybrid. And Ford makes this process fun, in a nerdy kind of way. All of their hybrids incorporate an elegant array of green leaves that grow more plentiful if driving economically or fall off if you’re in a hurry and therefore not as concerned about mother earth.

As you might have guessed, I really like the C-Max Hybrid, especially in top-line SEL trim with all the extras, but there’s a vehicle I like even more, the plug-in C-Max Energi I drove previously. I’ve reviewed this model at length not too long ago, so feel free to search for it and see why I’m so enamoured. Either way, however, Ford’s C-Max is a serious HEV contender that diehard Prius buyers should consider. It does everything the originator of the electrified sector does, only better on most counts, as long as you’re willing to give up a little in fuel economy. I see the many benefits of the C-Max easily outweighing this shortcoming, so do yourself a favour and take this very green blue-oval model for a drive.
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