Apologies to the folks in charge of Ford’s naming convention for their new cars, but I can’t find Energi anywhere in Merriam and/or Webster’s. For that matter, I can’t find C-Max either.
I’m not suggesting that cars be strictly named after the functions they perform like tools, but it would be nice to hear how a plug-in hybrid wagon like the 2013 Ford C-Max Energi got a name that sounds more like a $4 pack of gas station vitamins than a car. I guess it’s because “hyper-practical, gas-saving family wagon” sounds less appealing than getting your wisdom teeth pulled — all five of them.
It’s a shame. Any one of the aforementioned adjectives and that one noun is enough to pique my interest alone. For the most part, Toyota’s Prius v was the king ruler of hyper-practical, gas-saving family wagons around, if only because there aren’t really any other hyper-practical, gas-saving family wagons around these days. The C-Max Energi by default is really the lone domestic hyper-practical, gas-saving family wagon dog in the hyper-practical, gas-saving family wagon fight. That’s becoming really long to type.
I’ll tell you why I like them so much. In the SUV boom days, bigger was always better; gas mileage fell somewhere on the build priority list between dash clock and dead pedal design. (That’s the lump of plastic to the left of the brake pedal where you rest your foot.) I’m no glutton for punishment, and for a long time, that’s exactly what electric cars were: uncomfortable engineering exercises meant for hard-core, longhaired NPR listeners. Electric cars aren’t new, but ones that don’t drive like oversized golf carts are. I appreciate a car that does small and practical well and I’m not alone. Two numbers matter when it comes to making a car for the masses anyhow: 2.3 and 45 — children and average mpg, respectively. At least I hope so.
And strictly speaking, the C-Max Energi is a plug-in hybrid. That means on top of the 2.0-liter Atkinson four-cylinder engine, Ford also packs a 7.6 kWh lithium-ion battery that can power the Energi alone for up to 20 miles. When electrons run out, the gas engine takes over and powers the wagon like a traditional hybrid. Coupled with a 14-gallon tank and a 44/41 city-highway EPA rating, the Energi boasts over 600 miles in range, depending on how judiciously you use the gas pedal. Charging the battery takes between 2.5 hours and 7 hours from fully discharged to completely full depending on voltage.
The C-Max is essentially a Ford Europe innovation of the Focus platform. After going on sale for the first time in the U.S. last year, the C-Max here is a Prius fighter in a blue oval badge. The model is also offered in a hybrid alone package, but both Energi and hybrid share the same architecture. The 173-inch length and 63-inch height mean the C-Max is shorter but taller than the Prius, but not by much. Tall, six-footers like myself appreciate the added headroom over the Prius, and rear legroom isn’t bad either. By comparison, folding myself into a Focus requires more yoga than I’m comfortable with. Point, C-Max.
Once inside, the C-Max Energi offers plenty by way of creature comforts. Up front, the space is designed well for driver and passenger, with ample room and quality materials. The seats aren’t exactly plush, but they are supportive enough and comfortable for sprinting around town. The difference between the Prius and C-Max’s entertainment system is really a push here; Toyota’s is highly functional without a lot of frill, and Ford’s Sync system is better looking, but finicky depending on what you’re asking it to do. Pairing a phone with Sync? Good. Getting directions across the street? Maybe not so much.
There are sacrifices though. The batteries in the C-Max Energi add 250 lbs. to the overall weight of the car, most of it in the rear where the batteries take about 6 inches of cargo capacity out of the back. While it’s no sports car, the Energi is actually a comparatively decent drive. Thanks to the tall stance, the Energi rolls around corners and is relatively soft in the steering wheel, but it still manages to retain the tight feeling that makes the Focus so fun to drive. And while cargo space is compromised because of the batteries, the Energi still manages nearly 20 cubic feet of storage in the back with the rear seats up, over 40 cubic feet when those are folded down.
There’s one more too. Despite Ford’s efficiency in building their own batteries, the C-Max Energi still costs more than $4,500 more than the top line C-Max hybrid, which requires a lot of charging to make up in gas savings. The hybrid too manages slightly better mileage, 47 mpg combined, likely thanks to it’s more svelte belt line. Our test model, a fully stacked C-Max Energi with options like navigation and technology packages clocked in at over $36,000.
But that doesn’t deter someone like me. Call it what you want, the C-Max Energi proves that a domestic wagon can appeal to buyers looking for that rare mix of eco-friendly and quality. Or, if you prefer, hyper practicality and energy efficiency in a family wagon. Maybe their name is better anyway.
Aaron Cole is managing editor of the Aurora Sentinel. Reach him at acole@aurorasentinel.com.