Ford Downgrades C-Max Hybrid To 43 MPG – Will Give Current Owners $550 Compensation – C-Max Hybrid Was Not Actually Tested

TTAC Staff
by TTAC Staff

After facing consumer complaints and lawsuits over consumers failing to get advertised fuel economy Ford announced on Thursday that it will be downgrading the combined MPG rating of the C-Max Hybrid from 47 to 43.

According to Automotive News, Ford says the discrepancy consumers have been seeing is because the C-Max Hybrid was never actually tested. Instead the Ford says that it relied on data from the Fusion Hybrid, with which it shares drivetrain components. Ford says that it will now test the C-Max Hybrid itself. Current C-Max Hybrid owners will be compensated with $550 and lessees will receive $325. Cars still on dealer lots will be relabeled with new Monroney stickers while owners and lessees will be notified by mail. It’s not clear if Ford will drop the price of the C-Max Hybrid by a similar amount. If you are a C-Max owner or lessees and have questions, you can contact Ford’s Customer Relationship Center via the web, or by phone at 800-392-3673.

TTAC Staff
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  • 360joules 360joules on Aug 17, 2013

    "I am shocked, shocked to find that gambling is going on in here!"

  • CJinSD CJinSD on Aug 17, 2013

    Will anyone that still says that the EPA numbers are good for comparing cars finally learn from reading this story? I'd be surprised.

  • HotPotato HotPotato on Aug 30, 2013

    In the C-Max Hybrid, Ford built possibly the best all-rounder ever. On the luxury end, it's smooth and silent and packed with cabin tech. On the utility end, its tallboy profile packs vast people and cargo space into a tidy, easily-parked package. On the sport end, it handles precisely and hauls ass like a hot hatch. On the economy end, it approaches 40 MPG in real-world use, and the well-equipped SE is a fine value. On the safety end, it gets very good crash-test scores, and its torque vectoring control lets you hoon it without landing in the ditch. Ford could have marketed it as "the first no-compromises car." Or "the first fun-to-drive hybrid." Or "the first no-compromises hybrid." Instead they entered an unwinnable MPG war with the car that sacrifices all other virtues for MPG. They could reverse course now. Instead they are doubling down, planning to change the gearing next year, which will probably mean the end of the 7.5 second 0-60 time current C-Max owners enjoy. Which -- along with the negotiating room that accompanies a spot of bad PR -- makes this a good time to go drive a 2013 C-Max. The car sells itself. Ford should get out of its way.

  • Truckducken Truckducken on Aug 30, 2013

    If someone at a high level isn't fired over this, Mulally is sending a clear message to the world that it's business as usual at Ford.

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