The Plug-In Deal Of the Millennium Expires In Eight Days

Jack Baruth
by Jack Baruth

Thirty-three months ago, I announced the addition of a long-term C-Max to our “fleet” with much Sturn und Drang about how I’d be keeping you comprehensively updated on the ownership experience and whatnot.

Well, I’m sure none of you noticed, but I never wrote about the thing again. Why? Well, there wasn’t anything about which to write! My baby-momma got a steady 42 miles per gallon, never had a single mechanical issue, loved the car to death, and became a total Jonestown convert to the C-Max way of life.

It’s now time to replace that C-Max. I suggested an Accord Hybrid. My son suggested a used AMG SLS Black Series. Her new husband suggested keeping the C-Max and getting a faster motorcycle for him instead — possibly a Hayabusa, who knows. All of these were good ideas. But she decided she wanted another C-Max, so we started running the numbers … and as they say on Buzzfeed, you won’t believe what happened next!

There’s currently over $9,000 worth of combined incentives and federal tax credits on the C-Max Energi. This makes the post-incentives-and-rebates price of the Energi about three grand cheaper than the equivalent C-Max Hybrid SEL, and even a few bucks cheaper than the C-Max Hybrid SE, which is short quite a bit of equipment compared to the Energi.

The equivalent Prius Plug-In Advanced is $34,990, just to put it in perspective, and you only get 11 miles of range compared to the 21-mile range of the C-Max. It’s also out of production, and the new Prius Prime plug-in is only expected to match the Energi’s range, not exceed it. I should also note that based on my extensive time behind the wheel of both the C-Max and the racetrack-edition Prius, I’d expect the C-Max to continue to be quieter, better-riding, and more luxurious than the new Prius.

It’s possible to option a C-Max Energi up about $38,000 with the panoramic roof, the self-parking option, and the sound-system upgrades. Which is what baby-momma’s going to do. Which leads to a problem. Virtually all of the loaded C-Max Energis across the Midwest in dealer stock are refrigerator white. She wants an actual color. What to do? There’s a red one scheduled to be built in Michigan this week, but there’s no guarantee it will make it to the dealer by the time the incentives expire. It’s a tough call.

I’m looking forward to the arrival of the C-Max Energi. It has a super-fun LED ring around the plug-in port that progressively lights up as the car charges. Our cheap coal-fired electricity here in Ohio means that it will cost her well under a dollar to get that first 21 miles every day, no matter what happens to gasoline prices. I’m thinking we might stage a 0-50 mph drag race between the Energi in EV mode and my 7-year-old son on his Yamaha TTR-90. There’s really no end to the possibilities. But whatever happens, I promise updates will happen more regularly than once every 34 months.

Disclosure: You’d think that with all the stuff my brother writes about Ford that we’d get some kind of deal, right? Well, the last time I asked for one, Ford gave me the ‘California no’. So we didn’t even bother this time.

Jack Baruth
Jack Baruth

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  • Laserwizard Laserwizard on Apr 25, 2016

    I was looking at one of these Energi models myself - with $11k off the sticker when making the order online, I am so tempted. Then I have the days when my Escort is giving me over 50 mpgs on the highway and I forget about buying anything else.

  • Dal20402 Dal20402 on Apr 26, 2016

    Well, thanks, Jack. Picked a loaded one of these up today, with lease terms based on nearly 13k off sticker. It's a full-featured and comfy little mini-minivan, that can drive without using gas for most of our normal errands, for the price of a stripper Honda Accord. Again, appreciate your pointing it out.

    • See 3 previous
    • Dal20402 Dal20402 on May 03, 2016

      @Wagon Of Fury Missed this, but if you're still paying attention... WA, $33900 cap cost before rebates ($37655 MSRP, fully loaded with 303A and sunroof), $9757 in rebates/incentives taken off the cap cost, 47% residual, 0.5 money factor (like 1% interest), 0 down, result after folding 10% tax and title/registration into the lease: $309/month.

  • Kwik_Shift Hyunkia'sis doing what they do best...subverting expectations of quality.
  • MaintenanceCosts People who don't use the parking brake when they walk away from the car deserve to have the car roll into a river.
  • 3-On-The-Tree I’m sure they are good vehicles but you can’t base that on who is buying them. Land Rovers, Bentley’ are bought by Robin Leaches’s “The Rich and Famous” but they have terrible reliability.
  • SCE to AUX The fix sounds like a bandaid. Kia's not going to address the defective shaft assemblies because it's hard and expensive - not cool.
  • Analoggrotto I am sick and tired of every little Hyundai Kia Genesis flaw being blown out of proportion. Why doesn't TTAC talk about the Tundra iForce Max problems, Toyota V35A engine problems or the Lexus 500H Hybrid problems? Here's why: education. Most of America is illiterate, as are the people who bash Hyundai Kia Genesis. Surveys conducted by credible sources have observed a high concentration of Hyundai Kia Genesis models at elite ivy league universities, you know those places where students earn degrees which earn more than $100K per year? Get with the program TTAC.
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