Used 2017 Ford C-Max Hybrid Consumer Reviews
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We have a limited number of reviews for the 2017 C-Max Hybrid, so we've included reviews for other years of the C-Max Hybrid since its last redesign.
Great car....so far
Mark Nielsen, 05/11/2019
updated 11/17/2020
2017 Ford C-Max Hybrid SE 4dr Wagon (2.0L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)
10 of 10 people found this review helpful
I did a lot of research before we bought this car. We wanted a car that was easy to enter and exit, comfortable, good visibility, good seating, good gas mileage, reliable, roomy, quiet enough, sufficient power, and not infested with technology we wouldn't or couldn't remember how to use (We are seniors who have lived long enough to know we don't need a lot of the gadgetry that automakers stuff in cars.) We just wanted a good car. So far, that is what we have had. No problems at all. With the onset of summer here, we should get even better gas mileage. Average now is about 43 mpg. Mostly we use it for quick guilt free trips around town. Quite satisfied, and hope it will continue to live up to our expectations. Update: So far no problems. Nice being able to avoid gas stations. Update: Absolutely no problems. Glad to have it. Update: No problems. Still avoiding gas pumps. 45 mpg average, mostly city. Just a fine car.
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Almost a home run
Jim , 11/27/2018
updated 12/26/2024
2016 Ford C-Max Hybrid SEL 4dr Wagon (2.0L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)
10 of 10 people found this review helpful
Still great. I’m averaging 40.1 Mpg. I drive it normally and don’t even think about the fuel efficiency. Last winter it went down to 37Mpg for two months. No issues. This car will be hard to replace. This car’s gas mileage is between 42.2 summer and 32 winter driving. You can drive it normally or hard and don’t have to think about it. It has good acceleration and delivers 188hp when power is needed from both gas and electric motors. Handling is like a normal car, with excellent rear visibility. It is both comfortable in front and back, and is easy to enter and exit. It has a higher seating position which I like. It uses a flat kit and not a spare tire. Welcome to the 80s or 70s. lol. I think by putting the battery under the rear seat they might have had room for a spare. The car's front end, like the Prius is low and the plastic bumper parts can hang on those cement stops in parking lots if you pull to far forward. In that event backing up can pull the lower trim parts out. You can push them in yourself, however the plastic bolts used on the the covers attaching them to the under carriage breaks off easily and are some what expensive to replace for what they are. The car because of its excellent visibility in the rear windows, doesn't need any radar because of the blind spots. So this is considered a negative and not really justified. My car has a rear camera and a warning sound if something is too close when backing up. That engine is shoe horned into the engine compartment and is impossible to easily work on. If Ford had had a small turbo charged 4 that was somewhat fuel efficient like on some of these newer crossovers, Ford could of taken off hundreds of pounds of weight, had room in the trunk for a spare, and wouldn't of sacrificed much in fuel economy like some of their Korean competitors have done. I would of probably bought that over the hybrid. Unfortunately Ford was bent on building a “Prius killer” instead of just selling a good practical car. I read at the time of purchase that the top selling Kia was the Soul. They should of done more market research before making the decision just to sell the Hybrid here in the states. Well I have heard that Ford is exiting the car market and still don't understand that this was more of a MPV vehicle then a car. In shopping for this car in 2017, the dealers didn't have a clue on how to sell this automobile and weren’t very helpful. Consumer reports initially blasted it because of the controversy in the way Ford had used a loop hole in the EPA rating system and reportedly rated this car as having a high MPG rating then it did. Then sometime later reversed it's position saying it was a very good car. Unfortunately the damage was done In regards to bad press and miss stated MPG rating. This car was discontinued in 2018. In the latest Consumer Report book they did list the 2016 model in their lineup of best used autos to own. Update I still own this car as of 6/2020. Mileage on the car is 42K. The tires still have good wear left and the car is holding up well. There is some surface wear on the push start button. All the interior materials are wearing well. I actually have been driving the car a little more aggressively and and there is no MPG penalty. It’s somewhat fun to drive. I am keeping an eye on a possible replacement and see none that I like at this point. Update 12/20. I haven’t put much more mileage on the car because of the pandemic. However aggressive driving doesn’t affect its mileage and the car has a lot of zip. I see some of the other hybrid crossovers are starting to give their cars a little more torque as they are running off the electric motor at lower speeds and are quick to get up to 40 / 50 Mph. Update. 55K on the vehicle. Replaced the tires and the rear wheel bearing went. The wheel bearing was covered under Ford’s extended warranty. However it would of been a $600 repair as they replace the entire assembly. Note: My old Prius front wheel bearing went at 80K and cost the same. Safety recall on transmission shifter cable bushing on 7/22. I had to have the rear brakes and rotors replaced at the same time at a cost of $550. The brakes had developed rust on the rotors and other areas and kept the brakes from operating properly. The car had 56,400 miles on it at the time. The USB charging part in the glove compartment once again isn't operational. I bought a cheap Belkin cigarette lighter USB adapter and use that. The Belkin Chinese parts seem to work better than the Ford Chinese parts at a fraction of the cost. lol. I have been driving the car with the ECO mode off and it's a hoot to drive. There seems to be little fuel economy penalty for this. My rear wheels need to be aligned. The info system started to miss behave. No worries, I just had it reinstall itself and this fixed it. The car now has 70K miles on it. It averages 41.1 Mpgs. Everything is still running fine. I am entertaining at getting a new car but can’t find one that is as fuel efficient, still fun to drive, has an upright comfortable seating position, has great visibility with no blind spots, holds a lot of cargo with the same outside dimensions. These vehicles are multipurpose and Ford did a great job. Unfortunately they discontinued it and have exited the car market. I don’t need a 50k Mustang or a larger SUV.
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2017 Ford C-Max Hybrid for sale near you
3 of 10 listings
- Titanium WagonMSRP: $18,590120 mi away
- SE WagonMSRP: $10,90043 mi away
- Titanium WagonMSRP: $15,998In-stock online
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Ford Hybrid CMax SEL
Monty Catral, 12/07/2016
2016 Ford C-Max Hybrid SE 4dr Wagon (2.0L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)
9 of 9 people found this review helpful
Really fun car to drive specially around town. Always drove a 6 cylinder car but surprise about this 4 cylinder Hybrid very agile and enough power under the hood. If you are looking for a gas miser...this is the car for you.
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Great Car
Tom, 04/29/2017
updated 11/03/2017
2016 Ford C-Max Hybrid SE 4dr Wagon (2.0L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)
9 of 9 people found this review helpful
Bought this about 8 months ago from dealer. It was sold as a used car as the dealer had used it as a service loaner, but it only had 2300 miles on it, so was almost new. I got a great price. So far I am very impressed. Vehicle is very quiet for its compact size and is delivering at or above the EPA ratings. Handling is excellent. Also, it actually doesn't look ugly, unlike the Prius and Prius V.
Great deal on an excellent city car
Jack R., 05/18/2017
2016 Ford C-Max Hybrid SE 4dr Wagon (2.0L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)
9 of 9 people found this review helpful
Incentives for leftover 2016 CMax were fantastic - I was able to lease for three years with a residual that would bring total purchase/lease price under $20K. The car is lacking some items included in 2017 models (e.g. rear camera) but on the whole, the car is technologically light years ahead of my 12 year old Focus. I'm very pleased with the roomy interior while maintaining a compact profile, particularly the ease of getting in and out of the driver's seat. It fills my needs quite well for getting around in city traffic 95% of my driving time.
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Go Cart C-Max
Yvonne, 11/22/2017
updated 06/03/2021
2017 Ford C-Max Hybrid Titanium 4dr Wagon (2.0L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)
19 of 21 people found this review helpful
We had a VW diesel wagon with 40+ mpg on highway and we were looking for a replacement with 40+mpg in the city. We get that and can cruise up to 45 mph in electric mode. C-Max handles, accelerates and is quieter than a Prius. Test drove a Prius found it noisy, slow on to the highway, and lacks handling. 50 mpg is great in a Prius, but not fun to drive especially price you pay. The C-Max is fun to drive with some minor annoyances. Location of gas door release is behind the shifter. The screen layout is not flat and requires awkward touching of screen with fingers. Trunk space is small, but meets our needs. Stay away from CMAX Energy if looking for trunk space. There is no available spare tire. Update: Still happy with CMAX. Fits our needs. Gets about 35 mpg combined in winter and about 40+ mpg in summer. Overall since we bought the vehicle we get 39.2 mpg.
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Much Better Than A Prius
Bobbyd, 05/10/2020
updated 05/16/2022
2017 Ford C-Max Hybrid Titanium 4dr Wagon (2.0L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)
7 of 7 people found this review helpful
I have driven this vehicle for almost 3 years and have been thoroughly satisfied in every way! I love the higher panoramic view compared to the Prius. I pulled up next to a new Prius at the traffic light and was surprised at how much lower the driver sits in the Toyota! Of course, the performance of the Cmax is so much quicker , which is important when merging or passing! The quality, great mileage and comfortable ride will make me keep this car for many years to come! It's 5 stars!!
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our C-Max
Dick, 12/06/2017
updated 12/10/2020
2017 Ford C-Max Hybrid Titanium 4dr Wagon (2.0L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)
14 of 16 people found this review helpful
We like and enjoy the car very much. This is the third C-Max we have owned. Its economical, comfortable, and the backup, side and rear vision is very good. We also like the rear carrying space.
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The "C" doesn't stand for comfort! (Knee pain!)
Mario D, 03/19/2021
updated 06/01/2021
2016 Ford C-Max Hybrid SE 4dr Wagon (2.0L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)
6 of 6 people found this review helpful
Purchased new. Have only 20, xxx miles. Pros: MPG Environmental impact Saves money on gas Easy to get in and out of Relatively quick acceleration Infotainment screen (upgraded to Apple Car Play) Entry keypad Quiet Somewhat smooth ride Heated seats Windshield wiper design Safety Rating Auto Headlights Capless fuel filler Styling Fold/pop-down rear headrests help provide a better view when backing up. Cons: Narrow footwell Pedal placement Seats Ergonomics Convoluted climate controls Build quality Lack of storage space When using small tray/shelf in front of infotainment screen for storage, items tend to hit buttons on screen and turn radio/on and off. Engine/CVT Vibration (look up "CVT rubber-band" effect) Uninspiring CVT feel Engine noise Steering is not precise (seems off/overly sensitive) tends to wander right or left No button to open trunk inside car (have to use key fob) My 2013 Escape had a trunk button inside. The sun visors do not have a side extension like my Escape visor's did, and the visors are much shorter, useless when the sun s at a certain point in the sky. Knee pain: The pedals are too close to each other. The brake pedal is too far to the left. It's not directly under your foot like in other cars. To apply the brake, you have to twist/bend your leg and foot to the left and at an angle that causes knee pain/pressure. The accelerator is placed too far forward. This is also due to the narrow footwell. The seat cushion is a little longer than ones I've sat on in other cars. That could also be causing knee pressure. I also drive a Mazda CX-5 and have no pain whatsoever when operating the pedals or when sitting in the driver seat, even after a 3 hour drive. I also drove a 2013 Escape for 4 years and while the pedals and seats were similar to the C-Max, I was able to get comfortable. It is a problem with this car specifically. Driving position: (Will have to update) As one reviewer stated, the seats are mounted too high, making it difficult to find a comfortable driving position. This is also related to the knee pain. I have tried pumping the seat up and down. I have tried moving it forward and backward. I have also tried adjusting the steering wheel. When I pump the seat up it, feels like I am too close to the ceiling, when I pump the seat down it feels like I am too far away from the steering wheel. I am 5′4″ and not overweight. When I do find a comfortable position, my neck and spine hurt. The seats have poor side bolstering, whenever I go around a turn or winding road, I feel myself sliding out of the seat. They don’t hold you in place very well. The climate controls are poorly designed. I have to take my eyes off the road to change the temp and vent position. Dangerous! Why couldn’t Ford just use knobs?? You have to reach over the shifter and all the way to the right to turn the blower on. The power button should be on the left! The climate control buttons are small and hard to see/feel while driving. The blower is also not powerful and the a/c has a mind of its own making summer driving uncomfortable at times. Build quality: About a year after owning the car, the sunglasses holder jammed and would not close or open properly. The dealer said it was due to a defective latch in the mechanism for the sunglasses holder. We drove with a hole in the roof waiting for the part to come in. The interior door trim and window molding have been loose since the car was relived from the factory. The a pillars make a strange popping/expanding sound when going over bumps. I’ve never heard this in another car, my Escape didn’t exhibit this problem. The dashboard is misaligned around the infotainment screen, there are other little gaps here and there. The paint also chips easily. There is no storage space. They could have found room for a cubby somewhere. There is not much trunk space. A full load of groceries is tight fit. Usually have to fold the back seats down. This car was an upgrade (safety and fuel efficiency) from my Escape. I am glad that it helps the environment and gets great gas mileage. I’m sure the C-Max’s fuel efficiency has already saved lots of money! I also like the safety ratings and the fact that it was easy to add Apple Car Play (videos can be found on youtube). Update: 24,xxx: Driver's side seat-heater seems like it is turning on by itself on low (will have to bring it in to dealer). My lower back was never hot when driving the car before.
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Happy Camper
J Pyott, 09/04/2016
updated 10/05/2017
2016 Ford C-Max Hybrid SEL 4dr Wagon (2.0L 4cyl gas/electric hybrid CVT)
16 of 19 people found this review helpful
UPDATE 10/2017: 10k and still very happy! The wife and I traded in our 2014 Subaru Outback for the 2016 C-max Hybrid. Originally we wanted family road trips which made the Outback our best choice. 2 yrs later we changed to RV travel and our Outback became a commuting car for the wife. So we started thinking about changing that out for something we could eventually Flat Tow behind us. The C-max is on the 2016 dingy list and being a hybrid just made it even more interesting to us. I'm tall 6'4" so entering the C-max was a concern but I didn't bump my head while getting in nor was I looking directly into the visor. Amazingly the headroom in this car is simply A+ for tall people, I have a fist worth of clearance. My wife is 5', she likes the taller seating the C-max has over the Prius models. Everything adjustable is able to accommodate both our needs, something the Prius couldn't do. Our research showed the 2016 C-max Hybrid can be used as a Dingy (flat towed behind an RV) double bonus for our future plan's, Prius isn't on that list. We did read of a few people with negative experience with their C-max, but that can happen to anyone. Seeing positive reviews outnumbered the negative. we went ahead and purchased however we did go with the extended warranty, just in case. Wanted a nice Hybrid that we can tow behind an RV (Dingy) this meets our needs. So far, I can say this car has been FUN to drive just like all the Video Reviews said. Most liked features, Sync 3, Great visibility from inside, small blind spot mirror, quiet interior and smooth highway ride. We purchased the 302A package only. If I could think of anything I would want to be added, it would be MEMORY SEATING and LUMBAR for the passenger.
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