Friday, August 31, 2012
Thursday, August 30, 2012
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
2013 Ford C-Max Hybrid
CNET Editors' Take
August 28, 2012 4:23 PM PDT
"It's a van; it's a hatchback; it's a wagon? It's the 2013 Ford C-Max Hybrid and its tall, liftback design is not exactly any of those things. Ford's betting that this blend of small-car parkability, wagon flexibility, and crossover visibility will be a hit with urban drivers looking for a do-everything runabout. Helping to seal the deal for these city dwellers is the C-Max's hybrid power train, which offers Prius-battling levels of power and efficiency.
Design
In pictures and when isolated on a platform at a car show, the C-Max looks like a little minivan. I imagined something about the size of the Mazda5. However, when approaching the C-Max at ground level in a parking lot, I was surprised to find that Ford's little multipassenger vehicle (MPV) isn't that much larger than the Ford Focus with which it shares its Ford Global C Platform. The C-Max also shares Ford's Kinetic design language styling cues with the Focus and Escape. Take those two vehicles, toss them into a blender, and the resulting car will resemble the C-Max in both size and style. The Escape is already a fairly small crossover, so the C-Max's proximity to it in size possibly explains why the automaker dropped the Escape Hybrid for this generation. The C-Max Hybrid's dimensions also fall between two of Toyota's dedicated hybrid vehicles, offering more passenger volume than the Prius, but with a smaller footprint than the Prius v.
The C-Max is a tall five-seater that places more emphasis on passenger space than cargo room behind the rear bench. By doing this, Ford was able to create a smallish vehicle that is easy to park in cramped city conditions, but with enough room for four over-6-foot-tall adults to sit comfortably. Fold the rear seat-backs flat and the C-Max's cargo space opens up with plenty of space for bulky items. Ford tells me that you could fit two mountain bikes (presumably with their front wheels removed) back there.
Convenience through technology
The C-Max Hybrid's cabin is filled with technology that is familiar to many of Ford's current generation of vehicles.
First, there's the Ford Sync by Microsoft suite of voice command technologies. This system puts hands-free dialing of contacts, access to music stored on a connected portable media player, and a number of other vehicle systems just a tap of a button and a voice command away. So drivers can say, "Call Brian Tong's mobile" or "Play Artist, John Legend."
Built on top of that is the MyFord Touch in-dash infotainment system that adds touch-screen access to audio sources, climate controls, and turn-by-turn navigation. While this system has received a number of updates since I last spent time with it, CNET's Wayne Cunningham found that the system wasn't ready for prime time when he recently tested it from behind the wheel of the Ford Focus Electric.
Ford's Smartgauge instrument cluster, which I've loved since its debut on the Ford Fusion Hybrid, makes a return appearance as a standard feature on the C-Max Hybrid. This three-part instrument cluster features a physical speedometer that is flanked by a pair of user-configurable color LCDs that are controlled by a pair of directional pads on the steering wheel. The right LCD allows the user to view turn-by-turn directions from the navigation system, the currently playing media source, or information about the current hands-free call. There's also an option to display one of those eco-gauges that tells you how "greenly" you're driving by generating little virtual vines with virtual leaves. Meanwhile, the left gauge allows the driver to view trip computer information or any of four driving monitors (Inform, Empower, Engage, and Enlighten) that allow the driver to monitor everything from the current state of the hybrid system to the current fuel economy to the relationship between the accelerator pedal and the gas-electric switch of the hybrid system.
There are also a few deceptively simple convenience options that aim to make life easier for the C-Max owner. For example, the foot-activated liftgate. When approaching the vehicle with full hands and the smart-key transponder in pocket, the C-Max user can simply hold one foot momentarily under the C-Max's rear bumper to activate the power liftgate. Ford tells me that sensors beneath the car are programmed to look for a living object in the shape of a human foot, so a cat sneaking beneath the bumper shouldn't accidentally trigger the liftgate.
The C-Max is also available with Ford's outstanding automatic parallel-parking system, one of the best and easiest-to-use systems that we've ever tested thanks to its one-button activation and automatic parking-space finder. We've tested this system already from behind the wheel of the Ford Focus Titanium and a few Lincoln vehicles.
Ford's hybrid power train
Under the C-Max Hybrid's short hood is a 2.0-liter Atkinson cycle, four-cylinder engine. Power is rated at 141 horsepower and 129 pound-feet of torque. However, that gasoline engine is not alone in the engine bay. It's joined by an electric motor that bumps the output to a combined 188 horsepower and can power the vehicle under pure electric goodness to up to 62 mph, if you can massage the speedometer that high with a light right foot. Power exits the hybrid engine through the front wheels via a continuously variable transmission (eCVT). Juice for the electric motor comes from a 1.4kWh lithium ion battery pack.
Fuel economy for the 2013 C-Max Hybrid has been rated at 47 mpg across the board -- city, highway, and combined. I wasn't able to confirm that claim during my short drive, but if the average driver can match it, then the C-Max will have bested the Toyota Prius v's 134 combined horsepower and 42 combined mpg.
My short drive in the C-Max took place on the crowded roads surrounding San Francisco's Embarcadero district. With the Smartgauge set to its Empower mode (displaying the fuel economy, power output of the hybrid system, and cutoff point where accelerator pressure would cause the C-Max to switch out of EV mode), I found it easy to keep the hybrid in its EV mode for the first few miles as I dodged tourists on bicycles and overly aggressive pedestrians.
I found the C-Max Hybrid's cabin to be fantastically quiet during this first leg of the trip, thanks in part to the lack of combustion noise from the dormant gasoline engine and vehicle's sealed and insulated cabin. Potholes and imperfections in the road were soaked up without drama or protests from the chassis.
When traffic opened up, I was able to give the accelerator a good squeeze and found that it wasn't lacking in the power department. Now, 188 combined horsepower isn't a ton, but it's more than enough to get little MPV up to speed. Bringing the vehicle to a stop caused the Empower display to be replaced, momentarily, by a brake-regen meter that shows how effectively I was making use of the regenerative braking system.
Is it better than the Prius v? That's difficult to tell right now. The brief drive in the preproduction tester didn't include any highway speed driving and was not long enough to make a full assessment of the C-Max's fuel economy claims, but I was pleased with the hybrid's around-town manners. We're expecting to revisit the C-Max soon for a longer evaluation period, so stay tuned.
Pricing and availability
When it debuts at Ford dealerships in September, the C-Max will be Ford's first hybrid-only marquee for the U.S. market. There will not be a standard nonhybrid model -- although such a vehicle is available outside of the U.S. -- but there will be a plug-in hybrid C-Max Energi that will debut in late 2012.
The C-Max Hybrid will start at $25,200 for the base SE model and will max out at around $30,695 for a fully loaded SEL model with the hands-free liftgate, automatic parking, premium audio, and navigation."
Monday, August 27, 2012
Friday, August 24, 2012
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
These Ford lovers left 5-Star reviews on Yahoo Local after their incredible experiences!
"I have purchased two cars from Fairfield Ford and it was an incredibly positive experience - I highly recommend them!"
"I absolutely love my new Ford Escape!!!! My boyfriend and I happened to get it as a rental car in Las Vegas when we were on vacation and had so much driving it I decided when I was to buy a new car, that would be the one. Two weeks ago I picked up my fully loaded Ford Escape and I am in love. The dealership in Fairfield is filled with friendly and knowledgeable people from the Sales staff to Finance and Managers. I would definitely recommend this dealership, its staff and fantastic deals, but mostly I would recommend grabbing the 2012 Ford Escape while you still can. :) "
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Is Lincoln getting its own version of the Ford Escape?
By Posted Aug 13th 2012 4:57PM
"Lincoln may be working on a new small crossover built on the same platform as the Ford Escape. Our spy photographers recently spotted this early development vehicle out on public streets around Detroit. Slightly larger than its non-luxury sire, the model may bow with a new interpretation of the Ecoboost four-cylinder. It doesn't take a keen eye to spot the larger intercooler stuck low in the hacked front fascia of the Escape. Word has it the vehicle could make use of a new 2.7-liter turbocharged, direct-injection four-cylinder engine, though power figures are still absent at the moment.
What will Lincoln call its newest addition? Chances are the company will stick with the confusing MK-based naming structure it currently uses, and early reports hint the CUV may fly under the MKD banner. Why D? Your guess is as good as ours. The luxury CUV segment is a volume powerhouse at the moment, and Lincoln would be wise to offer buyers a product in that segment. Whether the MKD can manage to be more than a gussied-up Ford remains to be seen, however."
Monday, August 20, 2012
Awesome service specials are here at Ford Fairfield
Thursday, August 16, 2012
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
Raptor vs. Rover: Ford Compares F-150 SVT Raptor to NASA’s Mars Rover Curiosity
Written by: Christian Seabaugh [G+] on August 2 2012 4:00 AM
"The Ford F-150 SVT Raptor may be one of the baddest off-roaders on Earth, but Ford wanted to see how it would compare with something a bit more, well, alien. With NASA’s Mars Rover Curiosity about to land on the red planet, Ford created this helpful infographic comparing the specs of the Raptor to the ultimate off-road Mars vehicle.
So how does the Raptor stack up with the Curiosity? Well if speed’s your thing, you’ll want the Raptor, which tops out around 100 mph. The Curiosity, on the other hand, is only capable of 500 feet/hour or roughly 0.095 mph. If you’re on a budget, the Raptor is also has the advantage, considering its $43,970 base price is dwarfed by the Rover Curiosity’s $2.5 billion program cost.
That said, there are aspects where the Curiosity gets the edge on the Raptor. For example, the Curiosity’s six wheels are powered by electric motors, which are powered by a nuclear thermoelectric generator fueled by 10.6 pounds of plutonium dioxide. Ford’s chart notes the Curiosity produces up to 500 lb-ft of torque at each wheel. The Raptor, in comparison, only has a single 6.2-liter V-8 that runs on boring-old 91 octane, and makes ‘only’ 411 hp and 434 lb-ft of torque.
If you find yourself more interested in the Mars Rover Curiosity than the Raptor, the closest you can get to owning one is probably the 1:64 scale Hot Wheels version, which is set to arrive in stores by September."
Monday, August 13, 2012
Friday, August 10, 2012
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
Ford's MyFord Smartphone App Updates EV Charging Station Database More Than You'll Need
By Posted Aug 2nd 2012 7:54AM
"Sure, there are more plug-in cars on the market this year than last, but there's another big sign that EVs are here to say: the rapid growth of charging stations. Ford, which is promoting its updated MyFord Mobile app, says that the U.S. Department of Energy currently counts 9,445 public stations in the U.S., mostly clustered along the coasts, in Michigan and Texas. Two-and-a-half-years ago, at the end of 2009, there were just 2,500 such stations. In fact, Ford says 6,000 have been added in the last six months. That's a lot to keep up with.
To stay on top of the changes, Ford is announcing that the app's EV station database is now updated daily – daily! – from "various sources" to keep drivers of cars like the Focus Electric or C-Max Energi in the know about where plugs are located. The app uses MapQuest but "charging stations" is not yet on option under the "travel services" bar in the standard, online MapQuest. Aside from the local plug search, the app also allows remote charging management and battery state of charge."
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