If you are a customer looking to optimize your hybrid car experience, the all-new 2013 Ford C-Max Energi SEL could be the right car for you. This impressive new offering from the Blue Oval has the potential to be another home run in the improving U.S. auto market.

Looks aren’t everything in a car, and that holds even truer when one is looking for fuel efficiency. But when a car looks good, there is no better starting point. With the 2013 Ford C -Max Energi SEL, we might have the first true hybrid that can boasts good looks as one of the main selling points. Ford was smart by taking the European Focus C-Max and transforming that car into one of the best cars on the market. Our test model sported 17-inch machined aluminum wheels, fog lamps, power lift gate and keyless entry. The ruby red metallic paint looked incredible on the C -Max Energi SEL, adding just enough bling to a car that is all about making smarts. The C-MAX line also features the company’s innovative hands-free liftgate, which allows quick and easy access to the cargo area without ever needing to fumble for keys. A gentle kicking motion under the rear bumper opens the liftgate when used in combination with a key fob the user keeps in his or her pocket or purse that tells the car it’s okay to engage. The same motion can be used to close the liftgate.

C-Max Energi provides customers with plenty of interior versatility and flexibility along with the urban maneuverability of a smaller vehicle. The sight lines in the 2013 Ford C-Max Energi SEL are as good as any car or truck we’ve tested, and that makes us feel like better drivers on the road. The C-Max line features a high roof design that gives each vehicle an overall height of 64 inches along with a higher command-style seat position instead of a cockpit type. It also features five-passenger seating that includes a split, fold-flat second-row seat. In C-Max Energi, there’s 43.4 cubic feet behind the first row and 19.2 cubic feet behind the second row, which we found somewhat limited.

Our test model was equipped with ambient lighting, dual zone climate control, in-floor storage in the rear of the car, black leather trimmed seats with a 10-way power driver’s seat, leather-wrapped shift knob and steering wheel, premium audio and navigation package, hands-free technology package, rearview camera and automated parking system. The feel of the cabin materials were what you would expect in a luxury car, and the overall interior space was smart and stylish. Because of the multiple driving options regarding power source, the dashboard was easy to navigate and understand. There is a lot of Escape DNA in the interior of the 2013 Ford C-Max Energi, which adds some styling flair to this very cool ride.

Read the rest of this entry »