Ford B-MAX

The Ford B-MAX is more than just a fancy set of doors. Sure, the Easy Access system is far better than the Vauxhall Meriva and its front-opening rear doors, but it’s as much about how this car drives and its other practical features that enable it to top the small MPV class. By doing away with the B-pillar, getting adults or children into the back is as easy as it could possibly be. And by using the Ford Fiesta as a basis, this car drives with more verve and more comfort than a Meriva or Honda Jazz. The 1.0-litre EcoBoost engines are fun and frugal, while its price is on a par with rivals (even before you take into account the generous discounts available).

Styling
The B-MAX features another interpretation of Ford’s Kinetic Design, making the car more attractive than many of its high roof, short-wheelbase rivals. It’s not as dashing as a Fiesta, but it makes the Vauxhall Meriva look a bit dumpy. Swoopy front headlights, wraparound rear lights and zig-zag lines on the rear doors help to avoid a slab-sided look for such an upright little car. The inside is all Fiesta, with a stylish dashboard that puts fashion ahead of function – there are far too many buttons around the infotainment system to make it easy to use. But even the way the seatbelts have been incorporated into the front seats (they have to be as there’s no B pillar to hang them off) has been done with style.

Driving
This is no Ford Fiesta to drive - but it’s not far off. The ride is far more comfortable than in a Honda Jazz or Vauxhall Meriva, and it scores higher on the fun factor, too. The steering feels alive, with much better response than you’d expect from a small MPV, while grip levels are high, as is refinement, even when the tuneful 1.0-litre three cylinder engines are under the bonnet. The 118bhp EcoBoost 1.0 is our favourite for its blend of performance and economy, although the 1.6 diesel is the most fuel and tax efficient. That diesel has plenty of poke once you’re off the line, but is a bit growly when you accelerate. The 1.5 diesel may be cheaper to buy, but its stats show it’s sluggish and no more economical than the 1.6 diesel. The only way into an automatic B-MAX is with the old-school 1.6 petrol, which is not the best performing or most economical of engine, so it's best avoided in our opinion.

Reliability
Ford doesn’t have the greatest scores in our Driver Power survey, but that’s more about service back-up than any specific reliability issues. We wouldn’t expect the B-MAX to leave you stranded. In spite of the missing B-pillar, safety is a strong point for the B-MAX with plenty of airbags, stability control and traction control fitted as standard. The doors do most of the work of the missing pillar, with extra strengthening in the frame, floor and roof of the car. That does mean the doors are a bit chunky, creating something of a blind spot over the shoulder, but they’re not too heavy. Otherwise, visibility at the front and back is good.

Practicality
Practicality is where the B-MAX really scores. Despite its compact dimensions, it offers plenty of space inside, although in reality not that much more than in a Vauxhall Meriva. Instead it’s the way the space is accessed that’s so incredible – through Ford’s Easy Access system. By doing away with the B-pillar, the B-MAX is far easier to get in and out of than pretty much any other car. The sliding rear doors are a further bonus when it comes to tight parking spaces, too. The boot is a good, square shape and offers more than 300 litres of space, with a false floor to hide valuables underneath or drop down for maximum room. At its higher setting and with the rear seats folded (which is easy to do) there’s a long flat load space that can be extended by folding the front passenger seat flat.

Running Costs
Ford’s fantastic three-cylinder EcoBoost engine features strongly in the B-MAX. It’s not an especially cheap version to buy, but offers strong mpg (well above 50) for a petrol engine and is worth considering for that and the added pizzazz it brings to the car. We’d go for the more powerful 118bhp version, though. Of the diesels, the 1.6 TDCI offers a claimed average fuel consumption figure of 70.6mpg and the lowest emissions of any current B-MAX model – 104g/km. It’s more expensive to buy than the 1.5 diesel, but better on economy, emissions and performance. Only one automatic B-MAX is available, with a 1.6-litre petrol that claims average mpg of 44.1 with emissions of 149g/km.

Ford C-Max Energi

Ford recently introduced the five-seat C-Max to America; in a nutshell, it’s a Focus platform–based, high-roofed wagon. But whereas the European C-Max is available with conventional drivetrains—and seven seats—the U.S.-spec version follows the Toyota Prius’s script in being all-hybrid, all the time. That makes it Ford’s first dedicated hybrid model for our market, a move the company hopes will give the little vanlet added visibility among environmentally sensitive shoppers.

In early 2013, Ford will start offering Americans a second variant of the C-Max, the plug-in hybrid Energi, which we recently sampled. It uses essentially the same powertrain as the hybrid—an efficient 148-hp, Atkinson-cycle 2.0-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine coupled to a 118-hp electric motor through Ford’s own HF35 eCVT Powersplit transaxle. The combined peak output is 188 hp, considerably more than either the Chevrolet Volt or the Toyota Prius plug-in hybrid, the two other affordable plug-ins currently on the market. (Wall-chargeable versions of the Honda Accord and Ford Fusion will be available soon.)

The key enhancement that turns a C-Max hybrid into an Energi is a much larger lithium-ion battery pack under the floor of the luggage area. With a capacity of 7.6 kWh, the Energi’s battery can propel the car for the first 21 miles of a journey on electric power, according to the EPA tests. When that battery is depleted, the gasoline engine fires up and the Energi runs just like the hybrid, using the combination of the gasoline engine and the electric motor to achieve an EPA combined mpg of 43. City mileage is pegged at 44 mpg, highway at 41.

Creating the Energi required more than more cells, though. There’s also a shorter final drive ratio for improved acceleration, a big deal because, in electric mode, the Energi is down 70 hp. Beefed up cooling for the electric motor and control electronics helps keep those items from overheating during sustained use.

We started our daylong test drive in and around San Francisco with a fully charged battery, although the instrument-panel readout only showed a range of 18 miles. After about 20 minutes of loading and unloading gear with the lights on, that figure fell to 14 miles, but during our short, electron-fueled run, the electric motor’s instant response made it very easy to squirt through city traffic. The steep hills in San Francisco posed no challenge for the Energi’s electric powertrain.

On the highway, however, the 118-hp electric motor was breathing hard. While it could sustain 75 mph—top speed in electric mode is listed as 85 mph—flooring the “gas” pedal above 70 mph gave only basically no indication of acceleration; we had to look at the speedometer needle to verify that we were, in fact, gaining speed.

We killed the battery after 11 miles, at which point the gasoline engine fired up automatically and completely imperceptibly. With all 188 ponies available, the C-Max Energi’s highway behavior becomes somewhat normal, and it fairly quickly topped 90 mph. In doing so, however, the CVT revs the gasoline over 5000 rpm and delivers the familiar constant and somewhat annoying drone.

Like nearly all current-generation Fords, the C-Max is very nice to drive. The body structure is tight and solid; the suspension has a European, well-damped feel; and the steering is accurate and nicely weighted, although without much feel in this case.

 Hustling along a back road is fun until you reach seven-tenths—enthusiast-speak for the point where most people start to grow uncomfortable. Go beyond that and approach the car’s limits, and the estimated 3900-pound curb weight, the low-rolling resistance tires, and the high center of gravity make their presence felt. Confidently easing the car into corners isn’t helped by a brake pedal that feels synthetic in the first quarter of its travel—a not-unusual trait in blended regenerative and friction systems such as the one found in the Energi. The CVT isn’t the driver’s friend on winding roads either, as the transmission is always out of step with what you’re asking it to do.

Now, let’s go back to the peaceful reality where 99.9 percent of Energi buyers live. Most of those folks won’t be searching for sports-car roads to conquer in the C-Max Energi. The car is a highly practical urban people mover that packs a huge amount of space within its 173.6-inch length. Thanks to the tall roof and upright seating positions, four six-footers will fit in the C-Max without banging their heads or knees. And even with the load floor raised about eight inches to accommodate the large battery, the Energi has 19 cubic feet of luggage space, rising to 43 with the rear seat folded.

Compared with the Volt and the Prius plug-in—both of which are about three inches longer than the C-Max—the Ford is roomier in the front, and much more spacious in the back. Also, it has almost double the luggage space of the Volt, although a little less than the Prius.

Priced at $29,995 after a $3750 federal electric-car tax credit, the C-Max also delivers good value, undercutting the Volt by some $2500. Of course, the Volt does offer 38 miles of electric-only driving range—almost double the C-Max Energi’s. The Energi’s EPA-estimated 620-mile driving range between gas fill-ups is another point in its favor, though. And compared with the Prius plug-in, the C-Max nearly doubles the Toyota’s 11-mile electric range, costs $265 less, and can exceed the Toyota’s 62-mph pure-electric top speed.

Ford believes that these qualities put the C-max Energi in the sweet spot of the plug-in hybrid market. We’re inclined to agree, although the car’s biggest competitor might just be the regular-ol’ non-plug-in C-Max hybrid, which is cheaper by about four grand when taking the credit into account, has 25 percent more luggage space, and is rated for 47 mpg. Whichever option they choose, though, C-Max buyers shouldn’t be disappointed

Review Ford Mustang 2013

A new volume knob on the radio represents big news to Mustang loyalists, and so we are preparing for a virtual meltdown in the online Mustang community. Ford is debuting the 2013 model at the Los Angeles auto show this week before the car hits dealerships in early 2012, and it has undergone some significant changes.

Most important for aesthetes, the Mustang gets a nose job. There's a more-prominent grille, an aggressive front splitter, new headlights with outboard LED light pipes, and a new hood with functional heat extractors. The rocker panels are now body color, and out back, the signature sequential taillamps also are ringed in LED light "ropes," with the lenses themselves tinted. A gloss-black panel spans the width of the rear and encircles both taillights. Also look for new wheel designs in 17-, 18-, and 19-inch sizes, including mean-looking gloss-black 19s only available on the GT. Two new paint colors join the lineup for 2013: Deep Impact Blue and Gotta Have It Green, and those with the itch for kitsch will be thrilled with the inclusion of "pony projection lights" that cast the Mustang logo on the ground below the mirrors when the doors are unlocked.

Inside, the Recaro front seats currently found inside the GT500 and theBoss 302 are available on the rest of the lineup, too, with either cloth or leather upholstery. Thankfully-and unlike most recently refreshed Ford products-the Mustang does not adopt Ford's maligned MyFord Touch controls. Its infotainment system does incorporate a version of Ford's Sync system, however, which is operated via steering-wheel controls and spoken commands. Two new sound-system upgrades also are available for 2013.

Even bigger news is the addition of a new Track Apps option for versions of the V-6, GT, and Boss 302 that are equipped with the Premium package. Like the Performance pages offered on Chrysler, Dodge, and Jeep SRT8s but with richer presentation, Track Apps shows various performance data on a digital display tucked in the IP. Specific screens present acceleration times, lateral-acceleration information, and braking performance.

And of Course, More Power

Ford claims that lessons learned during the development of the Boss 302 allowed engineers to squeeze a few more ponies out of the GT's 5.0-liter V-8. The new total: 420, up from 412. Buyers who option their Mustangs with automatic transmissions can now shift gears manually, but we don't know why they would. Shifts are actuated with a button on the shifter, rather than by slapping the shifter around or pulling on paddles behind the steering wheel. In manual mode, the automatic won't upshift at redline, but we hardly care, given that the manumatic function as a whole seems utterly unsatisfying.