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Ford C-Max sales unhurt by fuel economy flub

The Ford C-Max Hybrid's sales are faring just fine, despite the PR pounding the car took because of worse-than-promised gas mileage. C-Max Hybrid sales climbed 12 percent last month. 

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Rebecca Cook/Reuters/File
A 2013 Ford C-MAX Hybrid vehicleon display outside the Michigan Assembly Plant in Wayne, Michigan last year. C-Max sales have been largely unaffected by the controversy surrounding the car's gas mileage.
  • By Stephen Edelstein Guest blogger

Despite taking a PR pounding from overrated mileage estimates, the Ford C-Max Hybrid seems to be doing fine.

Thanks to growing sales of the C-Max Hybrid five-door hatchback, Ford will continue to push the C-Max as a high-efficiency rival to the Toyota Prius.
 
 Jim Farley, Ford's executive vice president of global marketing, sales, service, and Lincoln, told Automotive News (sub. required) that the company didn't "see any reason to change," and that customers have reacted well to the vehicle.

Indeed, they have.

C-Max hybrid sales for August were up 12 percent over July, with 3,032 units sold.

According to Ford, the C-Max Energi plug-in also had its best sales month of the year, with 621 units sold.

Ford was also keen to note that nearly two-thirds of C-Max hybrid sales came from conquest buyers, with the Toyota Prius being one of the top trade-ins.

Ford also notes that even the C-Max hybrid’s revised, lower mileage ratings best the Toyota Prius V’s. The C-Max is rated at 43 mpg combined (45 mpg city, 40 mpg highway), and the Prius V is rated at 42 mpg combined (44 mpg city, 40 mpg highway).

However, Ford often compares the C-Max to the classic Prius Liftback when discussing cargo space. That Toyota is rated at 50 mpg combined (51 mpg city, 48 mpg highway).

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