It’s official the U.S. spec 2012 Ford C-Max is coming to a Ford dealership near you.
Just think of it as a real minivan…as in a small or “mini” van.
Do you remember the days when minivans were really mini?
Those days are back, and Ford is bringing the popular European C-segment MPV to America.
Currently the only other C-segment MPV sold in the States is the Mazda5, and Mazda sells about 15,000 to 20,000 each year.
What makes the Ford C-Max unique is what Ford calls “five-plus-two” seating. In other words, five adults fit comfortably in the car along with two kids. Ford has added a magic middle second row seat to the C-Max that folds out of the way in a very clever manner. Check out the video below for a fun demonstration.
Another unique feature of the C-Max is a passive hands-free liftgate. As long as you have the key fob on you, all you have to do is wave your foot under the rear bumper, which activates a hidden sensor, which opens the lift gate. Once again check out the video below for a fun demo.
According to Ford, “The new C-MAX also heralds the arrival of Ford’s first application of the all-new 1.6-liter EcoBoost I-4 engine in its North American C-class vehicles, delivering a combination of responsive performance with improved fuel economy and reduced CO2 emissions.”
The engine puts out 180 hp and 173 lb-ft of torque, and is mated to a six-speed gearbox. As you might except the C-Max is available only in front-wheel drive, and you get 17-inch wheels all around on all three trim levels.
“The scale and flexibility of our global new C-vehicle platform enables us to develop distinct vehicles including C-MAX,” said Derrick Kuzak, Ford group vice president of Global Product Development. “It’s a ‘white space’ vehicle here in North America – a new choice – and we believe buyers will appreciate the technology, convenience and functionality C-MAX packs into a neat package.”
