Ford Lowers 2014 C-Max Fuel Economy Rating in US by 5mpg

FordFordUnited States of America, 1903 > present92 models
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has bowed to pressure and is lowering the fuel economy rating of the C-MaxFord C-MAX Gen.2United Kingdom, 2010 > present103 versions
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Hybrid in the US by 5mpg. Ford will pay $550 to buyers and $325 to lessees of the 2013 C-Max as restitution for the lower than expected fuel economy. The 2013 car was rated at 47mpg average fuel economy and was plagued by criticism from the press that it was impossible to actually reach these numbers. The 2014 car has been rerated at having average fuel economy of 43mpg, 45mpg in the city and 40mpg on the highway. It is also performing upgrades to the 2014 to make the stated fuel economy easier to reach. 

For the 2014 C-Max Hybrid, Ford has also upgraded the engine software, changed the gearing, modified the aerodynamics and will use engine oil with less friction to further improve fuel economy. The hood seal, air deflectors around the tires, A-pillar moldings and hatchback deflectors have been tweaked to improve the car's general aerodynamics. 

The 2014 C-Max will go on sale in December.

Ford says that the reason that the 2013 C-Max's fuel economy was so high was due to the way it calculates fuel economy. Because there are so many new cars and engines each year, the US Environmental Protection Agency does not actually test each car. Instead, it allows the automakers to do the test, which can be based on shared engines from an automaker. Ford says that it tested the Fusion Hybrid instead of the C-Max hybrid because they share a powertrain, and the Fusion Hybrid was expected to have higher sales volumes. It applied the Fusion Hybrid'sFord Fusion Gen.2United States of America, 2012 > present30 versions
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fuel economy to the C-Max Hybrid without ever actually performing the EPA test on the C-Max.