Video: 2014 Ford C-Max Energi Review

This hatchback is fun to drive, but kind of cramped, and did we mention it's sort of expensive? So the real question is, is it all worth it? Visually there isn't a whole lot different between the C-Max Energi and the C-Max Hybrid besides the obvious badging. There's no I in team, but apparently Ford thinks there is in the way it spells Energi. That gets us to this plug here, which leads to the C-Max Energi's battery, which is about 5 1/2 times the capacity of the regular C-Max Hybrid. You plug it in overnight here, it takes between 2 1/2 and 7 hours, depending on outlet strength, and you have about 20 miles of all-electric range, according to the EPA. Now there is a major drawback of that battery, and that comes in the cargo area. That more powerful battery means about 20% less cargo room here versus the regular Hybrid, and that has a couple practical implications. First of all, it raises the load floor by a few inches here, and that means more lifting for you to get things in. The second thing is that items that might've been out of the way here are now up and they can really obstruct your view out back. It makes an already tight cabin situation even worse. Backseat space is okay, but upfront here, your knees are kind of hemmed in between this large outcropping of the dashboard and these very thick doors. There's not a lot of open storage space here either, once you get beyond the cup holders and the door pockets. Usability also a little bit of an issue. If you put the gear shift into Park, it obscures a lot of the center controls here. And even when you're down in Drive, these climate dials right here, they're really short, they don't fall easily to hand. The center screen here up top, that's got another issue too, and it's this big hood here over the top. That does cut down on some of the sun glare, but if you're sitting up really high, it obscures things like the clock. Overall, this cabin looks really good, but I got to say usability and space both need some work. Now, once you get past the Energi's EV range, it drives a lot like the Hybrid with one exception, and that's the brake pedal. Kind of a clunky feeling here in our test car. And that's possibly because the Energi weighs about 250 pounds more than the Hybrid, but otherwise very good drivability, good ride and handling characteristics and a smooth transition from EV to engine power and that 15 or 20 miles or so of EV range in the Energi actually comes with quite a bit of good passing power there. Now you add it all up and EPA gas mileage beyond that EV range only about 38 miles per gallon, not so great. That's in Chevy Volt territory, below the 50 miles per gallon EPA that the Toyota Prius Hybrid, plug-in Hybrid gets. The Energi comes in one well-equipped trim level, and after maximum tax credits, ends up costing about the same as a similarly equipped Hybrid. But here's the kicker. The Hybrid has a base trim that starts about three grand cheaper and both Hybrid trims get two miles per gallon better in EPA combined ratings. So if you're driving on a lot of long road trips, you're gonna be using a lot of gas, and the Energi is actually gonna cost you more right here. You make the call. (car engine roaring)