Got a Ford C-Max SEL hybrid thought Hertz. They are either pretty new or completely forgettable since I didn't even know what the hell it was when I got in it. I had to check the tailgate at my first stop to figure it out. I thought it was actually pretty good. Don't get me wrong, the ride and driving experience didn't reach above quality economy car standards but that is still a massive improvement over the Prius. The Ford designers also didn't feel the same need Toyota did to tailor the driver interface toward beating a "Look at you, you're driving a hybrid! Great work champ!" message in to my head. The leather had a quality feel to it and it did have Sync, but a more basic version than what they put in the Explorer. I guess Hertz either didn't get or removed the GPS so people will pay for Neverlost instead.
There were a few things I didn't like. You already mentioned the Sync system Lee and I have to agree, it doesn't work very well. Even in the basic version in the C-Max with the AC separate I expect it would be a very expensive hassle if something goes wrong with it. The two small displays in the instrument cluster that are linked to it only add to the complexity and chance of a problem. Maybe the hardware will be reliable as hell and it will never be a problem, but that is a pretty big risk. The powertrain was a bit of an adjustment as well. This was the first time I drove a car with a CVT and I have to echo the comments of others, I didn't like it too much. It may be something I would get used to but in my short time with the C-Max I found it odd.
That being said if I were in the market for a hybrid I found the C-Max to be massively better than the Prius.
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