I examined the C-Max, now, I can forget about it!!

We spent yesterday at the Lehigh Valley Auto Show where I got my first opportunity to really give the C-Max a close going over. I have to say I was UNDER-WHELMED! Since it was a car about which I had a bit of buyer remorse over my Prius v5, I, now can state, unequivocally, my concerns were without merit!

Briefly, I thought the C-Max to be JUNK! Outside, it's ugly, looking like a badly disfigured and out of proportion Prius v. There's not an attractive line on the car! Headlights are cheap, appearing as something off of a turn of the century car. Certainly not state of the art, 2013. Interior, from the driver's seat, seems geared towards flash rather than practicality and function, with displays intended to impress rather than to be of actual value (a growing branch with leaves? GIVE ME A BREAK! What are we children?) The panel itself seems to be intended to impress with it's complexity rather than user friendliness. Controls are scattered everywhere, seemingly with no rhyme or reason for their location. Little seems to have had any serious thought as to its placement.

Located on the console is a standard appearing transmission selector which, when in the PARK position, obstructs controls! Who thinks of these things, an amateur? The dash is covered with that sticky vinyl covering, about which I keep hearing said, is "much upgraded" over what you get in our cars". They couldn't be more wrong: it's obviously CHEAP both in appearance and in feel!

Moving to the back seat, it's a bench with just slightly better padding than you'd find in your nearest community park; meaning, virtually none! It's uncomfortable and you sit on it rather than into it. Don't plop yourself down too hard though, doing so will jolt your eyeballs.

We've all heard about Ford's false and misleading EPA gas mileage claims which are proving to be vastly overstated. I must add to those lies, challenging their stated numbers for interior volume as well. There's just no way there's more room, passenger or luggage, inside this monstrosity of a car than there is in my v. It feels tiny, narrow and with a console that intrudes on driver/front passenger space. Back seat leg room does not compare to what we have in the v! My personal experience with my v is that virtually ever passenger who rides in my back seat comments about how comfortable and roomy it is back there, proclaiming it as being the most comfortable in which they've ridden. There's no way a passenger sitting in the C-Max back seat will feel the same!

On the plus side, I do wish we had the C-Max outside mirrors with their turn indicators and puddle lights. Oh....and their seat heater controls are much better placed and designed with more variables as to their settings. That's it! Other than those two minor items, this car is NOT ONE TO BE CONSIDERED AS LONG AS TOYOTA HAS THEIR PRIUS V ON THE MARKET AS AN ALTERNATIVE! C-Max would be better named C-MIN. It's nothing at all!

Any remaining buyer's remorse I had, now, is GONE!!