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Ford C-MAX Hybrid vs. Toyota Prius

iSeeCars' unbiased and data-driven comparison of the Ford C-MAX Hybrid and Toyota Prius contrasts the two cars across a broad spectrum of vehicle specifications to determine which car is better. In addition to comparing pricing and specs, iSeeCars uses all the ratings, rankings, and insights from its comprehensive analyses of each vehicle model, including calculations of reliability, safety, depreciation, value retention, and the vehicle's projected lifetime recalls (based on analyzing over 25 billion data points). This in-depth evaluation is used to identify which vehicle represents a better overall choice for shoppers who are considering both the Ford C-MAX Hybrid and the Toyota Prius.

In comparing the Ford C-MAX Hybrid's and the Toyota Prius's specifications and ratings, the Ford C-MAX Hybrid has the advantage in the areas of typical lower range of pricing for one- to five-year-old used cars, interior volume and base engine power. The Toyota Prius has the advantage in the area of fuel efficiency. Based on this comparison of the Ford C-MAX Hybrid's and the Toyota Prius's specifications and ratings, the Ford C-MAX Hybrid is a better car than the Toyota Prius.

Pricing: A used 2018 Ford C-MAX Hybrid ranges from $6,652 to $18,988 while a used 2018 Toyota Prius is priced between $12,677 to $24,562.

Engine Power and Fuel Efficiency Comparison: For engine performance, the Ford C-MAX Hybrid’s base engine makes 188 horsepower, and the Toyota Prius base engine makes 121 horsepower. The C-MAX Hybrid is rated to deliver an average of 40 miles per gallon, with a highway range of 513 miles. The Prius is rated to deliver an average of 52 miles per gallon, with a highway range of 565 miles. This gives the Toyota Prius the fuel efficiency and maximum range advantage over the Ford C-MAX Hybrid. Both models use regular unleaded.

Passenger Space Comparison: The Ford C-MAX Hybrid has the advantage of offering more interior volume, reflected in more front head room, front shoulder room, front leg room, rear head room, rear shoulder room and rear leg room. The Toyota Prius has the advantage in the area of cargo space.

Safety Ratings: The Toyota Prius has an average safety rating of 5 out of 5 Stars based on NHTSA's crash test ratings.

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Model & Pricing
Ford C-MAX Hybrid
Toyota Prius

2018 Ford C-MAX Hybrid
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Ford C-MAX Hybrid for Sale

2018 Toyota Prius
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Toyota Prius for Sale

New Car Pricing

Asking Price:

-

Starting MSRP:

24120

Category Avg Starting MSRP:

N/A

Category Starting MSRP Range:

N/A

New Car Pricing

Asking Price:

-

Starting MSRP:

23475

Category Avg Starting MSRP:
(Hybrid Compact Cars)

26229

Category Starting MSRP Range:
(Hybrid Compact Cars)

22200 - 33220

Used Car Pricing

Avg Used Car Price:

13121

Price Range:

6652 - 18988

Category Avg Price:

N/A

Category Avg Price Range:

N/A

# Used Cars for Sale Nationally:

27

Avg Mileage of Used Cars for Sale:

73861

# Good or Great Deals:

13

Used Car Pricing

Avg Used Car Price:

18510

Price Range:

12677 - 24562

Category Avg Price:
(Hybrid Compact Cars)

16485

Category Avg Price Range:
(Hybrid Compact Cars)

13459 - 20415

# Used Cars for Sale Nationally:

125

Avg Mileage of Used Cars for Sale:

98300

# Good or Great Deals:

32

Ford C-MAX Hybrid Scores & Rankings

Overall Score:

Not available

Reliability:

Not available

Retained Value:

Not available

Safety:

Not available

Toyota Prius Scores & Rankings

Overall Score:

9.0 / 10

Reliability:

8.1 / 10

Retained Value:

8.8 / 10

Safety:

10.0 / 10



iSeeCars Reliability Insights for Ford C-MAX Hybrid

Remaining Life Expectancy (years):

3.9

Typical Category Remaining Life Expectancy:

N/A

Category Remaining Life Expectancy Range:

N/A

Chance of Reaching 200k Miles for a New Car:

0.074

iSeeCars Reliability Insights for Toyota Prius

Remaining Life Expectancy (years):

8.7

Typical Category Remaining Life Expectancy:
(Hybrid Compact Cars)

7.4

Category Remaining Life Expectancy Range:
(Hybrid Compact Cars)

6.2 - 8.7

Chance of Reaching 200k Miles for a New Car:

0.429



Expected 30-year Lifetime Recalls

Expected Lifetime Recalls:

1.1837584777244623

Typical Category Recalls:

N/A

Category Range for Recalls:

N/A

Expected 30-year Lifetime Recalls

Expected Lifetime Recalls:

1.9105331006849395

Typical Category Recalls:
(Hybrid Compact Cars)

1.9

Category Range for Recalls:
(Hybrid Compact Cars)

1.5 - 2.5

Ford C-MAX Hybrid Rankings

Not yet available

Toyota Prius Rankings

Best Family Hybrid Cars

1 / 22

Best Hybrid Cars

1 / 22

Most Reliable Hybrid Cars

1 / 22

Safest Hybrid Cars

1 / 22

Best Hybrid Cars for the Money

1 / 14

Best Family Hybrid Small Cars

1 / 10

Best Hybrid Small Cars

1 / 10

Best Hybrid Cars Under $30k

1 / 8

Most Reliable Hybrid Cars Under $30k

1 / 8

Best Hybrid Small Cars Under $30k

1 / 5

Most Reliable Hybrid Small Cars Under $30k

1 / 5

Best Hybrid Cars for Teens

1 / 2

Best Hybrid Small Cars for Teens

1 / 1

Best Gas Mileage Hybrid Cars

3 / 22

Most Affordable Hybrid Cars

3 / 14

Most Affordable Hybrid Small Cars

3 / 6

Hybrid Small Cars with the Most Horsepower

5 / 10

Most Comfortable Hybrid Small Cars

5 / 10

Best Hybrid Small Cars for Tall People

6 / 10

Hybrid Small Cars with Best Resale Value

6 / 10

Hybrid Small Cars with the Most Legroom

7 / 10

Hybrid Cars with Best Resale Value

8 / 22

Most Comfortable Hybrid Cars

8 / 22

Best Hybrid Cars for Tall People

16 / 22

Hybrid Cars with the Most Horsepower

16 / 22

Hybrid Cars with the Most Legroom

16 / 22

Available Body Styles

Wagon

Available Body Styles

Hatchback

Available Drivetrain Options

Hybrid

Available Drivetrain Options

Hybrid

Ford C-MAX Hybrid Trim Levels

SE, Titanium

Toyota Prius Trim Levels

Four, Four Touring, One, Three, Three Touring, Two, Two Eco

Warranty Information

Warranty, Bumper-to-Bumper:

3 years / 36000 miles

Warranty, Powertrain:

5 years / 60000 miles

Warranty, Roadside Assistance:

5 years / 60000 miles

Warranty Information

Warranty, Bumper-to-Bumper:

3 years / 36000 miles

Warranty, Powertrain:

5 years / 60000 miles

Warranty, Roadside Assistance:

3 years

Safety Ratings

NHTSA Safety Rating (last 5 year average):

Not yet available

2026 NHTSA Overall Rating:

4 out of 5 Stars

2026 NHTSA Front Crash Overall Rating:

4 out of 5 Stars

2026 NHTSA Side Crash Overall Rating:

5 out of 5 Stars

2026 NHTSA Rollover Rating:

4 out of 5 Stars

IIHS Safety Rating:

Not yet available

Safety Ratings

NHTSA Safety Rating (last 5 year average):

5 out of 5 Stars

2026 NHTSA Overall Rating:

4 out of 5 Stars

2026 NHTSA Front Crash Overall Rating:

4 out of 5 Stars

2026 NHTSA Side Crash Overall Rating:

5 out of 5 Stars

2026 NHTSA Rollover Rating:

4 out of 5 Stars

IIHS Safety Rating:

Not yet available

Base Drivetrain Specs

Horsepower:

188 hp @ 6000 rpm

Torque:

Not yet available

Power-to-Weight Ratio (higher is better):

0.052 hp per pound

Base Drivetrain Specs

Horsepower:

121 hp @ 5200 rpm

Torque:

Not yet available

Power-to-Weight Ratio (higher is better):

0.039 hp per pound

Engine Specifications

Engine Size:

2 liters

Engine Configuration:

Inline

Number of Cylinders:

4

Transmission:

Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT Automatic)

Standard/Optional Drivetrain Type:

FWD

EPA Fuel Economy
(City/Highway/Combined MPG):


42 / 38 / 40

Range (city/hwy):

567 / 513 miles

Recommended Fuel Type:

Regular Unleaded

Engine Specifications

Engine Size:

1.8 liters

Engine Configuration:

Inline

Number of Cylinders:

4

Transmission:

Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT Automatic)

Standard/Optional Drivetrain Type:

FWD

EPA Fuel Economy
(City/Highway/Combined MPG):


54 / 50 / 52

Range (city/hwy):

610 / 565 miles

Recommended Fuel Type:

Regular Unleaded

Standard/Optional Features

Alloy wheels:

Standard

Bench Seats:

Standard

Bluetooth:

Standard

Keyless Entry:

Standard

Power outlet:

Standard

Satellite radio:

Standard

Voice Recognition:

Standard

Android Auto:

Available

Apple CarPlay:

Available

Automatic Parking:

Available

Heated Seats

Available

Keyless Ignition:

Available

Leather Upholstery:

Available

Navigation System:

Available

Panoramic Sunroof/Moonroof

Available

Parking Sensors:

Available

Power Lift Gate:

Available

Sunroof/Moonroof:

Available

Adaptive Cruise Control:

N/A

Air Suspension:

N/A

Captain's seat:

N/A

Cooled/Ventilated Seats:

N/A

Front Bench Seats:

N/A

Heated Steering Wheel:

N/A

Internet Radio:

N/A

Massage Seats:

N/A

Paddle Shifters:

N/A

Quad Seats:

N/A

Roadside assistance:

N/A

Roof Rack:

N/A

Trailer Hitch:

N/A

Wifi:

N/A

Wireless Smartphone Charging:

N/A

Standard/Optional Features

Alloy wheels:

Standard

Bench Seats:

Standard

Bluetooth:

Standard

Keyless Entry:

Standard

Power outlet:

Standard

Satellite radio:

Available

Voice Recognition:

Standard

Android Auto:

N/A

Apple CarPlay:

N/A

Automatic Parking:

Available

Heated Seats

Available

Keyless Ignition:

Standard

Leather Upholstery:

Available

Navigation System:

Available

Panoramic Sunroof/Moonroof

N/A

Parking Sensors:

Available

Power Lift Gate:

N/A

Sunroof/Moonroof:

Available

Adaptive Cruise Control:

Standard

Air Suspension:

N/A

Captain's seat:

N/A

Cooled/Ventilated Seats:

N/A

Front Bench Seats:

N/A

Heated Steering Wheel:

N/A

Internet Radio:

Available

Massage Seats:

N/A

Paddle Shifters:

N/A

Quad Seats:

N/A

Roadside assistance:

Available

Roof Rack:

Available

Trailer Hitch:

N/A

Wifi:

N/A

Wireless Smartphone Charging:

Available

Safety Features

Backup camera:

Standard

360-Degree Camera:

N/A

Blind Spot Monitoring:

N/A

Driver Attention Monitoring:

N/A

Forward Collision Warning:

N/A

Lane Departure Warning:

N/A

Lane Keeping Assist:

N/A

Pedestrian Detection:

N/A

Rear Cross-Traffic Alert:

N/A

Rear Seat Reminder:

N/A

Safety Features

Backup camera:

Standard

360-Degree Camera:

N/A

Blind Spot Monitoring:

Available

Driver Attention Monitoring:

N/A

Forward Collision Warning:

Standard

Lane Departure Warning:

Standard

Lane Keeping Assist:

Standard

Pedestrian Detection:

Standard

Rear Cross-Traffic Alert:

Available

Rear Seat Reminder:

N/A

Interior Dimensions

Front Head Room:

41 inches

Front Leg Room:

43.1 inches

Front Shoulder Room:

55.9 inches

Rear Head Room:

39.4 inches

Rear Leg Room:

36.5 inches

Rear Shoulder Room:

55.2 inches

Cargo Space:

24.5 cubic feet

Cargo Space, 2nd-row seat folded down:

52.6 cubic feet

Cargo Space, 3rd-row seat folded down:

Not yet available

Overall Interior Volume:

124.2 cubic feet

Interior Dimensions

Front Head Room:

39.4 inches

Front Leg Room:

42.3 inches

Front Shoulder Room:

55 inches

Rear Head Room:

37.4 inches

Rear Leg Room:

33.4 inches

Rear Shoulder Room:

53 inches

Cargo Space:

24.6 cubic feet

Cargo Space, 2nd-row seat folded down:

Not yet available

Cargo Space, 3rd-row seat folded down:

Not yet available

Overall Interior Volume:

117.7 cubic feet

Exterior Dimensions

Curb Weight:

3607 lbs

Width:

82.1 inches

Height:

63.9 inches

Length:

173.6 inches

Wheelbase:

104.3 inches

Ground Clearance:

5.5 inches

Exterior Dimensions

Curb Weight:

3075 lbs

Width:

69.3 inches

Height:

58.1 inches

Length:

178.7 inches

Wheelbase:

106.3 inches

Ground Clearance:

5.1 inches

Standard Wheel/Tire Information

Wheel Size:

17.0 x 7.0 inches

Wheel Type:

painted aluminum alloy

Tire Size:

P225/50R17

Standard Wheel/Tire Information

Wheel Size:

15.0 x 6.5 inches

Wheel Type:

aluminum alloy

Tire Size:

P195/65R15

Exterior Colors

Black

Shadow Black

Blue

Blue

Gold

White Gold

Gray

Magnetic

Red

Hot Pepper Red Metallic Clearcoat

Silver

Ingot Silver

White

Oxford White / White Platinum Metallic Tri-Coat

Green

Not available

Exterior Colors

Black

Midnight Black Metallic

Blue

Blue Crush Metallic

Gold

Not available

Gray

Magnetic Gray Metallic

Red

Hypersonic Red

Silver

Classic Silver Metallic

White

Blizzard Pearl / Super White

Green

Sea Glass Pearl

Interior Colors

Black

Charcoal Black

Gray

Medium Light Stone

Beige

Not available

Interior Colors

Black

Black

Gray

Moonstone

Beige

Harvest Beige

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