From San Francisco to Carmel and Back in the Ford C-Max! #Cmaxdrive

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Last weekend I was invited to San Francisco to check out the Ford C-Max Hybrid car. Since the hubby and I are always talking about buying a second car so I don’t have to drive around town in our SUV to run errands, take the kids to play dates/school, and various other things I jumped at the chance to check it out. The C-MAX is the first-ever hybrid-only vehicle line from Ford in North America and it’s available in the C-MAX Hybrid and C-MAX Energi Plug-in Hybrid. Both models offer the sporty style and performance of a Ford vehicle with the added benefit of leaving a smaller carbon footprint and this is exactly what I would want in a second car!

Once we learned about some of the cool features the C-Max offers, like a foot activated power lift gate that opens when you swipe your foot under the bumper, technology that keeps you connected while on the move, and a 110v power outlet in the second row my partner (Carissa from Creative Green Living) and I set out to explore the peninsula and play some C-Max Bingo. Since we both like to win we set out to complete Bingo before heading down to Carmel and we ended up coming in first place. It was fun zipping around town in our stylish C-Max while finding our Bingo items.

Once we hit Bingo we headed down to Monterey and got to test out the C-Max on Freeways, Twisty Roads, and in the Mountains. I then learned that every time you hit the break, especially down big hills, that the C-Max Hybrid battery recharges itself thanks to regenerative braking (the electric motor turns in the opposite direction which converts mechanical energy into electrical energy thereby slowing the car and charging the hybrid battery.) Before hitting Monterey we decided to take a detour to Salinas for some much needed lunch at In-N-Out Burger!

Once our bellies were full we headed down to Monterey to check out their Aquarium. The C-Max navigation, which is powered by MapQuest, sent us on an interesting route there, but it gave us some more time to check out the C-Max on bumpy and twisty roads where it performed wonderfully. Hugging every turn and it wasn’t too much of a bumpy ride. We made it to the Aquarium and were shocked that the gas needle barely moved. After driving for about 2 hours we were expecting the gas to have gone down significantly but with a class-leading 43 mpg combined going at up to 85 miles per hour in all all-electric mode we shouldn’t have been surprised that the gas was barely touched!

I’ve been to the Monterey Bay Aquarium before, but it was nice visiting again because it’s such a beautiful Aquarium. It’s a must see if you’re in the area and the fish, sea life, and surrounding area are so gorgeous! Next up we were headed to Carmel to check in at Casa Palmero at Pebble Beach and upon our arrival I was stunned by the gorgeous beauty of Pebble Beach and the resort.

Once I checked into my room I was in heaven. The rooms are so cozy yet elegant and the giant bath tub was screaming my name, but before I could dive into a warm bubble bath we headed to dinner, at The Bench located at Casa Palmero, where I had one of the best dinners ever. Once dinner was done all of us were saying how we couldn’t wait to return to our rooms and get in that giant tub. Traveling while pregnant wasn’t being to kind to me and at the end of the day my feet were achy and ankles swollen, so I took full advantage of the peace and quiet of the resort, no toddler screaming MOM every 5 minutes, and dove into a warm bubble bath. This was one of the best places I’ve ever stayed at and I’m already dreaming of heading back for a romantic weekend away with the hubby after baby #3 arrives. Not only was the resort gorgeous, but the staff was very accommodating, friendly, and helpful. It was truly one of the most relaxing, quiet, and gorgeous places I’ve ever stayed, and it was also some of the best service I’ve ever received!

The next morning Carissa and I were headed back to San Francisco to fly back to our families and she wanted to check out the C-Max Energi and I wasn’t complaining. The difference between the Hybrid and the Energi Hybrid models is that the Energi is like a hybrid-plus model with it’s plug in capability and it has a bit smaller trunk space due to the battery being located in the trunk. Using the external charge port, you can charge it in just 2.5 hours.

The trunk space on the C-Max Hybrid was a little more spacious then the Energi since the Energi has the battery located in the trunk. As a mom with a toddler and another baby due in just a few short weeks I don’t think the trunk space would be optimal for a big stroller + groceries or other shopping bags. If I was just bringing along a light weight stroller it would be fine, but while using a travel system I believe it would be a tight fit. While I prefer more trunk space, the trunk space on the C-Max isn’t a deal breaker since the car is so nice to drive, spacious, and gets great gas. Plus, if you don’t have car seats in the car or need the back seat you can fold the seats down for even more trunk space. Not once while driving, sitting in the passenger seat, or moving around the back seat to take pictures was I ever cramped or uncomfortable. I was actually pretty shocked at how spacious the car was and that I was so comfortable in it and I know that I would be able to fit 2 – 3 car seats in the back with no issue.

We plugged the airport into our Navigation system and headed back to San Francisco, where we drove the Energi in auto mode in order to get maximum fuel efficiency. The auto mode allows the car to decide when it wants to use gas power or battery power. You can also drive the Energi in EV only mode were it runs off the battery only. The Energi gets up to 22 miles off the battery, which is perfect for quick errands around town. Plus you can also drive in EV now (uses only electric battery and will switch to gas later) or in EV later (save your electric miles for later when you’ll need them) modes.

Some other great features about the car are the:

• In floor storage in the second row. Perfect for storing electronic devices when you’re not in the car.
• Sync with MyFord Touch. It reads incoming text messages to you, allows you to plug in your music devices and scroll through your music collection with voice commands, bluetooth audio to listen to pandora or other music from your phone, and you can adjust the temperature with just a voice command.
• Keyless entry and Push to Start.
• Rain sensing wipers

All in All I had a fabulous weekend testing out the Ford C-max and it’s a great car for someone who is in the market for a hybrid. It’s spacious, gets good gas, and was overall fun to drive!

Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With about 171,000 employees and 65 plants worldwide, the company’s automotive brands include Ford and Lincoln.

I was selected for this opportunity by Clever Girls Collective, however all content and opinions expressed here are my own.