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2013 Ford C-Max Hybrid

No Prius Killer
As much as we enthusiasts like to rail on the lowly Toyota Prius as the harbinger of death for all we hold dear, there's no denying the machine's absolute and interminable grip on the hybrid hatchback market in the United States. Toyota has so thoroughly sunk its teeth into the segment that you can clearly hear the automaker's incisors clacking against one another with the conclusion of each financial quarter. And there's little wonder why. Buyers can plop down less than $25,000 and have a runabout that can return up to an estimated 51 miles per gallon in the city, leaving every other entry on the market with precious little gristle to gnaw on.
Enter the 2013 Ford C-Max Hybrid. With its claimed 47 mpg combined, the funky little hatch from Europe already falls behind the 48 mpg city offered by the Prius, but that marginal sacrifice in fuel economy could be a small price to pay for buyers who want a credible alternative to the stalwart Toyota. Unfortunately, like the Fusion Hybrid, the C-Max Hybrid had trouble even approaching its Environmental Protection Agency estimates during our time with the car.

Ford recalls EcoBoost-powered F-150 and SUVs for brake fluid leak

Ford is recalling approximately 280,000 trucks and SUVs equipped with its 3.5-liter EcoBoost engine to address a potential brake fluid leak. The recall covers the 2016-2017 Ford F-150, 2016-2017 Ford Expedition and the 2016-2017 Lincoln Navigator.  According to Ford's defect report, the issue stems from contamination in the brake fluid causing degradation or damage to the seals in the brake master cylinder, allowing fluid to escape. Ford says that braking performance is not immediately impacted by the leak, and owners may not realize there's a problem until a brake malfunction indicator appears in the cluster, accompanied by a chime.  "If the brake fluid in the reservoir is depleted to a predetermined level, the driver will receive an audible chime, message center alert, and red brake warning indicator in the instrument cluster," Ford said in its defect report to NHTSA. "If the driver continues to operate the vehicle, the drive may begin to experience a change in brake pedal travel and feel, and increased pedal effort." "If a loss of brake fluid is substantial enough to reduce brake function to the front wheels, full braking function would remain in the rear wheel circuit. However, reduced brake function in the front wheels can extend stopping distance, increasing the risk of a crash," Ford said.  The issue can be addressed with a replacement brake master cylinder, which Ford will install free of charge. Ford has already begun notifying dealers and will send notices to customers starting in April.  Recalls Ford Lincoln Ownership Safety Truck SUV

2016 Ford Focus RS to start at $35,730? [UPDATE]

UPDATE: Unsurprisingly, Ford declined to comment on the pricing shown on the consumer page, with spokesman Aaron Miller telling Autoblog that the Blue Oval does "not comment on pricing speculation." The webpage showing the $35,730 figure has since been pulled down. We love it when automakers make little, tiny mistakes. You know, not the big stuff that leads to recalls, but the small things, like accidentally releasing pricing of a hotly anticipated model via its US consumer website. Such a thing has apparently happened to Ford, as Jalopnik's Car Buying sub-blog has uncovered a page on the site listing the starting price of the 2016 Focus RS. The cost of entry for the 345-horsepower, all-wheel-drive, torque-vectoring hot hatchback is $35,730, according to the website. That's $1,035 more than the base Subaru WRX STI, although it's $865 less than the Volkswagen Golf R. Considering the RS outguns both models by a very significant margin – 40 horsepower over the STI and 47 over the Golf R – that price seems very agreeable. If it's correct, that is. Aside from showing the RS' starting price, the page also gives us a glimpse into the options sheet. There's an RS2 equipment level that adds $2,795 to the base price along with navigation and leather Recaro seats, an $895 sunroof, and a 19-inch wheel and Michelin Pilot Sport Cup tire package for $1,990 (or just $1,395 for the 19s alone). Some fiddling with the quite incomplete configurator – there are no images and the overall design is rather glitchy – revealed a max price of $42,275. We've reached out to Ford for confirmation of the pricing information displayed. Head into Comments and let us know what you think of the pricing. Has Ford hit it out of the park by slotting in a more powerful competitor between the Subaru and Volkswagen? Were you expecting a higher price (like your author), or is this still too much money for a jumped-up Focus? Related Video: