New Ford Hybrid Bests Toyota Prius In Gas Mileage

DETROIT (AP) — Ford Motor Co. says its new C-Max hybrid wagon gets 47 miles per gallon in both city and highway driving.

That beats its chief rival, the Toyota Prius V, which gets a combined 42 miles per gallon.

Ford announced the gas mileage Tuesday after it was certified by the Environmental Protection Agency.

The C-Max is Ford's first hybrid-only vehicle. It's intended to compete directly with the Prius. The C-Max starts at $25,200, which is $1,300 less than the Prius V.

Ford will also offer plug-in hybrid and electric versions of the C-Max. The company says the plug-in hybrid will go up to 85 miles per hour in all-electric mode, or 20 miles per hour higher than the plug-in Prius.

The C-Max goes on sale this fall. The plug-in version will be available in 19 U.S. markets this fall. Ford plans to offer it in all 50 states by early next year.