If practicality, comfort, capability, and great fuel economy are more important to you than sleek styling and white-knuckle performance, the 2018 Ford C-Max could very easily be the vehicle for you. It's smooth and quiet on the road and it rides and drives a lot like a Focus hatch or sedan.

You might be surprised to learn that one of the other reasons to buy the C-Max is how impressive the interior is. Though this is the C-Max's sixth year on the market, and the C-Max is not marketed as a luxury vehicle, the interior feels premium. This the kind of car that provides a one-two punch--fantastic fuel economy and a sophisticated interior--for commuters and those who tend to live in their cars.

If you're not knowledgeable about or experienced with hybrid and plug-in hybrids, you might be nervous about wading into new waters. The range of vehicles like the C-Max and C-Max Plug-in, though, aren't scary. It's really no different than what you're driving now, with the biggest concern being how far away the next gas station . But honestly, you've no more to worry about with one of these than how far away the next gas station is.

The C-Max is powered by a 2.0-liter inline-four and a two-motor hybrid system, which then produces a combined system total of 195 horsepower. Both the C-Max and the C-Max Energi are capable of traveling on electric power alone, but the non-plug in only has a 1.4 kWh battery, so it only offers about a mile of electric-only range. However, there's a 7.6 kWh battery in the C-Max Energi, which then means an electric-only range of 20 miles.

The biggest decision you're going to have to make with which C-Max to buy is whether you want the standard vehicle or the plug-in hybrid. If you don't live somewhere where it's practical to plug your vehicle into a power supply overnight, the C-Max is the way to go.

Once you've decided between the hybrid and the plug-in version of the C-Max, you're only other choice is between one of the two available high specification trim levels. Both models are available in SE and Titanium trim levels, but the SE is anything but entry level. Something else that might sway your decision is the price difference between the C-max and the C-Max Energi. The Energi has a starting MSRP that's $3,000 more than the C-Max.

As we've already stated, the C-Max Energi is a plug-in hybrid version of the C-Max. Apart from the powertrain and its 20-mile range on electricity only, the main differences are the price and a few additional functions in the C-Max Energi as a result of its more complex propulsion system.

However, another consideration is that there's less space for passengers and cargo in the C-Max Energi, a result of the larger battery that does take up space. In fact, you'll get almost 10 cu.-ft. of additional passenger volume in the C-Max, with almost 5 cu.-ft. less cargo volume behind the rear seats in the C-Max Energi.