DEARBORN, MI – Ford announced that its all-new C-MAX Hybrid is certified by the EPA at fuel economy figures of 47 mpg city, 47 mpg highway and 47 mpg combined. The automaker said this certification makes the C-MAX Hybrid the first hybrid vehicle to get 47 mpg in different driving conditions, as measured by the EPA, for example stop-and-go city driving and on open-road cross-country trips.

The automaker’s Vice President of Powertrain Engineering Joe Bakaj said the company achieved this through innovation, in the form of nearly 500 patents, while driving production costs down by 30%.

Ford noted two innovations in the C-MAX Hybrid, its SmartGauge with EcoGuide system that coaches drivers in order to improve fuel economy, by displaying green leaves in the instrument cluster to indicate fuel-efficient driving, and ECO Cruise, a feature that optimizes powertrain performance for highway travel.

The automaker priced the C-MAX at an MSRP of $25,995, including destination and delivery.

In mid-2011, Ford announced it had altered its strategy for its C-MAX models, changing its original plan to offer a seven-passenger gasoline-only model along with others to offering a hybrid and a plug-in hybrid, the C-MAX Hybrid and C-MAX Energi. The automaker said this shift was in line with its goal to offer more electrified vehicles in the U.S. in 2013.