2012 Ford C-Max

Ford product chief Derrick Kuzak calls it a "white-space vehicle exploring the crossover between car and minivan." We call it Europe's Grand C-Max with a shorter name. (Ford sells both a C-Max and a Grand C-Max in Europe, but the Continent's C-Max is smaller and only has two rows of seats.) No matter which descriptor you prefer, the people-moving C-Max is on its way here for 2012.

We have already driven the three-row Grand C-Max in Europe and liked what we experienced -- basically a mini-minivan with some clever packaging -- but the cars we drove didn't have the American powertrains installed, perhaps because details of the U.S. engine lineup had not yet been ironed out.

Two Fours and 5+2

Now we know that the base engine is a 2.5-liter four-cylinder making 168 hp and 167 lb-ft of torque. The optional engine is a 1.6-liter EcoBoost (that means it's turbocharged and direct-injected, for those who haven't received the message) four that puts out the same horsepower as the 2.5 on regular gas, but cranks it up to 180 hp on premium; torque using either fuel is 173 ft-lbs. Ford promises better fuel economy for the more expensive and sometimes-more-powerful EcoBoost four, thereby justifying its higher cost. (A similar scheme is planned for the all-new Explorer.) No matter which powerplant is fitted, a six-speed automatic transmission is the only choice.

The interior has the same "5+2" seating as Europe's Grand C-Max. The second row's middle seat can be folded and stowed inside the seat to its right, creating an aisle for easy access to two small seats in the third row. Buyers will be able to choose a third-row-delete option for 5+0 seating. Sync and MyFord Touch will be available, as will a rear-view camera, active park assist, and Curve Control, an evolution of stability control first seen on the new Explorer.

Look, Moms, No Hands!

The Americanized C-Max has one unique party trick: a hands-free liftgate release. Like the hop-on-one-leg trunk popper on the latest European VW Passat, the C-Max's system uses sensors mounted on the rear bumper that detect when your leg and foot (or anything, really) are waved past, and pops the hatch. The proximity key has to be nearby, so don't expect free access to C-Max cargo holds or fear for the safety of your groceries when a pack of feral dogs rampages through your neighborhood. The idea is that, when your hands are full of packages/kids/laziness, a leg wave is easier than fumbling for your keys. We wouldn't be surprised if makers of full-size minivans adopt this technology soon.

Ford says the C-Max is designed for "growing, busy North American families." The same phrase describes Ford's C-segment platform: The company promises 10 new vehicles based on this architecture -- which is shared with the new Focus -- by 2012. The U.S.-spec C-Max will be shown first at January's 2011 Detroit Auto Show, with the car going on sale in early 2012.