There are many other family-friendly, fun-to-drive vehicles, like the Mazda CX-5 or Honda's own CR-V, that get better fuel economy.

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Additionally, initial sales data show that C-Max is stealing hybrid sales away from other brands at an impressive clip: Its conquest rate is about 64 percent, with Prius and the Honda CR-V ranking as the top nameplates abandoned by customers in favor of C-Max.

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The Honda CR-V and Chevrolet Equinox are also good gear carriers, as are the Toyota Prius and Prius V.

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