Which is better: 2018 Ford C-Max or 2026 Volkswagen Jetta?

It depends on priorities. OpenDealer compares 2018 Ford C-Max vs 2026 Volkswagen Jetta on MSRP, fuel economy, horsepower, seating, towing, NHTSA safety ratings, and live market prices so you can weigh the tradeoffs.

Which costs less: 2018 Ford C-Max or 2026 Volkswagen Jetta?

Based on starting MSRP, the 2026 Volkswagen Jetta starts lower at $23,995. Live Volkswagen Jetta listings start at $7,493.

Which has better startingMsrp: 2018 Ford C-Max or 2026 Volkswagen Jetta?

The 2026 Volkswagen Jetta leads on startingMsrp in this comparison (23,995).

Which has better combinedMpg: 2018 Ford C-Max or 2026 Volkswagen Jetta?

The 2018 Ford C-Max leads on combinedMpg in this comparison (40).

Which has better horsepower: 2018 Ford C-Max or 2026 Volkswagen Jetta?

The 2026 Volkswagen Jetta leads on horsepower in this comparison (228).

How do the NHTSA safety ratings compare for 2018 Ford C-Max vs 2026 Volkswagen Jetta?

NHTSA overall crash-test ratings in this comparison: Volkswagen Jetta (5/5 NHTSA overall).

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Ford C-Max vs Volkswagen Jetta

Side-by-side comparison from manufacturer specifications, NHTSA safety data, and live dealer listings.

Vehicles

2018 Ford C-Max

Trim

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2026 Volkswagen Jetta

Trim

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Overview

Spec	Ford C-MaxSE	Volkswagen JettaS
Selected trim	SE	S
Body style	Wagon	Sedan
Drivetrain	front wheel drive	front wheel drive
Fuel type	regular unleaded	regular unleaded
Transmission	continuously variable-speed automatic	8-speed shiftable automatic
Engine type	hybrid	gas
Model year	2018	2026

Pricing & market

Spec	Ford C-MaxSE	Volkswagen JettaS
MSRP	$24,120	$23,995 (best)
Lowest listing price	—	$7,493 (best)
Median listing price	—	$21,996 (best)
Highest listing price	—	$30,554 (best)
For sale now	0	78 (best)

Fuel economy & range

Spec	Ford C-MaxSE	Volkswagen JettaS
Combined MPG	40 MPG (best)	34 MPG
City MPG	42 MPG (best)	29 MPG
Highway MPG	38 MPG	40 MPG (best)
Fuel tank	13.5 gal (best)	13.2 gal

Performance

Spec	Ford C-MaxSE	Volkswagen JettaS
Horsepower	188 hp (best)	158 hp
Torque	129 lb-ft	184 lb-ft (best)
Engine size	2 L (best)	1.5 L
Cylinders	I4	I4

Size & capability

Spec	Ford C-MaxSE	Volkswagen JettaS
Seating	5 seats	5 seats
Doors	5 (best)	4
Cargo volume	52.6 cu ft (best)	14.1 cu ft
Payload	—	915 lbs (best)
Curb weight	3,640 lbs	2,998 lbs (best)
Ground clearance	—	5.5 in (best)
Wheelbase	104.3 in	105.7 in (best)
Length	173.6 in	186.5 in (best)
Width	72 in (best)	70.8 in
Height	63.9 in (best)	57.7 in

Safety & recalls

Spec	Ford C-MaxSE	Volkswagen JettaS
NHTSA overall	—	5 / 5 ★ (best)
Frontal crash (driver)	—	4 / 5 ★ (best)
Frontal crash (passenger)	—	4 / 5 ★ (best)
Side crash (driver)	—	5 / 5 ★ (best)
Side crash (passenger)	—	5 / 5 ★ (best)
Side pole	—	5 / 5 ★ (best)
Rollover	—	4 / 5 ★ (best)
Open recalls (YMM scope)	1	1

Highlighted values indicate the better figure for that spec when a clear winner exists. Specs reflect the selected trim for each vehicle. Drag a vehicle header to reorder columns. MSRP and specifications are manufacturer data; listing prices and inventory come from live dealer listings. Safety ratings are from NHTSA.

Trim overview

All available trims with MSRP. The trim selected above is highlighted; comparison specs use that selection.

Trim	Ford C-Max	Volkswagen Jetta
1	SE $24,120 MSRP(Currently comparing)	S $23,995 MSRP(Currently comparing)
2	Titanium $27,175 MSRP	Sport $25,305 MSRP
3	—	SE $26,985 MSRP
4	—	SEL $29,995 MSRP
5	—	Autobahn $33,745 MSRP
6	—	Autobahn $33,745 MSRP

Live inventory

Volkswagen Jetta78 for sale

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