Ford Mustang Mach-E Review (2021-present)
Ford Mustang Mach-E cars for sale
4.0
Expert review
Pros
Very strong performance
Practical cabin
Impressive infotainment system
Cons
Not as much fun to drive as a Jaguar I-Pace
Firm ride
The interior could be better finished
The CarGurus verdict
The Ford Mustang Mach-E is a huge step forward for the brand, but more importantly it delivers a good balance of practicality, performance and sophistication, and all while sticking to Ford’s reputation for decent value. There are others that get closer to a true sporting experience, but the Mustang Mach-E still handles with enough engagement and agility that’ll make the long way home more than a little bit fun.
You might wish for a slightly plusher interior finish in parts, and better real-world efficiency (for a longer real-world range). But as an overall package, the Ford Mustang Mach-E is one of the most compelling and complete electric SUVs out there.
What is the Ford Mustang Mach-E?
Yes, it’s a Mustang. It has the horse badge to prove it. In fact, you’ll notice that there are no Ford badges at all on the body of the Mustang Mach-E, just frolicking equines. It goes to prove that Ford is shifting its iconic sports car model into a brand in its own right, and also that it’s serious about the sporting intentions of the pure electric Mach-E.
It’s a large five-door SUV that’s a similar size to a Jaguar I-Pace, Audi e-tron and Mercedes EQC, but – as with those more expensive rivals – this EV has an abundance of power and will do the 62mph sprint in some six seconds or less.
The Mustang Mach-E is offered with two battery sizes, 68kWh (Standard Range) and 88kWh (Long Range). On top of that, both are available with either rear-wheel drive or four-wheel drive, which results in an official WLTP range of between 248- and 379 miles depending on which model you go for.
Our test car was the range-topping Extended Range AWD model, which will do 335 miles officially, but we found that on a wintery day with a fair amount of motorway driving it was doing more like 220 miles to a full charge. That’s not an unusual disparity, since every EV’s range will drop in cold weather and at motorway speeds, so this is something of a worst-case scenario. In summer and with less time on the motorway, this version of the Mach-E will very likely do 300 miles on a charge.
How practical is it?
Every Mach-E gets a CCS socket for rapid charging, which is the European standard and compatible with most public chargers across the UK. Go for the Extended Range, and it’ll charge at up to 150kW, which means you’ll get 100 miles of range in just 15 minutes if you plug into one of the increasingly common 150kW ultra-rapid charging stations.
The Standard Range model’s charging speed tops out at 115kW, which is still better than many other EVs, including the Jaguar I-Pace and Kia e-Niro; the latter being a smaller, cheaper electric SUV, yet one that’s arguably still a rival to the Ford given its long range and practical body.
A 50kW charge point (which, unfortunately, are much more frequent in UK motorway services at the moment) will take 45 minutes to an hour to add that same 100-mile top-up regardless of model.
Use the Type 2 socket (also European standard and widely compatible with the slower car chargers you normally find in town centres) or plug into a 7.4kW home wallbox, and the Ford will be fully charged in either 10 or 13 hours for the Standard and Extended Range models, respectively.
There’s even a space underneath the big boot floor for storing your cables, or you can put them in the cubby in the car’s nose that you access by opening the bonnet. This 100-litre storage space is waterproof and wipe clean plus features a drain hole, making it perfect for storing items like muddy walking boots or soaked-through wetsuits.
In fact, we have very few gripes about practicality in general. A flat floor means there’s masses of rear legroom and headroom in the back, even if you have the panoramic roof that’s standard on the Extended Range models. There’s also lots of handy storage, including numerous cupholders, cubbies and places to store a smartphone.
If there’s a disappointment then it’s the 402-litre boot, which is over 100-litres shy of models such as the BMW iX3 and VW ID4. On the plus side, the boot is well shaped with minimal intrusion, and while the car’s raised, SUV-style ride height means you have to lift heavier items higher to get them in, the lip itself is fairly flush with the boot floor.
The driver’s environment is great, too. There are materials in the cabin that don’t feel worthy of a nearly-£60,000 car, and we’d like to see a more upmarket steering wheel at the price of the Mach-E. Even so, the big Ford’s seats are very comfortable, and the infotainment is seriously impressive even if it’ll take a bit of time to get used to.
What's it like to drive?
That Mustang label brings high expectations for the way the Mach-E drives, and it delivers on that front, too, provided you want a fun SUV and not a sports car. The Ford doesn’t always feel keen and encouraging, as the remarkably agile Jaguar I-Pace does. Rather, set off in the Ford’s default ‘Whisper’ mode and the Mustang Mach-E feels planted yet alert, with nicely weighted steering that’s direct if lacking in much feedback. There’s no discernible brake regeneration active unless you switch on the ‘one pedal mode’, which makes the Mach-E brake heavily when you lift off the throttle. It’s predictable and easy to modulate even at higher speeds, although you’re more likely to want to use it in clogged up town roads.
The two sportier drive modes – Active and the fairly cheesy Untamed (the GT adds Untamed Plus) – bring sharper throttle response and a more encouraging feel. Swing into a corner with a bit of gusto and the all-wheel drive Mach-E tucks in tightly, sticking to your chosen line with brutal efficiency and delivering an edge of playfulness that does speak of Ford’s eminent performance history. It is a car that you have to drive with some intent if you want to find that edge of sportiness, but it’s there and it’s great fun if you wish to make the most of it.
Acceleration is raucous yet easy to predict and modulate regardless of mode; the AWD Extended Range gets more power than the others, at 346bhp, but it feels closer to the 400bhp mark of its prestige rivals. For the GT there’s a whopping 480bhp on tap, which translates into a 0-62mph time of just 3.7 seconds.
The trade-off for that entertainment value and performance is a firm ride. The damping is actually very good, so there’s no wince-inducing jarring over potholes, but the tightly controlled springs leave you in no doubt when you go over a bump or compression, even if they also do a decent job of keeping the Mustang’s body in check.
Overall, there’s a seriously pleasing fluidity to the way the big Ford goes down the road. There are other EVs with more outright ability and poise, but everything from the brutal straight-line pace to the predictable pedal response and sharp cornering manner feels cohesive and fun.
Technology, equipment & infotainment
There are no options on the Mustang Mach-E beyond paint colour. In fact, you don’t even really get ‘trims’ in a conventional sense. Instead you choose Standard Range or Extended Range, and that dictates your equipment level, but there isn’t a Ford Mach-E that doesn’t get generous levels of equipment. Even the Standard Range gets that 15-inch touchscreen and 10-inch digital driver’s display, keyless entry, LED lights, front- and rear parking sensors, reversing camera and heated seats.
Extended Range, as well as going further in between charges, adds eight-way electrically adjustable seats, panoramic roof, Bang and Olufsen sound system and handsfree boot access. There is a First Edition model, of which there are limited numbers. It’s not got that much more kit than the AWD Extended Range – which is the only version you can get the First Edition in – but you can get it in the bright Grabber Blue colour, and a couple of other striking hues that aren’t offered on the rest of the range.
At the top of the range is the GT, which gets most of the same kit as the First Edition but with some unique visual touches. For example, the standard car’s black plastic wheel arches are finished in body colour, there’s a more aggressive bumper design front and rear and 20-inch alloys are standard. Every Mustang Mach-E gets a huge 15.5-inch central touchscreen that’s very Tesla-esque. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard, but the portrait screen is so huge that you can have your smartphone fully synced and running Google maps on the top half, and still have clear access to functions like the temperature control and system data on the bottom half. The physical rotary control button in the screen is a neat touch, too.
Ford Mustang Mach-E running costs
The Ford Mustang Mach-E is not a cheap car, but next to most comparable rivals it does look like good value. After all, a Jaguar I-Pace starts at some £20,000 more than the Ford, and the Audi e-tron and Mercedes EQC even more than that. But, the price does jump drastically for four-wheel drive, and the big battery AWD is some £57,000. So, it’s not difficult to spend a very premium amount of money on the Ford Mustang Mach-E.
Finance deals are good. A deposit of £5000 on a 36-month contract will see monthly payments come in at under £500 for the entry-level model. On top of that, the cost of fuelling an EV is much lower than fuelling a petrol or diesel car. On a standard domestic electricity tariff, fuelling the Ford Mustang Mach-E Standard Range will cost around £10, or £12.30 for the Extended Range.
You can also quite easily halve those costs again by making use of off-peak tariffs, which is easy to do by using the in-car charging settings or free phone app. Even if you do pay full whack, and assuming a real-world range of 250 miles, you’ll still be paying only 5p per mile: roughly half what a petrol car doing 40mpg will cost. Charging at public rapid chargers is much more expensive, and costs vary, but most EV drivers do the vast majority of their charging at home.
Electric vehicles are also exempt from the ‘premium tax’ applied to every petrol or diesel car costing more than £40,000, adding up to a saving of £2,375 over the first six years of ownership.
Servicing is every two years or 18,000 miles, which is a longer interval than any non-electrified rival so promises decent savings. However, the Mach-E is a heavy and powerful car, so expect suitably pricey insurance and tyre costs.
Ford Mustang Mach-E reliability
The Ford Mustang Mach-E is too new to have provided any reliability data, and it sits on a brand new platform so is even more of an unknown quantity than many new cars. However, there is a three-year, 60,000-mile warranty on the car, while the battery is covered for eight years and 100,000 miles, matching the warranty cover of most alternatives. It’s also one of the benefits of electric cars that they are generally more reliable than petrol or diesel. There are far fewer parts in an electric motor than in a combustion engine, so it is simple physics that there’s far less to go wrong. That’s not to rule out possible issues with ancillaries, software and charging hardware, but by any measure it’s fair to say that EVs are generally reliable, hence needing less frequent servicing, as above.
- The Ford Mustang Mach-E gets different power outputs depending on which version you go for. Entry-level Standard Range RWD gets 266bhp and will do 0-62mph in 6.1 seconds, while the Extended Range RWD model gets 290bhp and will do the same in 6.2 seconds due to the extra weight of the bigger 88kWh battery. The AWD Standard Range also gets 266bhp, while the AWD Extended Range packs 346bhp. If that’s not enough for you, a GT model turns the power up to 480bhp.
- One of the most confusing aspects of EVs is the battery size. This is because every electric car will keep a certain percentage of its total battery capacity in reserve. The cells are there, but they’re never actually charged or discharged. This is to help preserve the life of the lithium-ion battery. The frustrating thing is that the automotive industry isn’t consistent in whether manufacturers must state the total or the usable battery capacity. Ford declares the actual, usable capacity. So, you’re getting mileage from every one of the 68kWh or 88kWh of battery cells. It also publishes the total size of its batteries, which is 75kWh and 98kWh, respectively. Many manufacturers – Jaguar and Audi included – state total capacity in their literature, so don’t go thinking that the 95kWh Audi e-tron and 90kWh Jaguar I-Pace have bigger batteries; they don’t. In fact, do your research and compare the usable battery capacities of these cars – which are both under 85kWh – and the Mustang Mach-e’s usable battery capacity of 88kWh is more generous.
- The Mach-E is Ford’s first bespoke all-electric car and has been built on what the brand calls its Global Electric 1 (GE1) platform. However, dig a little deeper and you’ll discover that this architecture can trace its roots to the same CE2 underpinnings that are used for the current ICE-powered Focus and Kuga models to name a few. That said, heavy modification has been required to comfortably accommodate the Mach-E’s battery and motors.
- If you’re a high mileage driver: The rear-wheel drive Mach-E Extended Range will go the furthest in between charges. It has an official range of 379 miles and, as mentioned above, the Extended Range models also get ultra-rapid 150kW charging. Real-world range in between charges is more likely to be around 250 miles in winter, and potentially 350 or more in summer. The Ford also gets comprehensive safety kit in every model, including autonomous emergency braking, blind-spot assist, adaptive cruise control and lane-keep assist, so it has all the comfort, luxury and safety you’d ask of a touring EV. We haven’t driven the rear-wheel drive car yet, so can’t comment on any traction issues (which are likely to be the biggest worry for most buyers), but the fact that the RWD Extended Range is also some £7000 cheaper than the AWD is also no small incentive.
- If you live in town: For those considering the Ford as a potential family EV that does mostly school runs in the week and the occasional longer run at weekends, the Standard Range could well be the best bet. Official range is 248- or 273 miles depending on whether you go for all-wheel drive or rear-wheel drive, which is more than enough for most EV owners, even those who do regular motorway miles. Just don’t forget that it’ll be much lower than that in winter or at motorway speeds, even if you may get close to - or maybe even match - the official range figures in summer.
- If you’re a company car buyer: You’ll need a fairly generous company car scheme to be able to get the Mustang, given that it ranges in list price from circa £40k to £60k, but electric cars are phenomenally cheap on Benefit in Kind tax so make a lot of sense for business users, even before you take into account the potential fuel savings. They’re so cheap, in fact, that we’d recommend going for the most expensive AWD Extended Range model, since the cost to the business user is so low. Even this top spec Mach-E costs just a few hundred pounds per year in tax. Virtually free compared to the tax costs of comparable diesel or petrol-powered SUVs, even less powerful ones like the VW Tiguan, or full hybrid alternatives like the Lexus RX.
- If you want the sportiest one: The Mustang Mach-E GT should fit the bill here. Not only is it the most powerful at 480bhp, it gets a host of tweaks designed to make it more fun to drive. That means the addition of MagneRide adaptive dampers, larger Brembo brakes and a dual motor set-up that’s been tuned to send more power to the rear wheels for old-school, muscle car-style tail-happy handling if you’re in the mood.
