In the Market for an electric car?
Mach-E continues to Impress

By Jim Prueter
MotorwayAmerica.cm

(November 30, 2023) The Mustang Mach-E when first introduced for the 2021 model year it was met with both confusion and controversy. Mustang loyalists were none too pleased about an electric vehicle riding herd on the pony's iconic name, sensing it was simply a marketing ploy and worse, the hypocrisy that Ford would call a four-door crossover fully electric powered vehicle a Mustang.

The 2023 Mach-E tested here is the second time I've reviewed the vehicle, both times the Premium trim level however unlike the all-wheel drive version last time, our tester here was presented with rear-wheel drive. Since my first testing Ford last year launched a sporty GT and GT Performance versions with an extended-range 91.0-kWh battery pack that make 480 horsepower and jump to 634 pound-Ft of torque with standard all-wheel drive.

Oddly, our Premium Mach-E tested here came equipped with the optional (add $8,600) 91.0-kWh extended range battery as the GT but with rear-wheel drive. That brought the price just a few hundred dollars below the all-wheel drive GT making me wonder why anyone would buy the RWD Premium adding the same extended range battery as an option? Makes no sense.

That said, when it comes to EVs I still give the nod to the Mach-E as my favorite and I've driven all of them, even ahead of the Kia EV6 which I pretty much gushed over other than its polarizing exterior styling. Our Premium Mach-E indicated a driving range of 310 miles before recharging and in our real world driving it surprisingly held fairly close to that number, something we haven't experienced in any other EV thus far. Still, that number falls short of Tesla's dual motor 330 mile range.



Regardless of trim level, all Mach-Es come with a standard Ford mobile charger good for 30 miles of added ranger overnight with a standard 120-volt home wiring outlet. Opt for a 240-volt outlet, the same voltage as your home dryer, and you'll get up to 80-percent of battery charge overnight. You can order a Ford charging station online and have it installed by a licensed electrician and you'll get 32 miles per hour of battery recharge.

The Mach-E doesn’t feel much like an SUV it's purported to be, neither does it feel anything like a traditional Mustang GT. It was pretty quick and convincingly better driving than a regular sport utility vehicle, but it completely misses the engaging feel and fun-to-drive sensation. What did stand out was its silky smooth drive and ride that really impresses. We also liked its design elements that affords a decent amount of rear hatch cargo space and passenger roominess.

Inside, the Mach-E's interior is near perfect. Minimalist in its design, it isn't staid or boring like we see in Tesla product offerings. Everything is modern, stylistic and built with quality materials and superb build quality. There's soft-touch upholstery everywhere one would come in bodily contact with the interior. We would easily define the interior is very near luxury.

The Mach-E is well equipped with standard safety and driver-assist features that included blind spot and cross traffic alerts, adaptive cruise control, automatic front braking and collision alert, automatic rear braking, lane keep assist and alert, post-collision braking and a full complement of air bags.

Opening the door is accomplished by the push of a button rather than the pull of a handle. You can also forget the car key; all you need is a Smartphone and the Mach-E app to operate the vehicle. Most vehicle operations – lock the doors, unlock the doors, put the windows up or down, open the trunk, start the vehicle, find nearby charge stations, camera, driver assist, navigation and infotainment functions – are handled via a massive 15.5-inch center screen that’s clearly inspired by Tesla.

You can even personalize it by adding your own picture to the top of the screen and building your profile so that, every time you get into the vehicle, it recognizes you and tailors each of the settings to your preference. You can have up to five different drivers and preferences on the application and it will even track your driving habits and calculate your anticipated driving range, depending on how the person behind the wheel actually drives.

One of my favorite tech features is the actual dial on the bottom of the screen to turn the audio system on/off and adjust the volume. Customers told Ford during development that they really preferred a dial to control the audio volume rather than an icon on the screen that you must slide up and down.

On the upper left corner of the screen is an icon of the Mach-E. Press the icon and it takes you to a screen where you can select your preferred drive mode. Choose from three different modes: Engage (the normal setting), Whisper (the most economical driving), and finally Unbridled for the most spirited and sporty driving experience.

Another different feature of the Mach-E is the fabric material that spans across the entire dashboard. It isn’t just trim, rather it’s the audio system speaker. It looks good and works fantastic. One other feature we are a bit unsure of is the giant glass panel that comprises the entire roof of the Mach-E, with no shade screen to cover or close it. It doesn’t open and you can’t make it lighter or darker. While it looks fantastic, we question how much heat it will transfer into the cabin, especially here in Arizona where every day during the month of July the high temperature was 110° or more.

The Mach-E uses Ford's next-generation SYNC infotainment system that can be programmed to customize up to three individual and one guest driver driving experience profile. A 15.5-inch Tesla-like vertically mounted touchscreen operates just about everything on the vehicle and allows for an array of apps and features. Ford uses over-the-air updates for improving and adding additional content.

Overall, the Mustang Mach-E is an excellent choice if you're in the market for an electric-car. It has earned the highest overall scores for a vehicle's road test, predicted reliability, safety and owner satisfaction earning it the Top Pick for electric-cars from Consumer Reports dethroning the Tesla Model 3. But know, that the Mach-E is no match for fun-to-drive-thrill as America's beloved original Mustang coupe.

Vital Stats

Base Price: $54,975
Price as Tested: $64,875
Engine/Transmission: Dual motor 91-kWh liquid cooled lithium-ion battery pack with 480-combined horsepower with a single speed automatic transmission and rear-wheel-drive.
EPA Driving Range: 310 miles
Seats: 5 passengers

Where Built: Cuautitlan, Mexico

Competes With:
Hyundai Ioniq 5
Kia EV6
Nissan Ariya
Subaru Solterra
Tesla Model Y
Toyota bZ4X
Volkswagen ID.4
Volvo C40 Recharge

Crash Test Safety Ratings: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety Top Safety Pick. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration highest possible five-star rating for side crash and rollover testing.

Likes:
Lengthy driving range
Impressive driving dynamics
Roomy, upscale interior

Dislikes
Steep price increases for 2023
Learning curve for touchscreen vehicle controls
Touchy break pedal