Ford Mustang Mach-E Review

The Mustang Mach-E caused a stir from the moment it appeared, and not just because it was another electric SUV. By putting the Mustang badge on a five-door family EV, Ford made it clear that this was not intended to be just another sensible electric crossover. It was supposed to feel desirable, a little provocative and a cut above the firm’s mainstream line-up.

That ambition still comes through. The Mach-E looks more distinctive than many electric rivals, especially from the side, where the long bonnet, sloping roofline and muscular rear haunches give it more visual interest than the average family EV. It also feels more upmarket than a regular Ford inside, even if it does not quite have the richness or polish of the premium-badged alternatives it is often priced against.

The current UK range is now simpler than it once was. At the bottom sits the rear-wheel-drive Select with a 73kWh usable battery and 268PS. Above that are Premium versions using the larger 88kWh usable battery, offered in either rear-wheel-drive or all-wheel-drive form. At the top sits the GT, which uses a 91kWh usable battery, all-wheel drive and 487PS. Ford also offers a Rally Pack for the GT, which gives it a more extrovert look, a raised ride height and suspension tweaks, but the review focus here is on the standard line-up.

Range remains one of the Mach-E’s key strengths. The Select manages an official 292 miles, the rear-wheel-drive Premium goes as far as 382 miles, the all-wheel-drive Premium covers up to 344 miles, and the GT manages up to 320 miles. Those are competitive figures, particularly in the case of the long-range rear-wheel-drive Premium, and they help the Mach-E remain relevant even as newer rivals keep arriving.

What has not changed quite so much is the way the car drives. Ford wanted the Mach-E to feel sporting, and there is some merit to that idea, but the execution is mixed. It is not dull, yet it is firmer and less composed than the best alternatives, and it never quite delivers the dynamic sparkle the Mustang name implies. So the Mach-E works best if you buy into its style, range and character, rather than expecting it to be the most rounded electric SUV of its size.

The version that makes the most sense is still the entry-level Select. That might sound like a slightly mean recommendation in a range built around image and aspiration, but it is the one that best preserves the Mach-E’s appeal without pushing too far into premium-price territory.

The Select gets the smaller 73kWh usable battery, but 292 miles of official range is still perfectly respectable, and 268PS is comfortably enough in a family SUV. It is also well equipped, so you do not feel as though you are stepping into a stripped-out base model just because it is the cheapest one.

The rear-wheel-drive Premium is the version to choose if range is your priority, because its 382-mile WLTP figure is genuinely impressive. But the extra cost is significant, and once you start moving into Premium AWD or GT money, the Mach-E begins to overlap with alternatives that feel either more premium, more practical or simply better resolved. The GT is a fun halo model, but it is difficult to make the value case for it unless you specifically want the image and pace.

The current Ford Mustang Mach-E line-up starts at £50,840 for the Select RWD. From there, the Premium RWD is £59,390, the Premium AWD is £65,415 and the GT tops the range at £74,550.

Those prices are a big part of the Mach-E story, because they make it clear that this is not positioned as an everyday Ford with a battery. Even the cheapest version sits firmly in premium-family-EV territory, while the GT reaches into territory where buyers could reasonably start looking at much more prestigious badges or more accomplished electric alternatives.

That would matter less if the Mach-E were the class benchmark, but it is not. It has style, it has presence and it has respectable range, yet there are rivals that do comfort, cabin quality or overall polish better for similar or less money. So the Mach-E is not cheap, and the higher up the range you go, the harder it becomes to ignore that.

The Tesla Model Y remains one of the Mach-E’s most obvious rivals because it offers strong range, huge interior space and a more compelling practicality story, even if it is not universally loved for its cabin design or ride quality. If your priorities are family use and charging convenience, it is still difficult to ignore.

The Kia EV6 and Hyundai Ioniq 5 should also be on your shortlist because they are among the most rounded EVs of this size. Both offer strong real-world usability, fast charging and a more polished driving experience than the Mach-E.

If you are more interested in traditional family-SUV virtues, the Skoda Enyaq remains a very strong alternative, while the Audi Q4 e-tron gives you a more premium badge and a more mature cabin ambience. The Polestar 2 is not an SUV in the same sense, but it is another serious option for buyers who like the Mach-E’s style-led appeal and want something with a more upmarket feel.

The Mach-E is a useful family car first and foremost, and the packaging broadly reflects that. Up front there is plenty of space, with lots of headroom and legroom, even though the seating position is lower than you might expect in an SUV. That slightly lower-set driving position helps the Mach-E feel more sporting, but it may disappoint buyers who want the classic upright SUV perch.

The centre console is wide and there are plenty of cubbies and storage areas dotted around the cabin, so it is easy to live with day to day. The rear seats also offer good legroom because the Mach-E is a long car with a generous wheelbase, while the flat floor makes the middle seat more usable than it would be in many combustion-engined alternatives.

Headroom in the back is decent rather than exceptional. The sloping roofline gives the Mach-E some visual drama, but it also means the rear of the cabin does not feel as airy as something like a Skoda Enyaq. That said, it is still easily roomy enough for family use.

The rear boot measures 402 litres, which is acceptable rather than outstanding. It is a useful shape, and the false floor helps reduce the loading lip while giving you somewhere to stash smaller items out of sight. The more interesting feature is the separate front boot, which adds another 100 litres and is ideal for charging cables or wet gear. That extra storage helps the Mach-E feel more versatile than the headline rear-boot figure suggests, but taken on rear boot space alone it is well behind the most practical rivals.

The Ford Mustang Mach-E measures 4,713mm long, 1,881mm wide & 1,624mm high. That puts it firmly into large family-SUV territory, and you can feel that on the road because it has real presence.

Those dimensions help explain the decent passenger room, but they also underline why the rear-boot figure is a little underwhelming. The Mach-E is not a small car, yet rivals use a similar footprint more efficiently. So while it feels substantial and spacious enough for most family duties, it is not a packaging masterclass.

The focal point is the 15.5-inch portrait touchscreen, and it still dominates the cabin. It is a huge screen by any standard, yet the good news is that Ford’s system is quite easy to use. The menus are reasonably clear, it responds quickly enough, and the large display means multiple functions can be shown at once without everything feeling too cramped.

Unlike some rivals, Ford has not gone completely minimalist. There is a physical volume control integrated into the screen, plus fixed touch-sensitive climate controls, and that makes the system a little easier to live with than the arrangements used by some Volkswagen Group EVs. You also get a separate 10.2-inch digital instrument display ahead of the driver, which is useful because it keeps speed and key trip information in your line of sight.

Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard, as is a wireless phone charger. The optional Tech Pack on Select is worthwhile because it adds the 10-speaker Bang and Olufsen sound system, panoramic roof and power-adjustable front seats with memory. That pack lifts the ambience noticeably, and if you are going for a Select, it is one of the few options we would seriously consider.

The Mach-E’s interior quality is decent, but it falls short of feeling truly plush. That is important because the pricing pitches it against some fairly premium machinery. It is certainly more interesting inside than a lot of mainstream electric SUVs, and the general fit and finish feel solid enough, but there are enough hard surfaces and ordinary-feeling materials to remind you that this is still a Ford at heart.

Select models use Black Onyx Sensico trim, while Premium versions get perforated Sensico with red stitching. GT models go further with more distinctive performance seats and trim details that do at least help justify the extra visual aggression. None of it feels cheap, but neither does it have the richness or craftsmanship you would find in some more premium alternatives.

The line-up starts with the Select RWD, which uses a 73kWh usable battery and a single rear-mounted motor producing 268PS and 525Nm. That is enough for 0-62mph in 5.9 seconds and an official range of up to 292 miles.

The Premium RWD uses a larger 88kWh usable battery and produces 276PS and 525Nm. It takes 5.8 seconds to reach 62mph and delivers the longest official range in the line-up at up to 382 miles.

Move to the Premium AWD and power rises to 375PS with 675Nm. The extra front motor cuts the 0-62mph time to 4.6 seconds, while official range falls to 344 miles.

At the top of the tree sits the GT, using a 91kWh usable battery, all-wheel drive, 487PS and 950Nm. It is properly rapid, with 0-62mph in 3.7 seconds and an official range of up to 320 miles. Opt for the Rally Pack and Ford quotes 3.6 seconds to 62mph and up to 316 miles.

The important point is that you do not need the GT for the Mach-E to feel quick. Even the Select is comfortably fast enough, and in day-to-day driving the real appeal is the effortless shove electric power gives you rather than outright super-SUV pace.

Ford has clearly tried to give the Mach-E more dynamic edge than a typical family EV. The rear-wheel-drive versions change direction neatly enough, and there is a little more sense of involvement than you get in something truly inert. The selectable drive modes also make a more noticeable difference than they do in many rivals.

But the Mach-E never really turns into the driver’s SUV its badge hints at. Steering feel is a bit lifeless by Ford standards, there is still plenty of body movement in corners, and the ride is too crashy over broken surfaces. Even on the smaller wheels fitted to the Select, it can feel overly stiff and unsettled, and that becomes wearing because the car never quite repays the sacrifice in comfort with standout agility.

At higher speeds the Mach-E is not especially soothing either. There is a fair bit of tyre roar, some wind noise and an underlying sense that the suspension is always having to work hard against the car’s weight. That means it lacks the calm, polished long-distance feel of some key rivals.

The GT is the exception to a point. Its lower stance and adaptive MagneRide suspension help it feel more tied down and more purposeful than the rest of the range, and it does a better job of backing up the Mach-E’s sporty image. Even so, it is still not the last word in agility. So the best way to think about the Mach-E is as a fast electric SUV with character, rather than a genuinely rewarding driver’s car.

The Ford Mustang Mach-E has a five-star Euro NCAP safety rating. In the 2021 tests it scored 92 per cent for adult occupant protection and 86 per cent for child occupant protection, which remains a strong result.

Standard safety kit is generous. The Mach-E comes with intelligent adaptive cruise control with stop and go, lane centring, pre-collision assist with automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assistance, blind-spot support, front and rear parking sensors and a rear-view camera. That is a good baseline, and it means even the cheaper cars do not feel thin on safety technology.

Ford quotes a peak DC rapid-charging rate of up to 150kW across the range. In ideal conditions, the Select can charge from 10 to 80 per cent in around 33 minutes, while the Extended Range Premium versions take around 36 minutes. That is respectable, but not class-leading. Rivals such as the Kia EV6 and Hyundai Ioniq 5 can still recharge meaningfully faster.

At home, a 7kW wallbox remains the best way to charge one. Ford says a full home charge takes roughly 11 hours for the Select and around 14 hours for the Extended Range versions. That means overnight charging is realistic, and on an off-peak domestic tariff the costs can be quite manageable.

The exact amount you will pay depends on your tariff and how often you rely on public charging, but the broad rule still applies: home charging makes the Mach-E much easier to justify, while repeated public rapid charging quickly becomes expensive. That is not a Mach-E-specific criticism so much as an EV reality, but it matters here because the car’s upfront price is already relatively high.

Ford covers the Mustang Mach-E with a three-year, 60,000-mile manufacturer warranty, while the battery is covered for eight years or 100,000 miles. That battery cover is standard for the class, but the main warranty is only average and looks a little meagre beside the seven-year cover offered by Kia.

Servicing needs are lower than for an equivalent petrol SUV, which is one of the usual EV advantages, and there have not been widespread signs that the Mach-E is especially troublesome. Even so, given the price point and the technology involved, the warranty could be more generous.

Current UK insurance groups run from group 33 for the Select to group 36 for the rest of the range. That is lower than you might expect given the performance on offer, although real premiums will still vary sharply depending on driver profile and postcode.

As ever, the GT is unlikely to be a cheap car to insure in practice, even if the official groupings do not look outrageous for something with this much pace.

After year one, the Mustang Mach-E pays the standard annual VED rate for electric cars, currently £200.

The more important issue is the Expensive Car Supplement. For zero-emission cars, that now applies once the list price rises above £50,000, and it adds £440 a year for five years from the second year of tax. That is significant here because every current Mustang Mach-E version sits above the EV threshold, starting with the Select at £50,840.