ALISTAIR WEAVER: Let's cut to the chase.
Is the Mach-E worthy of the Mustang name?
Yes, and here's why.
It's fun, it's desirable, and it's just about affordable--
all hallmarks of the Mustang that date all the way back
to the 1960s.
And while it might not appeal to the fanboys who
want to wake up their neighbors in a GT-500,
it could just seduce a whole new generation of enthusiasts.
Honestly, this car has been a long time coming.
It was over a year ago that I went to Detroit
in the freezing cold to look at a car in a studio.
Then it got delayed and delayed by the pandemic,
but finally, here we are in the driving seat.
To give it its full name, this is a 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E,
premium all-wheel drive, extended range,
which not only is a massive mouthful,
it's also a rival to the Tesla Model Y long range.
Like the Tesla, has a motor either end the batteries
underneath the floor.
In this trim, the Mustang cost $56,200,
which is around $5,000 more than the equivalent Tesla.
But then the Ford qualifies for a federal tax credit
that the Tesla doesn't, at $7,500 off.
Then you might get some state tax credits as well.
You still with me?
Let's just say they're direct rivals.
We'll talk more about some of the tech later,
but for now, let's focus on how it drives,
which, let's face it, is surely the point
of a car with a Mustang name.
The straight answer is that it's very smooth,
and, yes, it is sporting.
Now, regular watcher of this channel
will know that I'm a bit of a stickler for steering.
And this is definitely one of the Mach-E's stronger points.
It's nicely weighted, it's not too dead at the straight ahead,
and you can place the car accurately on the road.
Now, the way it's configured, you have a bigger motor
at the back and then a smaller motor
at the front which delivers the all-wheel drive.
But that bigger motor makes it feel more
like a rear-wheel drive car, and I mean not in a good way.
If you are an enthusiast, there's actually
quite a lot of adjustability.
You can turn it in, and then actually,
by lifting off the throttle, you can make the whole thing
even drift around a little bit.
I should stress that I'm on the Edmunds test track, and not
some offshoot of the 405.
But if you haven't noticed, I am genuinely
having fun in this car.
Ford claims 346 horsepower and 428 pounds
feet of torque for this Mach-E, so it's not short of thrust.
Our 0 to 60 test time of 5.2 seconds
lags behind Ford's claim of 4.8 seconds,
but it's still plenty fast enough for most needs.
And of course, if you do want more oomph,
a GT version is on the way.
Where it does score over the Tesla is in the ride quality.
Certainly our Model Y performs a performance that Edmunds owns
has a ride quality, which is on the unacceptable side of harsh.
This is much better.
It still feels fairly firm, but the way
it deals with big bumps and undulations
is vastly superior to the Silicon Valley alternative.
And as a family car, that makes it much easier
to live with on a day-to-day basis.
Like the Tesla and the Polestar 2, but unlike,
for example, the Porsche Taycan, this Mustang's
designed to be driven as a one-pedal car.
Now, if you're not familiar with EV geek speak, what
this means is that when you left off the throttle, the engines,
or I should say the motor's regenerative force actually
tries to scavenge energy, and in doing so, decelerates the car.
So if you lift off, you can actually
pull all the way to a stop without ever touching the brake
pedal.
Now, it takes a bit of getting used to,
but once you've mastered it, actually
makes it extremely relaxing to drive.
Now, if you don't like that feature,
you can turn it off using the menu system.
But to be honest, you probably wouldn't want to,
because the brakes are probably this car's most disappointing
feature.
There's so little pedal feel, it actually
becomes hard to modulate their performance.
Now, it's something Ford could probably
fix with a software update.
And like a Tesla, this car has over the air
software updates, so you don't have to go to a dealer.
But it definitely needs some work.
Kind of get the impression that they haven't quite
finished that bit.
So what does all this do for the Mach-E's range.
Ford claims 270 miles on a single charge,
but we actually managed an impressive 304 miles
on Edmund's EV test loop, achieving
an efficiency of 33.1 kilowatt hours per 100 miles, which
is also better than Ford's own figures.
The Mach-E can be fast charged at around 13,500 stations
across the US, but that's still less than Tesla offers.
For now, at least, Tesla's proprietary fast-charging
network remains a key advantage over every other EV brand.
Let's talk about the name for a moment.
This is now my third film about the Mach-E,
and every time one goes live I get
vilified for calling it Mach-E, instead they more American
"Mahky."
But here's the thing, I've spoken to both the project
chief and the comms chief for this car,
and they both call it "Macky."
So officially, I'm correct.
Put that in your pipe and smoke it.
Now, this car was developed by a small crack
team of individuals, a bit like Ford's performance cars
are, and that really shows in the detailing.
Check out these door handles, for example.
And it's particularly relevant inside.
This interior looks unlike anything you've
seen from Ford before.
To be honest, anything you might have seen in a Mustang either.
Ford is definitely trying to win the "my screen's
bigger than yours" contest.
The Tesla's measures 15 inches, this, 15.5.
And as we all know, half an inch makes all the difference.
I also like the fact that in the Mach-E,
it's complemented by another screen in front of your eyes
here, displaying sensible things leg speed and range.
You see this little thing in front of me here?
Well, that's monitoring me, and that's
part of Ford's bid for autonomous driving.
When the software comes on stream next year,
you should be able to drive the Mach-E handsfree,
around 100,000 miles of US highway.
Yes, Ford is likely to beat Tesla to handsfree driving.
Yes, really.
Really.
Now you can all comment below and tell me how wrong I am.
This big screen runs Ford's proprietary sync for a software
solution, and although it's not necessarily the fastest,
there is much to like about it.
Most of the headline functions are
easy to see and easy to use, like the navigation here.
And if you want a deep dive, you can pretty much
personalize everything according to your preference.
I also like the fact that Apple CarPlay an Android Auto,
neither of which are available on a Tesla,
are integrated here.
And it's not an all-or-nothing solution,
so you can put CarPlay on for an example.
You can use it, but you can also then access other elements
of Ford's own software.
It also gives you access to the Mach-E's three driving modes,
which affects things like the weight of the steering,
the response of the pedal, and even the artificial noise
that the cars makes.
You get three modes.
Engage, which is balance drive, fun and engaging.
Whisper, which is seamless drive, calm and quiet.
Or unbridled-- get it?
Unbridled, which is exhilarating drive.
Machine and road align line as one.
So let's hope it's not a pockmarked Californian highway.
Honestly, who writes this nonsense?
The reality is they're all kind of fun, but most of the time
you just stick it in engage and get on with it, as we have.
I do, though, have one pet peeve about all this screen
technology.
This is a really nicely crafted curvaceous interior,
and then they just get a massive screen and go, boof!
It's kind of true of all modern car design,
and I really hope that it gets a bit more sophisticated
as screen technology evolves.
I do like the fact, though, that in the Ford
the touchscreen technology is complemented
by real buttons for things like the wing mirrors, the glove
box, and even the air vents.
Yes, it's kind of old school, but for me, it properly works.
I just wish though there were slightly better quality.
Some of these switches do feel a bit cheap,
and that kind of reduces the overall ambience of quality
and refinement that the Mach-E otherwise exudes.
What else don't I like?
Well, if I'm being pedantic, I do
think this Ford system lacks a bit of Tesla's sense of fun.
You can't watch YouTube, you can't watch Netflix,
you can't play arcade games, and it doesn't even fart.
I mean, come on.
Where is the choice answer to the Silicon Valley
fart, really?
I'm also not a big fan of these seats.
They're not fundamentally uncomfortable,
but if you're tall, like me, you'll
find you lack a bit of under-thigh support.
And for a car with sporting pretensions,
they do feel a bit flat and unsupportive.
By contrast, these rear seats are actually more comfortable
than a Model Y's.
Now, this is all set up for me and I'm six foot four.
And as you can see, I've got plenty of headroom
and decent kneeroom too.
The only thing I can't do is slide my feet
under the seat in front in quite the same extent
that I can in a Model Y. That's always
been a strong point of Tesla.
What else?
Well, you've got charging points here-- both USB and USB-C.
I should also call out the banging awesome high-fi, which
really does sound terrific.
That's standard on the premium model.
Storage space, I hear you say.
Well, this is the trunk.
And as you can see, it's not quite as big
as you'd find in a Tesla Model Y,
nor is there as much space underneath.
What you do get is this rather funky-looking fabric luggage
cover, which you don't get in the Silicon Valley alternative,
and that's useful for keeping your stuff inside private.
Apparently, Ford has even patented it, though
how you patent a fabric cover is beyond me.
[LAUGHTER]
Let's leave that in the edit and keep moving.
There's also a front, which gets a bonus
mark for having a little valve that allows you to drain away
the water, so you can fill it with ice
for things like tailgating.
But it's not that big or well-shaped.
And to be honest, what with the divider?
I don't get it.
It seems hard to believe this is Ford's first proper crack
at an EV.
Forget the Focus Electric.
That was really no more than a token gesture.
And there's more to come.
Soon there'll be a performance-oriented GT
version of the Mach-E, and, of course, an electric F-150.
For the first attempt, it's genuinely impressive.
Yes, it will take a few software updates
to iron out some of the gremlins,
but overall we like it.
To our eyes, it looks great, it drives really well,
and it scores as a practical family SUV.
So the big question-- would we take it over a Tesla Model Y?
And The answer is, yes.
Ford might be late to the party, but they've
made quite an entrance.
If you've enjoyed this film and how I say "Macky,"
then be sure to subscribe to the Edmunds YouTube channel,
and check out edmunds.com for more information on the Mustang
Mach-E.
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