The Ford Mustang Mach-E is off to a rocky begin in Australia.

Its costs had been slashed previous to launch in 2023, and hasn’t set the gross sales charts alight up to now in 2024 with simply 181 delivered so far. That’s in comparison with virtually 7000 examples of the Tesla Mannequin Y, or virtually 600 examples of the Kia EV6.

On paper, it’s laborious to see why. Our expertise with the Premium and GT has proven it’s a punchy factor to drive, with a strong inside, and aggressive electrical vary.

What we haven’t achieved but is expertise the bottom Choose.

With a smaller battery and fewer energy than its costlier siblings, it’s not fairly as Mustang… but it surely’s additionally not fairly as dear, with a sticker that throws it instantly into battle with the Tesla Mannequin Y Lengthy Vary, together with mid-range variations of the Kia EV6 and Hyundai Ioniq 5.

Is the only Mustang Mach-E additionally the very best?

How does the Ford Mustang Mach-E examine?

View an in depth breakdown of the Ford Mustang Mach-E in opposition to equally sized automobiles.

Ford

Mustang Mach-E

How a lot does the Ford Mustang Mach-E value?

Value rises are the order of the day in 2024, however the Mustang Mach-E is among the few vehicles to be handled to a worth reduce.

The Choose on check right here was hit with the most important reduce previous to its launch, with Ford dropping the sticker from $79,990 to $72,990 earlier than on-road prices.

2024 Ford Mustang Mach-E pricing:

• 2024 Ford Mustang Mach-E Choose: $72,990 (-$7000)
• 2024 Ford Mustang Mach-E Premium: $86,990 (-$4675)
• 2024 Ford Mustang Mach-E GT: $104,990 (-$2675)

Costs are excluding on-road prices

To see how the Mustang Mach-E compares with its rivals, use our comparability software.

What’s the Ford Mustang Mach-E like on the within?

With an enormous central display screen, open central tunnel, and pared-back instrument cluster, this isn’t like several Mustang we’ve seen earlier than.

There are some nods to the legendary Pony automobile that lends its identify to this mid-sized electrical household crossover.

The dashboard has detailing that calls to thoughts the upright, twin-cowl sprint that’s historically characterised the cabin of the Mustang, and also you’ll wrestle to discover a Blue Oval anyplace in right here. Though you purchase this automobile at a Ford seller, it’s being marketed as a Mustang initially.

Sadly, among the fundamentals aren’t actually as much as scratch. The seats are trimmed in good sufficient leather-based, however they’re manner too flat and slippery for any SUV, not to mention one sporting a Mustang badge.

I simply couldn’t get snug, as a substitute perching awkwardly on prime of them, they usually less than scratch if you wish to discover what this automobile can do within the corners. Not less than the warmers hearth up quick, and are so highly effective you might use them to gradual cook dinner a lamb roast.

Just like the Ranger, the Mach-E includes a vertical touchscreen that’s accountable for all of your infotainment and local weather controls. It seems to be slick, with an interface that gained’t put traditionalists off just like the aggressively minimalist Tesla Mannequin Y, and the format is all very logical.

The big, click-clack wheel in the course of the show exhibits potential. It’s a quantity knob, but in addition can be utilized to regulate the fan velocity, your seat heaters, or the temperature relying on the place you might be within the infotainment system, and customarily responds as you’d count on.

There are occasions the place it simply lags for a beat or two although, which actually undermines the automobile’s pitch as a high-tech electrical flagship in Australia.

Not less than the wi-fi Apple CarPlay connects shortly and doesn’t drop out, which hasn’t all the time been our expertise with the Everest and Ranger.

Whereas we’re griping, the little digital speedo will often present 1km/h as a substitute of 0km/h at a standstill, and the very fact your velocity is offset and there’s a driver help show in the course of your imaginative and prescient is tough to know.

Storage is in abundance up entrance. Together with two slots for a telephone on the base of the dashboard, there are usable cupholders on the central tunnel, a spacious (and safe) slot beneath the armrest, and a neat little pocket beneath the telephone holders that’s excellent for a small purse.

USB-A and USB-C ports function to maintain units juiced up, each entrance and rear.

Rear seat area is on a par for a mid-sized SUV. When you’re previous the sloping roof (there aren’t any door handles, which can idiot some passengers) headroom is strong for youths or common adults, and also you’ll be capable to sit absolutely grown women and men again there with out criticism.

Air vents are available to maintain the children cool in summer season, and the fold-down central armrest is beneficial as a option to separate rear passengers on lengthy journeys.

Boot capability with the rear seats upright is 402 litres, which expands to 1420 litres with the second row folded.

The rear bench folds in a 60/40 break up configuration. As is widespread in EVs, there’s no spare tyre – you’ll discover solely a mobility package under the boot ground.

All fashions embody a 134L area beneath the bonnet. The storage cavity is washable, drainable and waterproof, making the Mach-E preferrred for tailgate (bonnet?) events.

For US regulatory causes, there’s additionally an inside launch so you may get out should you’re sufficiently small to suit and one way or the other get caught.

What’s beneath the bonnet?

The bottom Choose has a 71kWh battery pack, in comparison with the 91kWh battery on the Premium and GT.

To see how the Mustang Mach-E compares with its rivals, use our comparability software.

How does the Ford Mustang Mach-E drive?

Prod the beginning button and the Mustang Mach-E involves life with a synthetic signature, presumably to fill the void left by the characterful V8 that’s characterised the coupe for the final six many years.

We’re not holding the very fact this automobile isn’t petrol-powered in opposition to it, however there’s one thing odd about taking a look at that Pony on the steering wheel in a automobile with none engine noise after years of conditioning.

There’s a sure Mustang-ness about among the controls although. There’s extra weight to the steering than in rivals at low speeds, and the accelerator requires a extra deliberate prod than may in any other case be essential. Efficiency is respectable given that is solely the bottom mannequin.

Traction isn’t a problem off the road, which implies you possibly can bury the accelerator and let all 430Nm free primarily from standstill. It’s a sleeper within the visitors mild grand prix, and also you gained’t draw the eye of the police (or judging passers by) with an obnoxious exhaust.

Then once more, it’s additionally on a par with what you’ll get in most electrical rivals in 2024; this isn’t a stallion by these requirements.

This isn’t an ideal metropolis automobile, although. The heft within the steering means it’s worthwhile to work tougher than in some rivals when parking, and the Mach-E all the time feels large and heavy over bumps. Though the physique is kind of tightly managed, you’re conscious of its two-tonne mass on each velocity bump – or pothole, which may ship a noticeable thud by means of the cabin.

Ford isn’t the one model struggling to make its electrical automobile experience with the polish of its petrol or diesel fashions, however even by these requirements the Mach-E wants some work.

It’s impressively quiet although. The surface world fades away once you’re sitting in visitors, with no hum from the motors and minimal noise from the surface world sneaking into the cabin.

At larger speeds, even the bottom Mustang Mach-E has a grown-up feeling. It’s properly planted, and nonetheless has sufficient poke to really feel fast once you’re eager to overhaul on the authorized restrict. It doesn’t bounce round over the type of crests and dips widespread on Australian nation B-roads, though the trade-off is a busy feeling on pimply tarmac.

Ford’s driver assists are wonderful. The adaptive cruise management is easy, and the energetic lane-centring is ready to preserve you between the white traces with out attempting to tear the wheels out of your arms.

It’s additionally clearly communicated within the sprint when it’s worthwhile to maintain the wheel another way, or when the system is turned off.

That hefty steering pays dividends should you’re in a rush, combining with that tight suspension tune to imbue what’s a giant, heavy automobile with a powerful entrance finish. It darts into corners determinedly, and there’s much less physique roll than you may count on.

There’s in the end no escaping its weight although, which places the Mach-E into the class of “surprisingly good within the bends” as a substitute of “genuinely enjoyable to drive”.

What do you get?

The 2024 Ford Mustang Mach-E is at present out there in three trim ranges. On check right here is the entry-level Choose.

Mustang Mach-E Choose highlights:

• 10.2-inch digital instrument cluster
• 15.5-inch infotainment touchscreen
  • Ford SYNC 4A infotainment system 
  • Wi-fi Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
  • Satellite tv for pc navigation
  • DAB+ digital radio
• B&O 10-speaker sound system 
• Wi-fi telephone charging
• Black Onyx Sensico leatherette upholstery 
• Sensico-wrapped steering wheel
• 8-way energy entrance seats
• Heated steering wheel 
• Heated entrance seats
• FordPass connectivity
• Wi-fi telephone charger
• Twin-zone local weather management
• Electrochromatic rear-view mirror
• Automated reflector LED headlights
• 19-inch alloy wheels with Aero covers
• Keyless entry and begin
• Panoramic glass roof
• Energy tailgate
• Rain-sensing wipers
• Lively grille shutters
• Whisper, Lively and Untame drive modes
• One-pedal drive mode

Is the Ford Mustang Mach-E protected?

The Ford Mustang Mach-E was awarded a five-star ANCAP security score based mostly on Euro NCAP testing – this is applicable solely to the Choose and Premium, although.

It acquired an grownup occupant safety score of 92 per cent, a baby occupant safety score of 86 per cent, a weak highway consumer safety of 69 per cent, and a security help score of 86 per cent.

Customary security gear consists of:

• Adaptive cruise management with cease and go
• Autonomous emergency braking with intersection help
• Auto high-beam
• Blind-spot monitoring
• Evasive steering help
• Lane departure warning
• Lane centring
• Lane preserve help
• Pre-collision help
• Put up-collision braking
• Park Help
• Rear-cross visitors alert
• Encompass-view digicam
• Pace signal recognition 
• Tyre stress monitoring
• Entrance and rear parking sensors
• 7 airbags (Choose, Premium) 

How a lot does the Ford Mustang Mach-E value to run?

The Mustang Mach-E is roofed by a five-year, unlimited-kilometre automobile guarantee and an eight-year, 160,000km battery guarantee.

The Mustang Mach-E requires servicing each 12 months or 15,000 kilometres.

Ford supplies capped-price servicing for the primary 10 years or 150,000km of possession, with service costs alternating between $135 and $180.

CarExpert’s Tackle the Ford Mustang Mach-E

Though it exhibits promise, the Mustang Mach-E Choose isn’t the electrical SUV we’d have on the prime of our consideration record in 2024.

It’s considerably costlier than the bottom Tesla Mannequin Y, however can’t compete relating to vary.

That legendary Mustang badge carries some attraction however the Mach-E seems to be blobby and under-wheeled in base Choose guise, whereas its cabin exhibits promise however in the end presents like an Escape EV doing its very best to imitate its cooler older brother.

Sure, there’s a sporty undertone to its steering and suspension setup once you’re pushing laborious, but it surely’s not carried by means of the entire expertise; the Choose feels heavy in regular driving, and the weighty steering undermines its credentials as a metropolis automobile.

None of those flaws are deadly, however layering them atop one another makes for an electrical SUV that’s extra middling than it’s Mustang.

At one level, middling might need been sufficient to seek out favour in Australia’s nascent electrical automobile market, however the recreation has moved on.

Hopefully the refreshed Mach-E revealed abroad might be extra aggressive when it hits Australia.

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