As the automotive industry moves towards a greater use of renewable energy Ford offer mild hybrid, hybrid, and plug-in hybrid technology globally on six models within their range.
With one additional vehicle offering full electrification, which is priced just shy of £51,000 the Ford Mustang Mach-E has raised the eyebrows of purists of the Blue Oval. To most, the picture of a sleek sports car with a throbbing V8 engine up front and questionable handling is what they would see when the words Mustang and Ford are mentioned together.
What Ford give us with their new Mustang Mach-E however is an equally sleek car, albeit an SUV, with battery power that can take you from 0-62 mph in as little as 4.4 seconds. Questionable handling is retained, but in a very different way which I will touch on later.
As Ford’s first foray into full electrification, the Mach-E faces stiff competition from the likes of the Jaguar I-Pace, the E-Tron Sportback from Audi, Hyundai’s IONIQ 5 and even the Tesla Model Y.
Mach-E pricing is significantly cheaper than the first pairing, coming in at similar money to the Tesla, with the offering from Hyundai starting a fair bit cheaper than them all.
Ford’s Mustang Mach-E offers a sporty driving experience that is on par with the more expensive models in this segment. The questionable handling I mentioned earlier is a positive thing for the majority, though.
From my experience of driving several electric vehicles, they struggle to carry the weight of batteries through the chassis and suspension, especially noticeable on our rural road network.
This is not the case for the Mustang Mach-E, thankfully. Inspiring confidence, it provides an incredibly fun driving experience when out of the city. Within the city and at low speeds, it is an extremely stiff ride as I found out the hard way.
As I was isolating ahead of planned surgery on delivery of the test car, I was very grateful for an extended drive on various roads on-route to a late hospital check-in. Then, having underwent major wrist surgery under a block, rather than general anaesthetic, my wife picked me up that evening to bring me home and it was at this point that the harshness of the suspension became apparent.
There was no amount of opiate that could prepare me for the thaw of my arm, and the expectant pain to jump out and say hello. But even when still well frozen, not five-minutes from the hospital gates, I was cursing profusely as the Mach-E transferred even the smallest ruts and bumps up through my body and down into the titanium plate which had just been freshly screwed into both my hand and arm.
Once out of Belfast and onto the open road, things calmed down a great deal and decent comfort returned. Although extra seat bolstering would be of great benefit. I was glad to get home and my wife was excited to spend the next few days with the Mach-E which in the end she did not wish to return.
The entry level ‘Select’ model is available only as rear-wheel-drive, the middle of the range ‘Premium’ has the option of all-wheel-drive, whilst the ‘GT’ comes only with all-wheel-drive. Power ranges from 269 – 480 PS, with WLTP stated driving range from 273 – 372 miles, grade dependant.
Mustang Mach-E is much more economical with its miles per kWh than Audi and Jaguar, but it’s similar to all other rivals.
Priced from £50,830 the ‘Select’ grade is equipped with a 70 kWh battery which features a maximum power of 269 PS with a torque of 430 Nm which will see you from 0-62 mph in just 6.9 seconds.
Key features include Ford SYNC4A with a 15.5-inch touchscreen, DAB radio, emergency assistance, wireless CarPlay, wireless Android Auto, 2 front and 2 rear USB ports and 6 speakers, FordPass connect and connected navigation.
Black Onyx full Sensico (synthetic leather) upholstery with grey stitching, heated front seats and steering wheel, wireless charging pad, rear view camera and 360 degree camera, 18-inch 5-spoke alloy wheels, LED reflector headlamps and LED Mustang signature tail lights.
Also featured is rear privacy glass, quickclear heated windscreen, 10.2-inch digital instrument cluster, dual zone electronic automatic temperature control, E-Latch keyless entry system (inc. B-Pillar keypad access) and keyless start.
Intelligent adaptive cruise control with stop & go and lane centring, front and rear parking sensors, BLIS with cross traffic alert, Lane keeping aid and Lane departure warning, pre collision assist including: collision mitigation, forward collision warning, dynamic brace support, automated emergency braking, distance alert/distance indication and evasive steer assist all feature as standard.
A ‘Premium’ grade start from £59,380 and is equipped with a 91 kWh battery which features a maximum power of 294 PS with a torque of 430 Nm which will see you from 0-62 mph in 7 seconds (rear-wheel-drive) or 351 PS with a torque of 580 Nm which will see you from 0-62 mph in 5.8 seconds (all-wheel-drive).
In addition to the base model you get black perforated full Sensico trim with red stitching, 19-inch black machined alloy wheels with red brake calipers, adaptive LED Mustang signature headlights, 8-way power adjustable front seats with lumbar support.
The ‘GT’ starts from an eye-watering £74,540 and it also features a 91 kWh battery, but this time with 487 PS and a torque figure of 860 Nm which feeds power to all four wheels taking you from 0-62 mph in a mere 4.4 seconds.
This grade features a fixed panoramic roof, B&O 10 speaker audio system including dashboard soundbar, grey full Sensico trim, 20-inch black machine alloy wheels with Brembo brakes, MagneRide adaptive suspension, and hands free power tailgate.
The Mustang Mach-E offers an abundance of room within the cabin for both front and rear occupants. And although comfortable, the seating could do with a little more support in line with the vehicles sporty driving characteristics.
A split floor in the boot offers flat loading space or a drop down into the boot for when you need some extra volume. With the rear seats folded down, there is just over 1,420-litres of space available.
Dominating the cockpit is the large portrait orientated screen. Around which and throughout the interior, is a quality feel much better than any Ford I have been in before. I’d welcome the Ford Mustang Mach-E back onto my driveway any time.
