2024 Ford Mustang Mach-E Select review (2024)

20/05/2024 05:00

Is the entry-level Ford Mustang Mach-E Select a genuine contender in the crowded electric SUV/crossover segment? Rob Margeit finds out.

2024 Ford Mustang Mach-E Select

The Ford Mustang Mach-E electric SUV arrived in Australia late last year to immediate cries of 'it's not a Mustang'. And it's true that Ford's first electric passenger car to be sold in Australia bears no connection to the original pony car other than Phil Clark's iconic logo on the Mach-E's front, rear, and wheel caps and some not-so-subtle design cues.

But, the 2024 Ford Mustang Mach-E should not be dismissed based simply on its haloed nameplate. It deserves to be looked at in isolation and not judged against its iconic howling V8 coupe stablemate.

So we've established the Mach-E is not a two-door sports car and it's not powered by a thumping V8. So what is it?

In short, it's an electric crossover SUV, a rival to the likes of the Tesla Model Y, Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6. Throw into the mix the Toyota BZ4X and Subaru Solterra twins too. A busy segment, then, with plenty of choice for buyers of electric mid-size, crossover SUVs.

Buyers' appetite for electric SUVs is voracious, certainly if Tesla's Model Y sales are anything to go by. In 2023, Tesla reported it had sold 28,769 of its popular medium SUV, easily the best-selling electric vehicle of any kind in Australia.

That presents a pair of not-insignificant challenges for the Mustang Mach-E, casting off the shackles of its iconic name while also being considered a viable alternative to the best-selling Tesla.

Is the 2024 Ford Mustang Mach-E up to the task? Let's find out.

How much is a Ford Mustang Mach-E?

There are three models in the Ford Mustang Mach-E range, which gets underway with the Select at $72,990, steps up to the Premium starting at $86,990, and reaches its zenith with the range-topping GT priced at $104,990. All prices are before options and on-road costs.

On test here we have the entry-level – to give it its full name – 2024 Ford Mustang Mach-E Select.

Our test car came with no options, other than a shiny coat of Rapid Red premium paint that adds $700 to the bottom line. All up, our Mach-E Select rolls out of the showroom and into your driveway for $81,275 drive-away (in Sydney) or just a fraction more ($81,298) in Melbourne. Final drive-away price may vary depending on your location.

The Mach-E's palette runs to seven colours, of which six command a $700 premium. The only no-cost colour is Shadow Black, perhaps a subtle nod to company founder Henry Ford who once famously wrote in his autobiography (My Life and Work) of the Blue Oval's revolutionary Model T, "any color the customer wants, as long as it’s black".

Rivals for the entry-level Mustang Mach-E Select include the new $66,000 Toyota BZ4X FWD, entry-level Hyundai Ioniq 5 RWD ($67,500), and Kia's EV6 Air RWD ($72,590).

The elephant in the room? The Tesla Model Y which just last month was on the receiving end of another price discount, now getting underway at $63,500, almost $10,000 more affordable than the Mach-E Select. All prices are before options and on-road costs.

Standard equipment for the Mach-E Select includes 19-inch alloy wheels with 'aero' wheel covers, LED headlights, a 15.5-inch portrait style infotainment touchscreen, wireless (and cabled) Apple CarPlay and Android Auto along with wireless smartphone charging capabilities, a 10.2-inch digital instrument cluster, eight-way power-adjustable front seats finished in Sensico artificial leather, panoramic glass roof, a premium Bang & Olufsen 10-speaker sound system, and a Type 2 charging cable.

A full suite of advanced driver assist systems (ADAS), also known as active safety technologies, is also standard across the range: autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assistance, rear cross-traffic alert, blind-zone monitoring, speed sign recognition, a 360-degree camera, front and rear parking sensors, and tyre pressure monitoring.

How big is a Ford Mustang Mach-E?

Interestingly, the Ford Mustang Mach-E is classed as a large SUV despite being dimensionally near-identical to the Tesla Model Y that is classified as a medium SUV.

The Mach-E Select stops the tape at 4728mm long, 2097mm wide (including mirrors), 1634mm tall, and sits on a 2984mm wheelbase.

For context, the Model Y is longer (4751mm), taller (1624mm), albeit narrower (1978mm) and sits on a 94mm shorter wheelbase (2890mm).

The cabin of the Mach-E is nicely designed without being overtly futuristic. Access is via a small button located on the B-pillar, roughly the size of a five-cent piece, which when pressed opens the door slightly ajar. You then pull on a small wing-like protrusion located on the door frame to gain full access. Different for difference’s sake? Probably. But it does get your passengers talking.

Clean lines and some nice design touches (the Bang & Olufsen soundbar that runs the full length of the dash is a highlight) are enhanced by what feels like solid build quality and nice use of materials.

The front seats, wrapped in artificial leather and power-adjustable eight ways, are comfortable without being outstanding in terms of support. There's seat heating as well as adjustable lumbar support.

The driving position is good, with plenty of leg room even for taller drivers. The heated steering wheel, resplendent with its pony logo, feels nice in hand. It's adjustable for tilt and reach. Ergonomically, key features and functions fall easily to hand.

In terms of storage, a smallish central storage bin with a retractable cover hides under a floating central armrest. The armrest itself is nicely padded, and a good place to rest weary elbows on long drives.

The obligatory pair of cupholders are joined by a two-tiered storage area near the dash, the top section also hosting the Mach-E's wireless smartphone charging pad.

Underneath, a larger storage area is good for small handbags or laptops and the like, but it's easily visible from outside the car so not an ideal place to store valuables away from prying eyes.

The door cards offer more storage but, unusually in today's automotive landscape, are not really capable of holding even smaller bottles.

Access to the second row is via the same push-button entry, and once inside reveals a reasonably spacious area for passengers. Toe room and leg room are acceptable, although taller occupants will struggle with the Mach-E's sloping roof line that impacts comfort.

A fold-down armrest hides a pair of cupholders, while amenities in row two run to a pair of USB points, one each USB-A and USB-C, as well as air vents. Like the fronts, the rear door cards are not suitable for bottles.

For those with kidlets, the outboard seats are fitted with ISOFIX child seat mounts, while all three seat backs are equipped with top-tether anchors.

The second row folds away in 60:40-split fashion freeing up cargo space. With the back seats in use, there's 402 litres (or 519L to the roof), expanding to 1420L. Additionally, storage under the Mach-E's bonnet, aka the 'frunk', runs to 134L.

That's more generous than the Model Y's 'frunk' that measures in at a claimed 117L, but the point-scoring stops there, the Tesla's boot coming in at a claimed 854L with the second row in use and a massive 2041L with the seats folded away.

Don't look for a spare tyre, because you won't find one. Instead, the Mustang Mach-E is equipped with a tyre repair kit.

Does the Ford Mustang Mach-E have Apple CarPlay and Android Auto?

Central to the Mustang Mach-E's infotainment set-up is a portrait-orientated 15.5-inch touchscreen. It hosts wireless and wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, inbuilt satellite navigation, and the full gamut of radio bandwidths – AM/FM and DAB+.

The menu structure inside Ford's native Ford software is nicely laid out and reasonably intuitive to use.

CarPlay proved a little glitchy over the first couple of days, whether connected wirelessly or via a USB cable (there's one each USB-A and USB-C in the front row), sometimes failing to connect at all or occasionally dropping out mid-drive.

In frustration, I deleted the connection between my iPhone and the Mustang and started again, and this time the connection remained stable throughout the rest of our time with the Mach-E.

Climate controls are accessed via the touchscreen, and while we usually decry the lack of physical dials and buttons, Ford's integration is pretty easy to use on the fly, largely because key functions, such as temperature adjustment, are permanently on display in the lower section of the screen.

Ford's 10.2-inch digital instrument cluster is easy to read and displays critical driving data such as speed and the battery's state of charge at a quick glance. A little Easter egg can be found on the digital speedo that reads 'Ground Speed', a subtle nod to the World War II fighter plane, the P-51 Mustang, which gave the original pony car its name. Cute.

The FordPass Connect app lets owners access their Mach-E remotely via their smartphones with features such as climate pre-conditioning, locking and unlocking the doors and tailgate, locate their vehicle, and check on the battery's state of charge, among others.

Is the Ford Mustang Mach-E a safe car?

The Ford Mustang Mach-E range, excluding the range-topping GT variant, was awarded a five-star ANCAP safety rating based on Euro NCAP testing conducted in 2021.

It garnered scores of 92 per cent for adult occupant protection in the front seats, 88 per cent for child protection in the back seats, 69 per cent for vulnerable road users such as cyclists and pedestrians, and 82 per cent for its advanced driver assist systems (ADAS).

What safety technology does the Ford Mustang Mach-E have?

The Mustang Mach-E doesn't want for safety technologies, carrying a comprehensive suite of advanced driver assist systems.

The entire Mach-E range is fitted with autonomous emergency braking (both forward and reverse), adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assistance, rear cross-traffic alert, blind-zone monitoring, speed sign recognition, a 360-degree camera, front and rear parking sensors, as well as tyre pressure monitoring.

Our week with the Mach-E didn't reveal any glaring issues with its safety systems, the technologies nicely calibrated, resulting in no false positives or overly intrusive interventions.

The 360-degree camera, too, projected crisp and clear images into the Mach-E's 15.5-inch infotainment screen.

The Mach-E's airbag count runs to 10 covering both rows of occupants. The suite includes a front-centre airbag that deploys between the front seats and reduces the severity and potential for head clashes between front-row occupants in the event of an accident.

It's worth pointing out the range-topping Mustang Mach-E GT is not fitted with a front-centre airbag.

How much does the Ford Mustang Mach-E cost to run?

Ford covers the Mustang Mach-E with its standard five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty. Additionally, Ford Australia covers what it refers to in its policy as the 'Electrical Drivetrain Components' (i.e. the lithium iron phosphate battery, electric motor and inverter among others) for eight years and 160,000km.

Scheduled visits to the workshop are needed every 12 months or 15,000km, whichever comes first. Unlike some makers of EVs, Ford Australia has kept servicing costs down for the Mach-E. According to Ford, the cost of scheduled maintenance over three years is $460 and over five years is $780.

Additional services beyond five years run to either $140 (years seven, nine and 11) or $180 (years six, eight, 10 and 12). After 12 years or 180,000km, Ford suggests contacting a dealer for a quote.

That makes the Mach-E one of the most affordable to service among its rivals. For context, five years of servicing runs to $900 for a Toyota BZ4X, $1089 for a Kia EV6 and $1730 for a Hyundai Ioniq 5.

Tesla doesn't provide servicing costs for its Model Y, the Mach-E's most obvious rival, nor does Tesla quote service intervals. Instead, servicing and maintenance are "conditional-based" and only needed when the Model Y detects a fault that requires servicing.

Comprehensive insurance for the Mach-E Select from a leading insurer is priced at $1912 per annum, based on a comparative quote for a 35-year-old male driver living in Chatswood, NSW. Insurance estimates may vary based on your location, driving history, and personal circ*mstances.

For context, our insurer quoted $2861 for a Tesla Model Y RWD, $1899 for a Toyota BZ4X FWD, and $1755 for a Kia EV6 Air.

What is the range of a Ford Mustang Mach-E?

Ford claims energy consumption of 17.8kWh per 100kilometres of driving on the combined cycle. That's on the high side when compared against its cohort of competitors.

Tesla says its Model Y RWD will use 15.7kWh/100km, while Kia quotes 16.5kWh/100km for the EV6 Air. Toyota's EV newcomer, the BZ4X, is claimed to consume 16.9kWh/100km.

Our week with the Mach-E, spent in a mix of peak-hour traffic, suburban running as well as long lopes on the motorway, returned an indicated 19.0kWh/100km. Further, our specific 110km/h highway test loop saw an indicated 18.6kWh/100km.

Ford says the Mach-E Select's 72kWh battery is good for 470km of range based on European WLTP testing. But based on our real-world driving, expect that to drop, and quite significantly, to around 373km.

The Mach-E Select's 72kWh battery is a lithium iron phosphate unit. While not as energy-dense as nickel-manganese-cobalt batteries found in other electric cars, including, it's worth pointing out, Mustang Mach-E Premium and GT variants, they have the benefit of being able to be charged to 100 per cent regularly without damaging the cells. Regularly charging nickel-manganese-cobalt batteries beyond 80 per cent can speed up battery degradation over time.

Ford says the Select's battery can be charged at a maximum rate of 150kW, giving a 10–80 per cent charge time of 32 minutes.

Our real-world testing resulted in a 10–80 per cent charging time of 31min 20sec and saw a brief peak of 161kW at 12 per cent before falling off a cliff dramatically.

What is the Ford Mustang Mach-E like to drive?

The most affordable Mustang Mach-E might be the least powerful of the range, but that in no way diminishes its performance.

A single 198kW/430Nm electric motor powers the rear wheels, and while that seems middling for the segment on paper, it feels brisk enough from behind the wheel without being unruly.

Ford claims the Mach-E Select can complete the benchmark sprint from 0–100km/h in 6.6 seconds. Previous VBox testing carried out by Drive couldn't quite match Ford's claim, our Select stopping the clock at 7.2 seconds.

Despite being slower than the claim, the Mach-E Select feels brisk when taking off from traffic lights, the surge of acceleration as pleasing as it is rapid, certainly when getting up to city speeds (60km/h). From here, acceleration is a little more gentle, but perfectly fine for most daily driving scenarios.

The steering feels nicely weighted too, a nice balance between offering tactility and lightness. But the steering wasn't as precise as we'd like during cornering, requiring micro adjustments to keep the Mach-E in line. Not a deal-breaker, by any stretch, but worth mentioning.

Ride comfort erred on the side of firm, especially over pockmarked urban streets and roads, although not to the point where it marred the driving experience. At higher speeds, the Mach-E felt comfortable and composed.

Cornering agility isn't the Mach-E Select's strong suit, its 2104kg kerb weight keenly felt when hustling some twisties. A tendency for mild understeer didn't exactly come as a surprise.

The Mach-E features regenerative braking and the ability for one-pedal driving. But, it's either on or off, with no mild regenerative steps in between.

Three drive modes provide different characteristics from behind the wheel. Called Whisper, Active and Untame (no, really, they are), they are akin to more conventionally titled Eco, Normal and Sport driving modes.

The three modes adjust parameters like ambient lighting, throttle response, and steering tactility. Additionally, Untame mode ups the ante in terms of 'engine noise', the Mach-E trying its hardest to sound like its V8-powered Mustang namesake. It, umm, falls short, the muffled burble piped into the cabin not at all convincing.

Where Untame does convince is in overall response and tactility, transforming the Mach-E Select from a comfortable suburban electric cruiser into a reasonably sharp, albeit not outright, performance SUV. And that's okay, because there's a more potent Mustang Mach-E GT to fill that role.

Instead, the Mustang Mach-E Select serves as a perfectly fine entry into electric motoring with decent (if not earth-shattering) performance, a comfortable enough ride and a nicely styled and comfortable cabin.

Can a Ford Mustang Mach-E tow?

Ford does not quote towing capacities for the Mustang Mach-E, and has previously confirmed to Drive that it is not certified for towing in Australia.

That's not unusual for an electric vehicle, where the added weight of hauling a trailer or small camper-trailer can dramatically reduce driving range.

Interestingly, the Tesla Model Y is, according to Tesla, rated to tow 1600kg braked or 750kg unbraked. Tesla even offers a tow package for the Model Y priced at $1970.

Should I buy a Ford Mustang Mach-E?

It's not hard to recommend the Mustang Mach-E for those buyers looking for a comfortable electric SUV with enough technology and niceties to feel a bit special.

And while the Select grade is enough to meet most buyers' daily needs, the mid-spec Premium variant is arguably our pick. With a bigger battery (91kWh) and better range (600km claimed), the Premium removes some of the stresses associated with electric cars. But it is $14,000 more at list price than the Select, which could be a barrier to many buyers.

The Tesla Model Y remains the benchmark in the segment, though, especially in that $65,000–$80,000 price bracket. But not everyone wants to drive a Tesla, and for those who eschew the American EV brand, the Mustang Mach-E is a decent alternative.

How do I buy a Ford Mustang Mach-E? The next steps.

Ford Australia confirmed to Drive there is "good stock on the ground of the Ford Mustang Mach-E across the range, so while specific dealer stock may vary, customers wanting that model should be available to find one for immediate delivery".

The next step on the purchase journey is to check the Ford website for stock of your preferred Mustang Mach-E variant. You can also find Fords for sale at Drive Cars for Sale.

We strongly recommend taking a test drive at a dealership before committing because personal needs and tastes can differ. Follow this link to find your nearest Ford dealer.

We'd also recommend test-driving the Tesla Model Y RWD as it remains the flag-bearer for the segment and provides a good benchmark. The Hyundai Ioniq 5 RWD and Kia EV6 are also worth considering.

To stay updated with everything that’s happened to this car since our review, you’ll find all the latest news here.

The post 2024 Ford Mustang Mach-E Select review appeared first on Drive.