Road Test
BIG MACH AND FLIES
All-electric Ford Mustang Mach-E delivers fuss-free power and a touch of glamour
“A ROSE by any other name,” wrote Shakespeare, “would smell as sweet.”
Whatever we call the flower doesn’t affect how it smells.
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And whatever we call this car doesn’t affect how it behaves.
Ford calls it a Mustang, but that doesn’t make it a V8-engined sports car.
It’s an electric crossover.
If Shakespeare said names don’t matter, why did Ford choose this badge?
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Because Mustang implies speed and renegade glamour.
This Mustang, the Mustang Mach-E, has a handy turn of speed. But renegade? Hardly.
A bit of glamour, though. Compared to other electric cross-overs, the Ford is a looker.
The nose is long, the fastback tail swoopy. Its lights could have been nicked off the Mustang sports car.
As you’d expect electric drive means instant, fuss-free power. Especially so in the test car, which is an all-wheel-drive version with two motors, one each end. So there’s all the traction you want.
For a heavy vehicle — batteries aren’t light — the Mach-E corners tidily. The steering wheel feels light but is accurate. The body is well tied down, neither rolling on corners nor floating when the road crests and dips.
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Arrive in traffic and this car is tricky to drive smoothly, because of the brakes.
Not much happens when you first squeeze the pedal, so you shove a little harder and feel like you’ve driven into a mattress.
Still, the pedal is far more confidence-inspiring on the open road. Some urban-speed stiffness in the suspension eases off into a decently comfortable ride.
Passengers will not complain because they have plenty of room. The boot under the hatchback isn’t huge but there’s another one under the bonnet.
The big-screen dash carries loads of technology. It learns your habits and adjusts several systems to suit. The motorway driver- assistance works a treat, too.
Now, electric range. I was in the extended-range AWD version. The official test figure is 335 miles. You might manage that on single-carriageways in warm weather. My testing shows it’s 250 miles on wintry motorways. Still good for an electric.
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Frankly, I’d get the one without AWD. It isn’t quite as fast but goes usefully farther on a charge.
Plus, because its list price is less than £50,000, it qualifies for a £3,000 government grant, so you save £10,000 in all.
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It’s still a lot to pay for a Ford. But for a big, well equipped, good-to-drive and long-range electric car, it’s value. As the bard might have said, prospects are rosy.
- Paul Horrell
KEY FACTS: FORD MUSTANG MACH-E
- Price: £57,030
- Engine: 99kWh
- Power: 351hp, 580Nm
- 0-62mph: 5.8 secs
- Top speed: 111mph
- Range: 335 miles
- CO2: 0g/km
- Out: March
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