3 Things We Still Love About the Ford Mustang Mach-E (and 3 We Don’t)

It seemed only appropriate to take a Mustang Mach-E on a road trip to the Detroit Auto Show.

After all, Ford was the only game in town when it came to pre-show news: it debuted a special edition of a special edition Mustang, and then a pumped-up EcoBoost model for the rest of us. And hey, the Mach-E is now the best-selling vehicle to wear the Mustang name, a fact that’s sure to annoy traditionalists.

It had been a while since I drove a Mach-E, so the 500-mile round trip was a great opportunity to refamiliarize myself with the Blue Oval’s sporty electric crossover. Even in gussied-up Select trim, there was a lot to like here—as well as some bits I’d like to see addressed in any upcoming facelift.

Love: It’s Fun

I’m talking relative here. The Mach-E is still a chunky family hauler, but it has a playful side that is easy to tease out—especially in the winter. The trick is one many EVs ignore: narrow tires. The result is quick and positive turn-in without an over-abundance of grip. Suspension tuning is on the firm side, but the damping keeps body movements in check. F

Ford has mapped a different piped-in noise for each of the Mach-E’s three drive modes and you know what, I kind of dig that mix of classic V8 and electric buzz in Unbridle—the name, less so. Ford’s regenerative braking is some of the best on the market, with smooth deceleration that is easy to judge.

Find some fresh snow and the Mach-E stays true to the badge on its nose. This is a distinctly rear-biased powertrain, but the long wheelbase makes it oh-so predictable should the backend arc outwards. With light and accurate steering, the Mach-E can be a blast.

Leave: Those Door Buttons

I can hear every rationale for the Mach-E’s unusual door openings, from aerodynamics to children’s habits. I can understand all of it, too. But I don’t have to like it.

My issue with the Mach-E’s weird button approach has to do with inclement weather. After a charging session, I came outside to a powdered pony. Cue hunting for the rear button to get the brush, and the ensuing avalanche of snow onto the backseat as I had to grab the door seam to open it. I don’t even want to think about what might happen if the button gets iced over. Now admittedly that last challenge is something folks face with regular ol’ door handles too… but chipping away at the ice is much less costly there.

Basically, if brands are going to keep fiddling with door handles, I prefer BMW’s approach: a release button tucked up and behind a mostly flush handle. It’s kept out of reach of rain and snow that way while still providing clean aesthetics.

Love: BlueCruise

If you’ve ever done the stretch between Detroit and Toronto, you know just how boring it is. We’re talking narcolepsy-inducing. So it’s handy even the entry-level Mach-E can come with BlueCruise 1.2, Ford’s pre-mapped, hands-free highway driving assist.

On the way up roads are clearer, so it’s an ideal test situation. BlueCruise activates easily, letting the driver know it is available via the small instrument cluster. Set the adaptive cruise control, keep your eyes on the road, and the system takes care of the rest. The 1.2 update allows for automated lane changes as well; a light tap of the stalk gets the process going, as the car scans for an opening and then, should it find one, moves over.

There are a few niggles that keep this second to GM’s Super Cruise, however. I found BlueCruise had a propensity to want to take two-lane off-ramps, only jerking itself back on course near the end. This would then deactivate BlueCruise.

I do appreciate that it allows for blended human assists though: should you want to add in some acceleration to pass a vehicle quicker, the system accepts without deactivating. Driving into the sun while wearing polarized sunglasses, the system would occasionally warn me that my eyes weren’t on the road.

The drive home saw scattered flurries. BlueCruise was game for a bit, but threw in the towel earlier than I expected—there was still daylight after all.

Leave: Winter Range

Officially the Mustang Mach-E Extended Range eAWD is good for exactly 300 miles (483 kilometers) of range. Unfortunately, this tester was regularly showing barely 70-percent of that.

Now there are two reasons for this. The weather certainly played a part, as temperatures were consistently below freezing. The other setback was the route: it was all highway. That’s still a weakness of most EVs, at least those without a second gear (a la Porsche Taycan).

That’s not to say the Mach-E couldn’t get closer to its official rating. To prove that: when coming home, I stopped at a convenience store just over the border in Windsor. The Mustang was showing 52 km (32.3 miles) of remaining range. The fast charger I had my eye on was 58 km (36 miles) away, at least by the most direct (highway) route. I took the slightly more scenic backroads, which added only a few minutes to the trip, but the steady 80 km/h (50 mph) cruise improved the range estimate. I pulled up to plug in with 12 km (7.5 miles) remaining.

Love: Easy Infotainment

Ford certainly targeted Tesla with its big tablet infotainment. The SYNC system is pretty easy to use too, with clear icons and little sub-menu diving necessary. The learning curve is low, so I was able to hop in and quickly set my preferences before the trip.

Apple CarPlay works wirelessly, though bouncing back and forth between it and the native system isn’t quite as straightforward as expected. The multi-purpose functionality of that cool rotary dial at the bottom of the screen is very welcome too: depending on what you’ve last used, it can adjust either fan speed or audio volume.

Leave: Missing Features

Ford has adjusted pricing on the Mach-E since it launched four years ago, and that’s good. This Select Extended Range eAWD trim still had a few unexpected omissions on its spec sheet considering that $49,990 ($63,590 CAD) sticker, however.

A manually adjustable front passenger seat I can almost understand, but a non-powered tailgate? Ouch.

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