The 2024 Ford Mustang Mach-E is a well-rounded EV with good range and a touch of legend

Ford’s excellent hands-free driving system — BlueCruise — is just one of several tech highlights available in the Mustang Mach-E. Ford has endowed the Mustang Mach-E with a maximum range of 310 miles, while the popular Premium AWD version isn’t far behind, thanks to its 290-mile range. Both figures are competitive with other top players in this class. Top it off with excellent resale value, and you have an electric SUV that checks a lot of boxes for a wide range of buyers.

We’ve spent hundreds of hours driving and evaluating this generation of electric SUVs, including several examples of the Mustang Mach-E. The model we tested is a 2023 Mustang Mach-E Premium RWD in Shadow Black with a sticker price of $64,875. This one has the addictive BlueCruise 1.2, which did most of the driving for us on a 250-mile road trip. 

What’s new for 2024

This year looks likely to be when Ford’s electric vehicles become compatible with Tesla’s
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network of fast chargers (via an adapter on models with a CCS charge port, including the 2024 Mach-E). There’s also a new variant, the Rally, which comes with a slightly higher ride height and its own cosmetic treatment.

2024 Ford Mustang Mach-E pricing

We expect the 2024 Ford Mustang Mach-E to start at around $43,500. That’s for the Select trim with rear-wheel drive and a regular battery providing a maximum range of 247 miles. Factor in $3,000 extra for the extended-range battery, plus another $3,000 for all-wheel drive. The Premium AWD variant with the bigger battery tends to be the most popular, and that should start in the mid 50s — similar to a Hyundai Ioniq 5 in SEL trim with all-wheel drive.

Ford also includes 250 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of free fast charging on the Electrify America network. That’s only a few fill-ups, and pales in comparison to the three years of unlimited 30-minute charging sessions that come with the Volkswagen ID.4, for instance.

These estimates are for manufacturer’s suggested retail prices (and do not include any factory-to-dealer delivery fees (destination charges).

We also suggest checking out the competition, which includes the Hyundai Ioniq 5 starting at $41.6K, and the Kia EV6
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 at $42.6K. The Tesla Model Y begins at around $44K, while the Nissan Ariya kicks off in the $43K region. The new-for-2024 Chevrolet Blazer EV starts just under $52K.

Before buying a new Mustang Mach-E electric car, check the Kelley Blue Book Fair Purchase Price to know what you should be paying. Both the Mustang Mach-E and the Ioniq 5 enjoy excellent resale values for this class, with the Ford having a slight edge.

See: Why the innovative 2024 Hyundai Ioniq 5 is such a great buy

Power, ride, and handling

The most popular Mustang Mach-E version is the Premium AWD with the bigger battery. Two motors (one for each axle) generate a total of 346 horsepower and 428 lb-ft of torque — a thumping amount of muscle. The sprint from standstill to 60 mph needs only about five seconds. That’s the driver appeal of electric drivetrains, the delivery of thrust as if flicking a switch. It’s not just on or off, though. From freeway jaunts to suburban strolls, we’ve found the Mach-E is pleasant and pliant. There are plenty of degrees in between for any driving condition. Like many EVs, the Mustang Mach-E also does the one-pedal driving trick. Instead of going back and forth between the accelerator and brake pedals, with just a little practice you can do most of your slowing and stopping by simply backing off the accelerator. We’ve found this to be particularly useful during the mayhem of city traffic.

Range and charging

The Premium AWD is capable of covering 290 miles starting from a full battery. That’s an advantage of five miles over an equivalent Hyundai Ioniq 5. The Mustang Mach-E with the longest range is the Premium with rear-wheel drive and the extended battery, which runs for 310 miles.

For all the Mustang Mach-E’s zip on the road, it’s a less impressive story when replenishing the battery. A DC fast charger takes it from 10% to 80% in approximately 45 minutes. The Hyundai Ioniq 5 needs less than half that time. Plan on something like 11 hours for a full recharge using a 240-volt system.

Also read: The U.S. sold 1.2 million EVs last year. Why are lithium prices down almost 40%?

Well-appointed interior

We’re fans of the cockpit-like feel to the Mustang Mach-E’s cabin. In keeping with the Mustang vibe, it seems like a few driving enthusiasts were involved in the Mach-E’s interior design. It feels more driver-oriented than the Ioniq 5’s more forward-looking cabin, for instance, but without feeling small inside. The sloping roof might suggest constricted space for rear passengers, but a couple of average-sized adults will be happy with the amount of headroom, while legroom measures a quite generous 38.1 inches — only about an inch short of the Hyundai Ioniq 5 EV. We’ve also found that outward vision is more than acceptable.

Technology is front and center thanks to a massive 15.5-inch infotainment touchscreen set vertically. It’s easy to reach and to use. This is complemented by a 10.2-inch digital driver information display that comes as standard in every new Mustang Mach-E SUV. Cargo space opens up from 29.7 cubic feet to 59.7 when the rear seats are folded down. That’s quite similar to the Ioniq 5. There’s also a small storage area under the hood.

Read: Here are the 10 electric vehicles that sold the most in 2023: Tesla still leads the pack

Distinct exterior

This aspect is where the Mustang name is earned. Despite having four doors, there’s still a coupe-like look to the Mustang Mach-E, and its taillights most definitely echo its pony car stablemate. Sure, we were initially wary of the obvious marketing angle of evoking the famed Mustang with this EV, but we have to say we like the result. That goes for the whole car, not just the styling.

Our favorite features and tech

Charge management
The special Ford home charger available with the Mustang Mach-E can be controlled and monitored by using a smartphone app, Amazon
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Alexa, or Google
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Home.

Infotainment touchscreen
Showing a Tesla influence with its size and orientation, we think that’s no bad thing. This 15.5-inch screen has superb graphics, can be controlled using smartphone-like gestures, and is part of a user-friendly system that includes natural voice recognition, Wi-Fi, wireless Apple
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CarPlay/Android Auto integration, and wireless device charging.

Phone as a Key
This allows users to access their Mustang Mach-E using a smartphone app. They can also open the trunk and the hood, activate the horn and lights, and open or close the windows — all remotely.

BlueCruise
This is an adaptive cruise control system allowing hands-free driving on certain highways that have been entered into the vehicle’s navigation system. The driver’s eyes must still be kept on the road, but we’ve found the whole system works well. This is a rare (and cool) feature in the class, matched only by General Motors’
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Super Cruise.

Drainable front storage area
Under the hood is an extra 4.7 cubic feet of storage that comes with a drain plug, so it can be filled with ice and used as a cooler.

Bang & Olufsen audio
We think that one fine way to enjoy the otherwise quiet cabin of the all-electric Mustang Mach-E is to turn up the volume of this high-quality 10-speaker system. This also gets a thumbs-up from many of our consumer reviews. Standard in the Premium and GT/GT Performance models.

You might like: Some cool future car tech from this year’s CES

Battery and efficiency

Energy storage is measured in terms of kilowatt-hours (kWh). The standard battery in the 2024 Mustang Mach-E has a capacity of 70 kWh, the extended-range battery (standard in the GT) is rated at 91 kWh. Compared with most other electric vehicles, this pair goes from average to good.

The miles-per-gallon equivalent (MPGe) achieved by the Premium AWD version in combined city/highway driving is 93 MPGe. For comparison, the long-range Hyundai Ioniq 5 AWD achieves 99 MPGe combined. That just means the Mach-E will consume about 6% more electricity, which isn’t a drastic difference.

3-year/36,000-mile warranty

Ford’s new-car warranty lasts three years or 36,000 miles, whichever happens first. Powertrains have a 5-year/60,000-mile warranty. The battery pack is covered for eight years or 100,000 miles. These terms are typical for the class, although Hyundai and Kia do better.

Safety ratings

In crash tests carried out by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), the Mustang Mach-E took top scores of Good in several categories, but has not been awarded anything beyond that, such as a Top Safety Pick accolade. Standard safety technology includes forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking and pedestrian detection, blind-spot monitoring with cross-traffic alert, lane-keeping assistance, evasive steering assistance, and rear parking sensors.

KBB’s car review methodology.

This story originally ran on KBB.com.