In the world of evolving electric vehicles (EVs), Ford has been one of the ones that helped set the tone for the automotive market with vehicles like the Mustang Mach-E EV. Since its introduction a few years ago, the Mustang Mach-E has been one that many have kept a close eye on for its innovation and nearly literally plug-and-play demeanor that delicately fits into the mold of being a well-rounded EV that happens to be a crossover. After having experienced the Mustang Mach-E in its upper-level trim, I find it welcoming to get in the Mustang Mach-E GT with the performance upgrade, which slightly elevates its output to be a welcoming electric performance crossover.
The Ford Mustang Mach-E has its fair share of criticism, and rightfully so, considering it wears the prided Mustang name. However, with improved performance and power output, the latest Mustang Mach-E GT Performance upgrade that I experienced this week is in a better position to proudly sport the Mustang name, considering it has 480 horsepower and an astonishing 700 lb-ft of torque to play with. However, that playing requires some restraint, as do many other high-performance EVs, but somehow Ford attempts to play a fair game with a complete premium package in the new Mustang Mach-E GT Performance, which comes upgraded and complete with a head-turning bronze appearance package sporting an Eruption Green paint job and bronze alloy wheels.
The Ford Mustang Mach-E already surprised me with its decent performance and willingness to punch slightly above its class for being an all-wheel-drive electric crossover. After all, it helps to be an EV as you have access to instantaneous torque, which the new Mustang Mach-E Performance upgrade has plenty of, which is 700 lb-ft of torque, 100 lb-ft more than before. That extra power isn’t the only thing that’s been improved upon in the highest-performance version of the Mach-E GT having the performance upgrade; it is actually lighter, by about 22 pounds, thanks to a new, lighter rear motor.
Before, many complained about how the Mustang Mach-E would somewhat give out of breath as it accelerated. Such a characteristic is nearly gone in the Mach-E GT Performance feeling more substantial as the vehicle continues to pull stronger than ever before. Zero to 60 mph time has been improved, where you only need 3.3 seconds, which is an amazing feat for a crossover. Keep into the throttle, and you’ll tick off a quarter mile in 11.8 seconds and hit a top speed of 114 mph. And yes, that’s a nudge quicker than the Ford Mustang Dark Horse on a drag strip! Stomp on the throttle, and the Mustang Mach-E GT Performance will oddly spin the front wheels as it digs into grip and sometimes have a taste of torque steer depending on the traction that the 20-inch Continental CrossContact tires can get.
Essentially, the new Ford Mustang Mach-E GT is now available in two setups, one without the performance upgrade and one with, which gives you access to the full Monty with the latter one. Out on the road, the Mustang Mach-E GT Performance upgraded EV is mostly compliant with its MagneRide dampers that seemingly do better in the Unbridled drive mode, one of three modes. In the somewhat economical Whisper mode or middle of the row Engage mode, where the dampers are more relaxed but give away to some unwanted body movements when going over road undulations and rises. The unfortunate part here is that the suspension may feel a bit too stiff for some in the Unbridled mode and overly bouncy with a little pogo effect in the other modes. Such a characteristic is also mentioned in my last review of the Mustang Mach-E Premium AWD. It seems that with some EVs, the ride quality just hasn’t gotten to the point of being better than that of comparable gas-powered vehicles.
In all, the performance of the Mustang Mach-E GT Performance is remarkable for a crossover, and Ford went the distance to complete the package with the matching bits having rather large 4-piston Brembo brake calipers up front biting down on vented 15.1-inch discs. The braking is strong, and the braking regen from the motors, which is increased in the Unbridled drive mode or use of the one-pedal drive feature, is mostly seamless for its transition. Having an EV crossover that comes just under 5,000 pounds is also a good thing – but you can still feel that heft as you push the Mustang Mach-E GT Performance into turns, which can sometimes catch you off guard, leaving the quick-reacting stability control and traction control to save your understeering day.
The Ford Mustang Mach-E GT Performance technically comes as an extended-range version of the vehicle with an estimated range of 280 miles. That figure has been increased from previous years by about 10 miles, which reiterates Ford’s multi-pronged approach to improve upon the Mustang Mach-E in many ways. I saw a total range of about 268 miles before I was prompted many times to charge the 91kWH battery pack. Speaking of charging, at a DC fast charger, you’ll be able to charge from 10% state of charge up to 80% in just over 36 minutes.
As far as driving efficiency, the Mustang Mach-E GT Performance gets an EPA rating of 90 MPGe city and 77 MPGe highway, which equates to about 2.7 miles per kWh highway and 2.28 miles per kWh highway. I saw a surprising average on the highway of 2.9 miles per kWh, driving at a steady 60 mph for several miles.
The interior of the Ford Mustang Mach-E is quite an inviting space with a surprising amount of room for all occupants. What I noticed and respected was the subtle upgrades that Ford incorporated within the infotainment system that’s still fed through a rather large portrait-oriented 15.5-inch touchscreen. While some may find the touchscreen to look out of place as an afterthought, I find it quite user-friendly after a slight learning curve with thoughtful updates that fix previous annoyances and hiccups when integrated with Apple CarPlay. The wireless integration of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto seemed to be improved, as are some of the core function screens with more straightforward access to such. The system seems to run smoother but still has a substantial load time before it is fully ready for inputs or use. Once it’s up and running, there is a plethora of feature sets and functions that take some time to get used to but later prove to be fitting for such a vehicle.
The usability of the Ford Mustang Mach-E GT Performance is good as are the materials used throughout the cabin. I would have liked to see the option of ventilated seats within the sportier suede buckets up front, which are left to only heating and fixed headrests. Out back, the rear bench is accommodating, but passengers must be mindful of the deceptive low-slung roof line when entering and exiting the Mach-E GT. The Cargo room is as expected for its segment, which has a high enough loading floor for ease of placing your cargo through the power liftgate hatch. Additionally, there’s a usable front trunk (frunk) offering 4.7 cubic feet of storage.
The addition of BlueCruise, Ford’s semi-autonomous handsfree driving system, is always welcomed as it comes equipped on my test vehicle proving to be quite smart in its use on mapped highways and interstates. However, the one thing I would like for the handsfree driving system is a dedicated button to enable the specific function instead of waiting for the computer to enable it when it wants upon activating adaptive cruise control.
The Ford Mustang Mach-E and GT trim comes standard with several active safety features, the full array of features that you expect out of any modern-day vehicle. Such highlights include adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning/centering, blind-spot warning with rear cross-traffic warning/emergency braking, forward collision warning/emergency braking, Ford BlueCruise handsfree system, and a 360-degree camera system.
The Ford Mustang Mach-E is surprisingly affordable for a new EV, especially for what you get in a complete sporty crossover package in a variety of trim levels. For the top-level performance-oriented Mach-E GT trim with the Performance upgrade, you’ll expect to pay $58,925 as tested. The Ford Mustang Mach-E RWD Select standard range base starts at $39,995 before any fees or options.
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