Ford Mustang Mach-E GT review: SUV sizing, muscle-car performance

The Ford Mustang Mach-E GT is a premium version of the company's first all-electric vehicle. Available in both GT and GT Performance edition versions it offers more horsepower, more torque and faster acceleration than the Select, Premium or California Route 1 models, as well as some more premium features. 

Price and performance-wise, this is comparable to Tesla's Model Y performance. While the use of the Mustang brand on an electric SUV was divisive, it's by far the most Mustang of the Mach-E models to date and would even smoke a Mustang Shelby GT350R off the line. 

While we tested the Mustang Mach-E Premium back in 2021, I was keen to see just how much better the GT version was and try out some of the latest features on this 2022 model. 

Ford Mustang Mach-E GT review: price and availability

The Mach-E GT was announced in April 2021 and went on sale in October 2021. However, stock is currently limited of all 2022 Mustang Mach-E models in the UK and US, with sales expected to restart later in the year.

While the standard Ford Mach-E starts at £47,530/$43,895, the GT costs from £68,030/$61,995 (neither is available in Australia yet). The model I tested was the GT Performance Edition, with a panoramic glass roof and Co-pilot360 with BlueCruise, taking the total MSRP to $69,600. 

While not cheap, this is a full $10,000 less than the Tesla Model Y Performance, once you add Tesla's $12k Autopilot. 

Ford Mustang Mach-E GT review: design and features

The Mustang Mach-E is a good-looking car but the GT version includes a couple of little touches that add a little flare. It has larger 20-inch rims than the standard 18- or 19-inch models, with wider 20-inch wheels and it sits lower on its sports suspension. You can also see the red Brembo brake calipers through the alloys. 

Badging is pretty subtle. There's a GT badge on the back, a small Mach-E name on the bottom of both front doors, and the Pony badge on the front. On the GT though, that pony badge lights up at night – something not offered on the standard models – and larger pony symbols shine down on the ground from the wing mirrors when you approach. It looks very cool. 

Inside, the front seats have more of a sports feel, with added support and grips to hold you in place around those tighter turns and fixed head restraints. Otherwise, the dash is very much as in the other Mach-E models. A 10.2-inch landscape screen sits behind the steering wheel with the main driving instrumentation display while a larger 15.5-inch portrait-orientated screen sits in the center for the entertainment and vehicle controls. 

A large panoramic fix-glass roof (a $1300 optional extra) gives plenty of light into the cabin and helps give it an airy feel. Not that it would feel claustrophobic otherwise, as there's plenty of head height and width. The sleek lines of this car conceal just how large it is until you're inside. Much like the Hyundai Ioniq 5, which is just a few inches smaller. 

In place of the normal engine bay, the Mach-E features a sizeable frunk – or front trunk – which is enough for some shopping, a weekend bag or a large cooler's worth of drinks, including ice. The drunk is plastic lined, waterproof and drainable, so you can actually pour the ice straight in and drain it out when it's melted. 

Ford Mustang Mach-E GT review: performance and drive

The Mach-E GT provides 480hp and 634 lb/ft of torque from its dual AWD motors. That provides a 0-60mph time of 3.8 seconds on the GT, and 3.5 seconds on the GT performance version. For reference, the regular Mach-E's manage between 5.8 and 4.7 seconds.

The 91 kWh battery is the same as on the extended range models, though because of the extra power here, the range is lower on the GT. Based on EPS estimates you can expect a range of 260-270 miles on the GT which is definitely not terrible but it's not giant either. 

At around 90% charge I was seeing around 200 miles of range with mostly inner-city driving, so I'm sure with some longer stretches and gentler driving that number was about right. It's something worth remembering with any performance electric car. As soon as you really put your foot down, that range drops like a stone. 

For a car with such sports tuning, the ride was pretty smooth. The suspension is certainly more rigid than the standard models and those larger wheels (and low profile tires) don't absorb the bumps in the road quite as well but it doesn't shake your skull. 

The Mach-E GT has three drive modes with appropriate Mustang names. Whisper is your eco mode, Engaged is regular driving, and Unbridled is the sports mode. The GT Performance Edition also has an Unbridled Extend drive mode, which is essentially track mode, though rather than just putting everything at full whack, it actually reduces the peak power slightly to produce a more constant power delivery. 

You can feel everything stiffen up as you move into Unbridled mode and when you put your foot to the floor the Mach-E GT leaves you pinned to your sports seat as it takes off. This thing is seriously fast. It's easy to forget that this is an SUV as it handles so well, though it's not quite as fun as a regular Mustang GT. 

The internal synthesized engine noise is subtle enough to not feel annoying and just loud enough to fool you – even for just a second – that it's actually a real engine roar. Certainly driving this car is enough to put a smile on your face.  

Ford Mustang Mach-E GT review: self-drive and technology

That 15.5-inch central touchscreen is the key to most of the technology on offer in the Mac-E GT. The screen itself is hard to miss and like so many large displays, feels a little stuck on, rather than being integrated into the dash. It is, however very handy to use. 

Ford's Sync 4A software provides a very useable platform for access to everything from the radio and climate controls to navigation and cruise control settings. Buttons and icons are clear and easy to operate, even for first-time users. It also supports voice control. The main menu includes the radio, phone and navigation options, as well as tire pressure and trip information. you can even access the owner's manual and a sketch – a basic paint and draw function. 

You can customize your profile and link it to your Ford Pass to use your phone as a key. The vehicle settings and controls such as drive modes, external cameras, parking and driver assistance can be accessed by clicking on the car icon in the top left of the screen at any time. You can change the internal ambient colors of the car here and the colors on the screen change depending on your chosen drive mode – from a teal Whisper to an orange Unbridled. 

The system also syncs with your phone wirelessly to allow either Apple CarPlay or Android Auto operation. While it's clear that this is running as a separate system, Ford's Sync handles it really nicely, allowing you to change the size of the window given over to it and still keeping the vehicle controls easily accessible above and below. 

There's space for two phones on the mat below the screen and the side closest to the driver provides wireless charging, so you don't lose charge while connected. The passenger can always plug their phone into one of the two USB port options available in the center console. 

One of the features I really wanted to try on the Mustang Mach-E GT was the Ford Co-pilot360, this includes the BlueCruise hands-free highway driving on selected routes and Active Park Assist.

The Active Park Assist allows the Mach-E GT to park itself at the touch of a button. There's a dedicated button next to the gear controller on the center console and once pressed the parking instructions appear on the screen. The cameras will scan for available spots (either parallel or at right angles) and confirm when it finds an empty spot. You then place the car in neutral and hold down the parking button. The process is unnervingly fast the first time you use it but it managed a very efficient parallel park on my street.

For regular driving, there is the option for pre-collision assist emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, speed sign recognition and lane centering assist. These are fairly standard features on electric cars but worked very well. The BlueCruise is only available in select 'Blue Zones', though this now includes over 130,000 miles of highway across the US. This allows you to take your hands completely off the wheel, provided you keep your eyes on the road. A driver-facing camera monitors your eye line and will want you if you look away.

Luckily, the main interstate through Illinois is a Blue Zone so I was able to try this out. Taking your hands off the wheel is a liberating experience and is something that would definitely reduce stress on those long US journeys. The car stayed perfectly in lane and it was only when I wanted to overtake that I needed to take back control. While Co-pilot is an extra $1900 on the price, it's more than worth it for this technology and is probably my favorite thing about this car.

Ford Mustang Mach-E GT review: verdict

The Ford Mustang Mach-E GT is an incredible SUV. I think it's one of the best-looking EVs on the market and driving it is a lot of fun. The GT, and particularly the GT Performance Edition, adds some serious clout to the Mach-E that make it a proper driver's car. While not everyone will justify the extra cost, it doesn't feel excessive for what you get, especially against the competition. 

The technology – especially the BlueCruise – is what takes this car to another level though. I was really impressed with how the driver system works and provides a stress-free driving experience for long highway journeys. I look forward to seeing this in many more models. 

My only real complaint with the Mach-E GT is the range. Once you take the battery below 80% and you leave yourself 10% you have less than 180 miles of charge to get you between chargers. This is plenty for city driving but on the lower side for longer distances. 

The Mustang badge on the Mach-E has been a blessing and a curse, as even the GT will never compare to a 'true' Mustang. However, if you take the car for what it is – a high-performance SUV – it's brilliant. If I was buying an EV right now (and there was stock available) the Ford Mustang Mach-E GT would be on my list. 

Ford Mustang Mach-E GT review: also consider

While the Mach-E GT is impressively fast, most users will find the regular Mach-E more than enough car. The Mach-E starts from £47,530 / $43,895, has a range of up to 303 miles and a 0-60mph of 6.7 to 4.8 seconds (depending on the battery and motor). You can also still get the Ford Co-pilot360 with BlueCruise (in the US only). 

If you want an electric SUV to match the speed of the Mach-E GT, the only other real option is the Tesla Model Y. The Performance model provides an equal 3.5-second 0-60mph time and a slightly more extensive 303-mile range. Prices start from £64,990 / $67,990 but you'll need to add £6,800 / $12,000 if you want the full self-driving capacity.