What is it?
In the opening months of 2021, the entry-level member of the Ford Mustang family is no longer a sleek, slightly agro-looking two- door coupé with a heavily boosted four-pot motor at its nose. Instead, it’s this: an electric four-door SUV that Ford calls the Ford Mustang Mach-E Standard Range RWD. Bit of a mouthful, that; and an extremely vivid sign of the times.
You’ll have formed your own opinion by now on Ford’s decision to slap that fabled pony badge and nameplate on the Mach-E, so we won’t delve into that aspect in any great detail here. But if it means that we’ll live in a world where the full-fat, big-daddy V8 Ford Mustang is around for a few more years, then I’m on board with that call.
This particular version of the new electric Mustang is priced from £40,350, or £37,350 once you deduct the government’s plug-in grant. Unlike the dual-motor Extended Range AWD model that we reviewed a couple of months back, this rear- driven version makes use of a single electric motor. It’s mounted at the back of the car and develops 266bhp and 317lb ft – enough to help this 1.9-tonne car accelerate from a standing start to 62mph in 6.9sec.
Power comes from a 68kWh (net capacity) lithium ion battery that is housed beneath the car’s floor and is good for a WLTP-certified range of 273 miles. That’s about 60 miles less than the range-topper, and 40 miles less than the new VW ID 4 First Edition – but still no bad showing. DC fast charging is possible up to a maximum of 115kW.
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I have to disagree about the interior. I find Ford interiors over- not under ambitious. They are always heavily styled without looking expensive. The massive screen doesn’t look cool to me. It looks (and is) cheap. By having a single screen, the designer saves money on the different purpose-built instruments, and by sticking it on a stalk rather than integrating it, there’s greatly reduced need for cooling of the electronics when they are busy. An efficient solution then, in engineering terms, but poor ergonomically and sacrificing aesthetics on the altar of cheapness.
Very nice looking car, seen number of reviews that strongly liked how it drives, thus it appears clear it drives really nice - interior seems acceptable at this price; not after all sold at the prices the WAG empire is demanding for anything approaching being comparable.
Take the range figures with a pinch of salt. On a wet winter's day at motorway speeds, you'll more likely get 180 miles from the smaller or 220 from the bigger. On a dry windless summer day, you might get 250/300 miles at a constant 60mph. WLTP is bull - as it is with MPG for ICE cars.