The Ford Mustang Mach-E is one of the biggest rivals to the hugely popular Tesla Model Y, alongside names like the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6, among others.
The Mach-E's sales numbers pale in comparison to what the Model Y has achieved in the United States, but there’s still a lot to like about Ford’s mid-size electric crossover, as one owner who drove almost 25,000 miles in roughly a year and a half says in the video embedded at the top of this page.
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Hard competition
The Tesla Model Y has been the top-selling EV in the United States for over a year. It's priced very competitively, it's eligible for the $7,500 federal tax credit and it offers a hassle-free interior. But even with a lower driving range and higher starting price, the Ford Mustang Mach-E is still a good choice, at least according to the owner of a 25,000-mile example shown in the video embedded above.
Uploaded on the EV Universe YouTube channel, the 20-minute clip is all you’d expect from an owner’s review: good, bad, and everything in between. So let’s see what impression this base-spec 2023 Mustang Mach-E left for its owner after being driven for 25,000 miles.
First, the good stuff. The presenter says in the video that before owning the electric Mustang, he used to drive a 2020 Ram 1500 with a V-8 engine and that he expected to miss the low rumble of the eight-cylinder American engine. Still, instead, he found himself reveling in the sweet silent performance of an EV.
He says the car is pretty sporty but also comfortable on long trips, and the low maintenance costs are a big benefit of owning an EV. When he drove the Ram, he says he spent around $400 on gas every month, but now he only spends about $60 on electricity for the Mach-E. He didn’t have to change the brake pads once on the electric crossover because it mainly uses regenerative braking to slow down.
Staying on the maintenance and servicing topic, this particular 2023 Ford Mustang Mach-E had to have its windshield replaced because of a stone chip. There was also a recall to recalibrate the door latch modules, which was done by a Ford mobile technician at the owner’s house. So far, we’d say it was a stress-free experience.
Gallery: 2023 Ford Mustang Mach-E
But it’s not all perfect. The biggest complaints about the Mach-E come from the steep range loss during winter and the not-so-spacious interior. The owner mentioned in his video that when he didn’t precondition the battery in freezing temperatures, he saw a range drop of up to 40% compared to what the manufacturer advertises.
When new, the 2023 Mustang Mach-E Select all-wheel drive–just like the car in the video–had an EPA-estimated range of 224 miles thanks to its 70-kilowatt-hour battery pack. A 40% decrease amounts to losing almost 90 miles. However, the owner pointed out that if he were to precondition the battery using his home charger before departing, the range loss would be less in the winter. Plus, the Mach-E’s range estimates are on point most of the time and even a bit conservative, so there’s no range anxiety.
The high purchase price compared to an equivalent gas-powered crossover is also a downside, but the difference will probably disappear as time goes by, and the miles add up on the odometer because, as the owner says, the Mach-E is very low maintenance.
The car is advertised as a five-seater, but space is tight in the back for three people, but that rarely happens for this particular owner. In the end, after 25,000 miles driven, the verdict is that the Mach-E Select is “perfect for daily drivers who value comfort and quiet rides.” However, long road trips and a huge interior aren’t the strong points of this EV.
In any case, go ahead and watch the video, and then head over to the comments section to let us know what you think.
