Almost a year ago, we reviewed the all-new 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E. This week we’re looking at the much-anticipated 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E GT, the performance version. I know some of you resent that fact that it is called a Mustang since it has 4-doors and is an SUV, but it is what it is.
Exterior
With that said, you get a true Mustang vibe when you look at the front end and especially the rear end with the taillights and sequential turn signals. It rides on beautiful 20” wheels and notice that there are no door handles, there are illuminated buttons to push that pop the doors open. It appears to have a very swooping roofline, but this is an optical illusion, the roof is actually level inside. The Mustang emblem on the grill lights up at night.
Performance
To get the real Mustang vibe going, you have to look at the stats for this GT. Although there is nothing under the hood, the GT has 480-horses and an amazing 634-pound feet of torque, giving it acceleration that is breath taking. It has one electric engine in the front, and another one in the rear, making it all-wheel drive but rear wheel biased. 0-to-60 time is 3.5 seconds. To put it in perspective, the 2021 Mustang Shelby 500 coupe has a 0-to-60 of 3.7 seconds.
Interior
The Mach-E comes in four trim levels. The Select is the base model, then you move up to the Premium, the California Route 1 edition, and finally the GT.
Pop the door open and you find attractive simulated leather seating, and then you see the massive 15.5” touchscreen that literally operates everything and doubles as a terrific 360-degree backup camera.
The screen operates the sound system, Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, a Waze app, and the owner’s manual can be read digitally. During research, Ford found out people like a volume knob for their sound system and they integrated a huge one at the bottom of the screen, or you can adjust volume from the steering wheel control.
Touch the Mach-E logo at the top left of the screen and you’ll find all the Mach-E’s settings including the drive modes of Engage, Whisper, (which preserves the most battery), and then there is Unbridled, the performance setting. You can also turn on simulated engine sounds called Propulsion and a lot more. You can also turn on the one-pedal driving mode, which I enjoy. You only use the accelerator pedal, and when you let off the gas, it immediately starts to brake. When you get good at it, it is a great way to drive.
The screen will also allow you to set driver profiles for up to three people, find the nearest charging station to you through the navigation system, and you can operate Alexa through voice commands.
You can also sync your smart phone to use it to lock and unlock the SUV, remotely start it, open the trunk, and even roll the windows up and down with just your cell phone.
From behind the wheel you see a 10” screen that gives you basic information like your speed, the battery range, and what gear you are in. This is a huge advantage over the Tesla Y where you must look at the center screen for basic info. It amuses me that under the speedometer reading is, it says GROUND SPEED.
Leg and headroom are good for both front and rear passengers and Mach-E has a nice center console with a built-in phone charger and a rotary gear shifter. I found getting in and out of the Mach-E to be easy, despite there being a little bit of a floorboard lip to get past.
Utility
There is a good amount of storage in the cargo area, especially with the rear seats folded down, which do fold flat. There is also an organized “frunk”, a trunk in front as it is called. It has a drain plug if you want to use it as a cooler for your beverages.
Standard Equipment and Options
Mach-E GT comes standard with heated seats and steering wheel, a keyless door pad, a power liftgate, tilt wheel, adaptive cruise control, power seat and a terrific Bang & Olufsen sound system. There are $3200 in two options, a massive panoramic moon roof that is stationary and the Ford Co-pilot assist 2 self-driving system. Beware, there is no cover for the glass roof which could be a problem in the hottest of summers.
Charging
Let’s talk about charging for a moment. Unless you have a very short commute, don’t rely on the charger that comes with the Mach-E GT, especially plugging it into a 110 outlet. You only get 3 miles of range per hour charged and it takes 95 hours to go from 0 to 100% charged.
If you have a 240-volt you can plug into, you can get 20 miles of range per hour, which is much better, and 0 range to 100% takes 15 hours.
The smart move is to buy the optimized charger from the Ford website, for $799 plus installation. That will give you 28 miles of range per hour and will typically give you a full charge overnight.
Ride and Drive
The Mach-E GT drives and rides great. It truly has a Mustang feel about it with sharp handling and precise steering. All in all, it is a real joy and a technological marvel. You just don’t get the feeling you are in an SUV, yet you have the room of a midsized SUV.
What You'll Pay
MSRP as you see this one is $64,200 and there is no negotiating that figure, the pricing is set, but that is before the $7500 federal tax credit is applied, plus some states have an additional $2500 tax credit.
Verdict
Electric vehicles are not for everyone at this point, but if the thought of never going to a gas station again appeals to you, the new Mustang Mach-E GT, in spite of the name, should be at the very top of your shopping list.
If you decide you want to order one of these, you have to do it through the Ford.com website, then assign it to a dealer for delivery and paperwork completion. Choose one of our Car Pro Certified Ford Dealers, and they’ll help you prioritize your order for you new Mach-E GT.
- What I Liked Most: Ride, drive, and crazy fast acceleration.
- What I would change: I’d like a sliding cover for the moon roof.
- MSRP: Base price $59,900; as equipped, $64,200 with transportation.
- Fuel Economy: 270 miles of range.
- Odometer reading when tested: 2,600 miles.
- Weight: Approximately 4,500 pounds.
- Spare Tire: Repair Kit.
- Length-Width-Height: 186.7” long/74.1” wide/63.5” high.
- Fuel Tank Capacity: Electric plug-in on the driver’s side front fender.
- Official Color: Grabber Blue Metallic.
- Towing Capacity: N/A
- 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E GT in a few words: A joy to drive, insane acceleration, and a great SUV as a daily driver or a track monster.
- Warranty: 3-year/36,000 mile bumper-to-bumper, 8-year/100,000 mile hybrid system warranty.
- Final Assembly Location: Cuautitlán Izcalli, Mexico.
- Manufacturer's website: Ford
