Ford Mustang Mach-E vs Polestar 3

What's the difference?

EV buyers who don’t or won’t see the point of the Mustang Mach-E are missing out.

This is a sporty and fun-to-drive electric SUV in the same way that the Ranger is the sporty and fun-to-drive ute. In other words, a lot of what makes Fords brilliant is alive and well here, without compromising functionality. The opposite of so many Chinese electric SUVs that shine brightest on the showroom floor, then.

Yes, a base Select that is around $10K cheaper to start with might help punters see the light even more clearly (and that's our choice), and it is starting to look dated inside and out, but overall, the Mach-E is an enjoyable, fulfilling and practical family proposition.

There’s some clever design work here and some gorgeous detailing that gives the Polestar 3 a bit of an edge compared with some of its less inspired opposition. It features a truly spacious interior and it’s more than just decent to drive with, frankly, astonishing performance in 500kW Performance form. Even the entry-level Rear Motor has plenty of oomph and could be argued to be the more intelligent choice.

But the interior layout with its melange of menu-driven functions to control basic, everyday functions is annoying and does the car no favours. Not to mention it’s simply not the Scandinavian way to place form before function.

Meantime the overall performance, dynamics and accommodation of the Polestar 3 place it pretty high on the totem of electric SUVs that actually move the game forward somewhat, and that’s largely down to that 800-volt architecture that brings faster charging and better range.

It doesn’t solve all the issues of modern car making, but as a step closer to Polestar’s ultimate aim of a climate-neutral motor vehicle, it’s a move in the right direction.

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer with meals provided.

So, what's changed with the facelift? Not much, meaning that the Mach-E – unveiled all the way back in late 2019 is beginning to look dated. Maybe that’s another classic Mustang trait.

The base Select gains the upper-series’ trick LED headlights. The Premium adopts some plastic body cladding. The grille treatments vary between the grades, with the GT boasting a unique look. Genuinely fresh new colours abound. And the alloys have been restyled.

Otherwise, it's still the same, Porsche Macan-esque small to medium-sized SUV crossover on the outside, down to the Hyundai Tucson-like vertical tail-light motif that barely seems like the regular Mustang muscle car’s, despite Ford’s intentions.

Inside, changes are largely limited to a repositioning of the gear selector from a rotary dial to a column shifter, Mercedes-style. That big portrait touchscreen could be straight out of a Ranger ute.

If you ignore the Scandi detailing, the Polestar 3 soon emerges as a fairly conventional looking family SUV. Again, the detailing is quite exquisite in places, and that’s what lifts this car a little above the pack. Interestingly, and even though there’s not a Volvo badge to be seen, the 3 retains the shouldered C-pillar design cue that Volvo made its own way back in the 1990s.

Inside, it’s all pretty minimal (in a luxe kind of way) with perforated trim materials, and seats designed with contrast colours to appear (we imagine) as though they’re floating in space.

As we’ve said before, the Mach-E is closer to something like, say, a BMW X4 than the boxier X3 from a proportions perspective, making it a classic coupe SUV.

Once you get over using the endlessly-annoying push-button door release, in lieu of a handle (why redesign the wheel?), that’s particularly noticeable entering/egressing the rear seat for larger people, though the front is fine.

While the interior is also clearly from an earlier era (and embarrassingly reminiscent of a Tesla), at least Ford finished engineering it for easy, seamless use.

The front seats are really comfy, ahead of a super-clear instrument pod, helping make for a great driving position, while the 15.5-inch display in the centre with Ford’s friendly SYNC4A operating system is simple to navigate once time is taken to familiarise. Current Ranger and Everest owners will feel right at home. The audio sound is superb too.

There’s a thoughtful amount of storage options, including for devices that require access to the handy USB outlets, ventilation is ample and the fit and finish in these Mexican-made Mustangs appears to be first class.

A big thumbs up, too, for the new column shifter and integrated central volume knob in the touchscreen that also allows adjustment of the climate control.

On the other hand, eyes must leave the road to dig into sub menus to change driving modes, side and rear vision is tight (those standard surround-view cameras sure come in handy), there are no paddle shifters to control regenerative braking, the glass roof neither opens nor completely blocks out sunlight due to there being no shade screen, and the overall ambience is more Ranger XLT than Ford LTD.

The back seat is surprisingly spacious given the coupe SUV dimensions, though the roofline may ruffle a few loose wigs. The backrests and cushions provides decent support, and most expected amenities are present, including air vents, USB outlets, overhead lighting/grab handles, coat hooks, cup/small bottle holders and centre armrest. And that glass ceiling does shower the cabin with light on a cloudy day.

Further back, the Mach-E offers 402 litres of cargo capacity that balloons out to 1420L with the split-fold back seats dropped, and there’s some hidden storage under the floor for smaller items. As mentioned earlier, the spare wheel is AWOL.

Existing owners will also notice a noticeably smaller ‘frunk’ area under the bonnet, where storage has plummeted from 134L to just 49L. That’s due to the newly-fitted heat pump that, at least helps boost efficiency in what is a spacious and practical family SUV.

The 'skateboard’ construction of many EVs (including this one) where the motors are placed between the wheels and the battery is completely under the floor, gives great scope for novel interior layouts.

In the Polestar’s case, that means a flat floor that really opens up the space, particularly in the rear seat. Speaking of which, while there are three seat belts in the back, the rear-seat cupholders – housed in the fold-down centre armrest - are only available with the centre-rear spot empty.

The interior, however, is vast and Polestar’s decision to make this a strict five-seater with no third row means there’s acres of stretching room. It’s airy and light, too, thanks to the panoramic sunroof and the minimalist arrangement of screens and controls.

But that does have a knock-on effect when it comes to actually using the vehicle. That relative lack of buttons and switches means the Polestar relies heavily on its centre screen as a control panel. And for our money, that’s too much reliance.

Let’s start with adjusting the mirrors – what should be an easy, simple and quick job. To do that in the Polestar, you first need to find the mirror/steering-column button on the centre screen (the two functions are on the same `circuit’). You then need to tap the mirror button, identify which mirror you want to adjust and then move to the toggles on the steering wheel to actually manipulate the mirror in question. That makes it a five or six button job when there was noting wrong with a small toggle on the driver’s armrest in so many other cars.

Then there’s the gear selector and cruise-control lever. Yes, they’re one and the same. Once you’ve selected Drive on the wand and the car is moving, the same lever becomes the cruise switch. You pull it down to engage cruise and then switch back to the steering wheel buttons to control the speed setting. Annoyingly, the lane-keeping assistance is hard-wired on when ever the cruise control is engaged, too.

But the proof that somebody has thought about this too hard comes in the form of a button on the centre screen (which you need to be on the correct page to find) to open the glove box! In a world where carmakers like VW are promising more buttons and less menus, this move by Polestar seems destined to be short lived. Let’s hope so.

Boot space is pretty substantial with 597 litres that includes a 90-litre storage area under the boot floor (where the CCS2 charge cable lives). Fold the rear seat down and that opens up to 1411 litres and there’s a storage space in the frunk that holds just shy of 24 litres of gear and has its own luggage cover. The rear seat is split 60/40 and there’s a ski hatch and a 12-volt socket in the cargo area, too.

The 800-volt architecture also has some practicality implications, too, starting with the potential for faster charging (up to 350kW). But 800 volts also makes for the same power output at lower current, meaning there’s less electrical resistance, so greater overall efficiency. The Polestar 3 is by no means the first to market with 800 volts up its sleeve, but it’s still a step up from the previous version with its more common 400-volt tech.

The Polestar 3 range in Australia is a three-tier deal, kicking off with the Rear Motor, Dual Motor and Performance with prices of $116,700, $131,100 and $146,700 before on-road costs. That makes the entry-level car cheaper (down $1720) than the one it replaces, but Polestar has also moved to make the previously optional (at $9000) Plus Pack standard across the range now.

As well as the driveline and battery pack differences which we’ll get to, one of the main trim variations includes seat-belt colour (true). But there’s also a long list of standard kit, including:

• 20-inch alloy wheels (22 inch on the Performance version)
• Glass roof panel (a sunshade is a $390 option)
• Active LED lighting
• Puddle lights
• Daytime running lights
• Soft-close doors
• Rain sensing wipers with heated blades (thank you Scandinavian winters)
• Kick-operated tailgate
• 10-way powered seats (12-way if you choose the Nappa leather option)
• Heated, cooled and massaging front seats
• Tri-zone climate-control (which uses a heat pump)
• Power-adjustable steering-column
• Wireless phone charging
• Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity
• 60/40 split rear seat with a ski-port
• 9.0 inch driver’s screen
• 14.5 inch centre screen
• Head-up display
• Digital radio and Bluetooth

The now-standard Plus Pack is a great addition, too, and brings the 1610 Watt Bowers & Wilkins stereo with no less than 25 speakers and active noise cancelling. The Pilot Pack which includes adaptive cruise-control, a 360-degree camera and 3D view, pilot assist, curve speed assist, lane change assist and park assistant will also be standard on Australian-delivered cars.

To put it all into perspective, the similarly fleet-of-foot Kia EV6 GT is much cheaper at $99,660, and then there’s the Ford Mustang Mach-E GT at $98,490, both offering their own take on fresh, cutting-edge design.

On a dollar-for-dollar basis, the Polestar 3 Performance’s closest competitor is the BMW iX at $141,000, which provides a similar (but different) experience.

The mechanically related Volvo EX90 is more family friendly and that's priced from $124,990 to $134,990.

Then there's the forthcoming Porsche Cayenne Electric, but that's pricier still at $173,600 and topping out at $272,100.

Though employing Ford’s Global Electrified One (GE1) platform that is a variation of the tragically discontinued Focus small car and Escape mid-sized SUV’s modular C2 platform, the Mach-E is basically a rear-motor, rear-wheel-drive EV, with the main traction unit now an in-house design. Previously that was outsourced.

A permanent magnet synchronous electric motor, it delivers 212kW of power and 525Nm of torque to the rear wheels via a single-speed reduction gear transmission.

Tipping the scales at 2086kg in the (albeit bigger-battery) Premium and 2100kg in the Select, its power-to-weight ratio is nearly 102kW per tonne and 101kW/tonne respectively. The latter needs 6.2s to streak from 0-100km/h, which is just 0.1s shy of the former. Top speed for both is 180km/h.

Meanwhile, with an electric motor added on to the front axle, the 2276kg, 434kW/955Nm GT’s 190kW/tonne slices acceleration down to just 3.8s, on the way to 200km/h, and relies on AWD, adaptive dampers and performance tyres to help keep things under control. Suspension consists of MacPherson struts up front and a multi-link rear end arrangement.

The three specification grades of the Polestar 3 all have different performance levels, and one – the entry-level car – has rear-wheel drive versus all-wheel drive on the other two.

In the case of the Rear Motor variant, the single electric motor is located between the rear wheels and drive through a single-speed transmission. Power for the Rear Motor is 245kW, there’s 480Nm of torque and Polestar claims a 0-100km/h time of 6.5 seconds.

The Dual Motor is the first of the all-wheel-drive variants and uses an extra motor on the front axle to achieve this. When both motors are running flat out, there’s 400kW of power, 740Nm of torque and a claimed 0-100km/h time of 4.7 seconds.

With the same motors and layout – but a more aggressive `tune’ – the Performance variant features 500kW of power and a storming 870Nm of torque. Polestar says it will get you to 100km/h from rest in 3.9 seconds. When the extra performance of the second motor is not needed, the Polestar will automatically decouple that motor to improve efficiency.

The 3 uses brake-by-wire technology (where the brake pedal is electronically, rather than physically, linked to the brake hardware) and the Performance model gets adaptive air suspension versus the standard steel springs of the Rear Motor and Dual Motor versions.

A single-speed transmission is used across all Polestar 3s.

Proving that batteries are still not significantly lighter than they’ve ever been, even the single-motor version of the 3 weighs in on the wrong side of 2300kg.

Ford says the Select averages 18.5kWh/100km on the European cycle, while the Premium and GT are at 17.7kWh/100km and 21.0kWh/100km, respectively. These figures are in line with most rivals given the Mach-E’s performance capabilities.

Two distinct battery packs are offered, depending on grade.

The Select features a (useable) 73kWh Lithium Ferro phosphate (LFP) battery, for 470km of WLTP driving range. Premium and GT models switch to an 88kWh and 91kWh Nickel Manganese Cobalt (NMC) unit, bumping range up to 600km and 515km respectively.

The GE1’s 400V architecture has a CCS Type 2 port with 11kW AC charging capacity, or 150kW for DC charging. Many rivals offer faster charging capabilities.

According to the European data, AC charging from empty to full using a regular household socket needs up to 47 hours, or 10 hours with a 7kW Wallbox, while, a 50kW DC charger requires up to 90 minutes for a 10-80 per cent top-up, or under 40 minutes with a 150kW DC charger.

Polestar has fitted the new 3 with different drive modes aimed at maximising either acceleration or range (at the expense of each other). Even so, the range claims are based on WLTP testing and start with a claim of 604km for the Rear Motor, 635km for the Dual Motor and 593km for the Performance. The latter’s shorter range is explained by its fierce power and torque outputs which simply take more from the 106kWh battery pack. The Rear Motor’s range, meanwhile, is a function of its somewhat smaller, 92kWh battery.

Charging at home on an 11kW socket will take the battery on either variant from fully discharged to 100 per cent in about 10 hours. But part of the value of the 800-volt architecture can be seen in the Polestar’s ability to charge on a commercial fast-charger at up to 350kW. At that point, the 3 can go from 10 to 80 per cent charged in just 22 minutes, about 25 per cent faster than before.

The other side of the upgrade to 800-volt tech is an efficiency improvement during the WLPT test of about six per cent.

If your idea of a Mustang is a big, heavy and rousing grand touring machine, then the Mach-E certainly lives up to the image.

And, in some ways, exceeds it, because – among the electric SUV fraternity – this one’s the driver’s choice, with a level of control and finesse that the muscle machines of yesteryear could only dream about.

Let's start with the performance. The 212kW Select and Premium are certainly fast enough. Sprightly off the mark, their acceleration is very smooth yet very determined, packing plenty of instantaneous punch when some extra squirt is required. Really, this is all the speed you’ll ever need.

Ford’s dynamic DNA force is very strong in these EVs, with steering that feels light yet precise, and naturally connected to the road, providing comparatively agile, flowing handling and decent body control. This is backed up by nicely nuanced traction intervention that – in true rear-drive Pony car tradition – allows for some playful rear-end breakaway.

After years of testing dreary, remote EVs – especially from but not just limited to China, the Mach-E’s willingness to interact with the driver is like enjoying a long, cold drink after hours in the hot sun.

With twin electric motors making 434kW and nearly 1000Nm, the GT turns the amp – if not quite the volume – up to 11, with tremendous response and terrific thrust right from the get-go. It’s actually quite astounding how contained and controlled the AWD flagship’s performance is delivered, given how brazenly fast it is down a straight road.

Jumping out of one of the other Mach-E models, the GT’s extra heft is immediately obvious around the bends, since it doesn’t quite have their lightness of touch. Grip is phenomenal, yet the driver can break traction even momentarily if desired, and there’s a sense that, in the right hands, few rivals with similar performance could keep up with the Ford in full flight. It’s fast everywhere all the time. But it’s just not quite as athletic or fun as the Select and Premium.

Note that, since we were on busy public roads, most of this assessment was carried out using the normal and not sport driving mode.

The driver assist safety systems are also really well tuned, sparing the driver the distraction and frustration of needless intervention, even when piloted enthusiastically.

The previous Mach-E was widely criticised for delivering a hard ride, even with the GT’s adaptive dampers. While you’d never call the suspension supple, the 2026 model’s ability to better absorb bumps is a welcome development, allowing the driver to better enjoy all the other benefits on offer. There are softer and more isolated alternatives, but few rivals are as rewarding dynamically.

Downsides include too much road noise intrusion over certain surfaces, the lack of paddles for the regenerative braking, and the fact that to switch that on or off requires the driver to resort to diving into a touchscreen menu. The same goes for switching between the cringy Whisper (eco), Active (normal) and Untame (sport) modes. How difficult would it be to fit a simple button to activate these?

Finally, thick pillars and small side/rear windows can make vision out difficult in tight spaces.

The Mach-E may be getting on to its sixth year in production, but there’s a welcome, non-EV analogue connection to the way this otherwise electrifying SUV goes, steers, handles and grips the road. Like many of the best Fords, the engineers have gone to the very real effort of prioritising driver enjoyment, without sacrificing everyday functionality.

Like we said earlier, the more time you spend in the Mach-E, the more enjoyable it gets.

If the only Polestar 3 you ever drove was the entry-level Rear Motor version, you’d never think twice about the adequacy or otherwise of its performance.

Like all EVs, the step-off from a green light is a no-messing-about experience and it continues to wind out in a linear and spritely manner. Actually, spritely is underselling it somewhat as there’s more than enough oomph to get you motoring very quickly.

It is, of course, also silent and Polestar’s decision not to introduce a manufactured engine noise really pays off, we reckon. The only noise is a small amount of suspension bump-thump at very low speeds and some tyre roar on coarse surfaces.

So, you would perhaps think the Performance version will simply be more of the same. On paper, yes it is, but in reality, the sheer brutality of the power delivery overshadows everything else about it. Very, very few production cars will be able to stay with a Polestar 3 Performance in a straight line.

The shunt is immense and makes you wonder if you’re really in a road-registered car at all. Even snapping the throttle open and shut in a split-second sees the digital speedo add a full 10km/h to the tally. Holding the pedal down for any extended period will see you in either the next parish, or jail, before you’ve had time to think about the consequences.

Once you’ve got your head around that (and it will take time) you start to understand that the air suspension on the Performance model, while offering distinct modes, doesn’t really make the car ride any better than the Rear Motor with its conventional steel springs but smaller wheels and tyres (20 inch plays 22).

And even if the performance of the 3 makes the impression of kerb mass go away, the rest of the package is not so deceiving, and the car never shrinks around you even as speeds rise. The brake-by-wire system feels commendably neutral and natural, but the steering suffers, one imagines, at the electric-assistance calibration. It’s extremely remote at the straight ahead and seems neither keen to be deflected from that attitude initially, nor return to it as you exit a corner.

We’ll also take exception to the lane-keeping assistance which makes the steering feel even more alien due to its eagerness to keep a wide car in a narrow lane on the regional roads on which we mostly drove it. The constant gnawing away at the wheel by the electronics is both distracting and unnecessary.

As a sister company to Volvo, you might imagine the Polestar’s safety credentials are top-notch. And you’d be right. The standard driver assistance systems include:

• Adaptive cruise-control
• Autonomous emergency braking
• Blind-spot monitoring and assistance
• Lane-departure and lane-keeping assistance
• Park pilot
• Curve speed-assist
• Road sign recognition
• Trailer stability assistance

It also comes with a range of other algorithms to keep you on the bitumen. Twelve ultrasonic sensors and a forward-facing (and heated) radar unit make this possible. Active lighting is also part of the safety package and there’s pedestrian and cyclist recognition built in as well as forward crash mitigation.

The Polestar 3 also features no less than five exterior cameras for a 360-degree view, as well as a pair of infra-red eye-tracking interior cameras as part of the driver monitoring system. Interestingly, Polestar points out that these interior cameras are closed loop units and don’t record or store any data (in case you were wondering if Big Brother was keeping tabs on you).

On the passive safety front, the 3 has nine airbags (including centre airbags) automatic unlocking after a crash, ISOFIX child-restraint points and a whiplash protection system built into the front seats.

The Polestar 3 hasn’t been locally crash tested, but the previous 400-volt model was tested in Europe in 2025 and scored five stars for safety.

A five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty applies to the Mach-E, along with seven years of roadside assistance, activated annually if serviced at a Ford dealer.

Service intervals are every 12 months or 15,000km, whichever occurs first.

Prices for the 2026 facelift weren’t available at the time of publishing, but last year’s model alternated between costing $140 and $185 per service for the first 10 years. And the Mach-E can be maintained at any one of the 180-or-so Ford dealers network Australia-wide.

Ford says the EV Traction Battery is covered by an eight-year/160,000km warranty.

As with any EV, the Polestar 3’s running costs will be closely linked with the way you charge the vehicle. Charging at home from a solar array will bring day-to-day running costs down to almost nothing, but using commercial fast-chargers will bump that up significantly.

The 3’s warranty stands at five years/unlimited kilometres for the car itself, with eight years/160,000km of cover for the EV battery. But it’s not just total battery failure that’s covered: Should that EV battery fall below 70 per cent of its original capacity in that period, it will be replaced free of charge.

Service intervals are EV-typically long at two years or 20,000km, and Polestar can upload software updates over the air as they become available. There’s also five years’ worth of 24/7 roadside assistance for the 3.

Service pricing is $765 at year two and four and $721 at year six. That averages out to $375 a year for servicing which isn't bad at all.

Of course, Polestar is also concerned about the planet as well as its owners’ hip pocket, so the Polestar 3 picks up on company policies of sustainable and ethical sourcing of materials. That includes sourcing recycled textiles and plastics for some of the interior surfaces, recycled cobalt in the batteries and even recycled aluminium for various trim parts.