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.
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