The 2026 Ford Mustang Mach-E Still Kicks Butt in Two Ways: Review

What Car Shoppers Need to Know

• The 2026 Ford Mustang Mach-E is a solid-performing, well-equipped, high-performance EV.
• The Mach-E’s ride is still stiff because Ford wants it to be considered a performance vehicle – despite its five-seat SUV design.
• The Mustang Mach-E starts at $39,840, climbing to $59,735 for the Rally.

We could talk about the fact that gas prices are out of control, but given you’re reading a review of an electric car, you’re likely already well aware of it — and maybe looking to never have to visit a gas station again. Getting into a new EV is a great way to completely eliminate the angst of rising fuel prices, and Ford’s Mustang Mach-E GT isn’t a bad way to go about doing it. It’s hard to believe this model has been around for six years now, but it has — and it’s still here, looking largely the same as it did when we first saw it.

Related: Coastal Migration: Ford Applies California Special Treatment to Mustang Mach-E

So how does it stack up now, six years into its life? EVs have changed considerably in that time, but the Mach-E has not. It gained a range-topping, quasi-off-road Rally variant for 2024, but the Mach-E formula has otherwise remained the same: a five-seat, coupe-like SUV that’s styled to look different, aimed at a performance-minded electric SUV buyer … if such a person actually exists. As the industry and the EV market change, does Ford’s O.G. mass-market EV still work?

Expert Rating: 7/10

• Powertrain: 8/10
• Ride quality: 5/10
• Handling: 7/10
• Steering feel: 7/10
• Driver comfort: 8/10
• Interior quality: 8/10
• User interface: 5/10
• Value: 7/10
• Overall appeal: 7/10
• Driving range: 8/10
• Charging speed: 7/10
• Efficiency: 7/10

How Much Does a 2026 Ford Mustang Mach-E Cost?

The Mach-E comes in four trim levels for 2026, with the base Select and Premium trims offering rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive, with a choice of a standard- or extended-range battery. The top GT and Rally trims come standard with all-wheel drive and the extended-range battery. The Select and Premium trims are the more conventional versions, meant to appeal to a more mass-market audience. The GT is a high-performance model, while the Rally uses the same powertrain as the GT, but adds an off-road-tuned suspension, unique drive modes, and special wheels and tires. These prices include Ford’s whopping $2,045 destination fee:

• Select RWD: $39,840
• Select AWD: $42,840
• Select AWD Extended Range: $48,090
• Premium RWD: $42,640
• Premium RWD Extended Range: $47,390
• Premium AWD: $45,640
• Premium AWD Extended Range: $50,390
• GT: $55,440
• Rally: $59,735

At the lower end of the pricing spectrum, the Mach-E is competitive with many other electric two-row SUVs, including the Chevrolet Blazer, Polestar 4 and Subaru Trailseeker. It comes very well-equipped, but if you want BlueCruise hands-free cruise control, you’ll have to pay for an option package and an ongoing subscription.

How Far Can the 2026 Mustang Mach-E Go on a Charge?

• Takeaway: Depending on trim level and equipment, the 2026 Ford Mustang Mach-E’s range varies from a low of 240 miles with AWD and the standard battery to a high of 320 miles for a rear-wheel-drive model with the extended-range battery.

The table below shows official EPA range ratings for the Mustang Mach-E.

How Quick Is the 2026 Ford Mustang Mach-E GT?

The GT model I tested is the high-performance trim of the lot, and it certainly delivers in the speed category. Along with the Rally, it’s the most powerful version of the Mach-E, featuring a standard dual-motor drivetrain that makes 480 horsepower and 600 pounds-feet of torque. An optional Performance Upgrade package bumps torque output to 700 pounds-feet for brief periods, which is more than enough for the Mach-E to kick you in the butt with eye-popping acceleration: Ford reports the GT Performance Upgrade’s 0-60 mph time at 3.3 seconds. Yes, you’ll have to navigate a couple screens to activate that performance mode, but even in daily driving the Mach-E is never without proper propulsive power. It’s quick, and it accelerates without any drama or hesitation — like just about every other electric vehicle on the market with two motors, a big battery and a lot of torque. 

As athletic as the Mach-E feels in a straight line, though, it can’t hide its heft when you’re trying to corner. This car weighs approximately 5,000 pounds, and Ford has tried to compensate for that heft by giving the GT a stiffer, adjustable MagneRide suspension, but there’s only so much you can do to hide mass. The Mustang Mach-E is not a lightweight sports car; it’s a five-seat SUV with a heavy battery, and it behaves as such in corners and when braking. It’s not wallowy or tippy, thanks to the very low center of gravity that having a massive battery under the floor provides, but it’s also not something you’ll be able to take autocrossing and think you’ll be competitive. It’s sporty, but it’s not a sports car. No amount of badging or torque can change that. 

And yet, I’m not mad about it. The Mach-E’s heft means it’s capable of extremely stable and smooth high-speed highway driving. Body movements are tight and controlled, which also means that this Ford’s ride is always on the stiff end of the spectrum. Whether that’s Ford’s decision to make the Mach-E feel more sporty or simply their chassis calibration to deal with this SUV’s mass, I’m not sure. It does feel more controlled and less harsh than prior Mach-E’s I’ve tested, so I think progress is being made here, but this is the second way it kicks you in the butt: firm ride quality. 

It’s something of a gamble on Ford’s part, but the Mach-E is designed to stand out from the crop of electric SUVs. That’s why it’s called a Mustang in the first place; controversial as that choice was, it got Ford’s electric SUV noticed. The Mach-E’s styling, performance and range also get noticed, and for buyers interested in carting both people and stuff in a vehicle that can also be entertaining, the Mach-E works. 

How Nice Is the Mustang Mach-E’s Interior?

Where the Mach-E still needs some work is inside: specifically its multimedia system and controls. Ford improved things by switching from a rotary gear selector to a column-mounted stalk for the 2025 model year, which helps with overall ergonomics and ease of use. The automaker also updated the Mach-E’s digital gauge cluster to be more visually interesting and easier to use. Alas, the huge vertical touchscreen remains, and every control you might want to use is contained within that screen, from the audio system to the climate controls. While this does give the interior an attractive, minimalist aesthetic, it also causes a lot of distraction and potential confusion when it comes to just finding a simple control. Turning off the heat or air conditioning, for example, is a two-step process. After looking everywhere for it, I had to turn to Google to find out where the remote liftgate release was. (Pro tip: It’s in the top-right corner of the vehicle controls screen, and again it’s a two-touch process to use it.) 

The lack of dedicated control buttons is as maddening in the Mach-E as it is in every new car with this design ethos, and it detracts from what is otherwise a nicely designed, well-assembled, high-quality interior, with excellent materials and good comfort. My test car came in a GT California Special trim, which is new for 2026. Its combination of Navy Pier blue interior, black exterior and California Special details inside and out made it look particularly striking, especially in bright sunlight. 

The Mach-E’s backseat, however, is cramped for a vehicle its size, with a lack of sufficient legroom for longer-legged passengers. Headroom is acceptable, but that was a function of the model I drove having a glass roof … with no sunshade. I’m not sure which automotive designer first deemed this an acceptable feature, but the fact that it caught on and has spread throughout the industry is grounds for blacklisting in my book. Yes, it helps create an airy cabin, but for people who don’t like the distraction of incoming sunlight, or the cabin baking on a sunny day, it’s annoying. 

Cargo space is plentiful, however, with the Mach-E able to swallow three big suitcases and smaller carry-on bags without the need to lower the second-row seatbacks. It’s useful when you pick people up at the airport and need both passenger space and cargo capacity. 

Quirky and Fun, But a Little Confusing

The end result of all this is an electric vehicle that is something of an odd duck. It’s quick – as are almost all EVs – but sports-car and motoring enthusiasts aren’t likely to pick a Mach-E, thanks to its prodigious mass. It’s comfortable, but not as comfortable as it would be if Ford tuned its suspension more suitably for family-SUV duty. It has plenty of cargo room, but legroom and overall space in the backseat are on the tight side due to packaging choices. It has a frunk, but not much of one. And as for how much it costs, it’s pretty competitive at the lower end of the trim spectrum; I’d probably opt for a rear-wheel-drive, extended-range Premium trim, which starts under today’s $50,000 average new-vehicle cost. There are always incentives for EVs these days, as well, even if none of them are coming from the Feds anymore. 

The as-tested price of the loaded ‘26 Mach-E GT California Special I drove rang in at $64,190, which is luxury-car territory. But you can do without things like the $2,495 California Special package and the $1,875 panoramic glass roof (thank goodness it’s optional), and that would drop the price below $60K – though that’s still a lot of money. 

Competitors like the Chevrolet Blazer EV match up well against the Mach-E in terms of size, price, capability and even sporting pretense. The Blazer EV also comes in a variety of trims, from a base, front-wheel-drive, single-motor LT for $46,495, all the way up to a high-performance, Mach-E-GT-chasing Blazer SS for $62,495. The Blazer feels bigger and more comfortable, with a much more stylish interior, but it leaves out a feature that’s a deal-killer for many buyers: GM refuses to put Apple CarPlay in its EVs, and the Mustang Mach-E has both CarPlay and Android Auto. 

The Hyundai Ioniq 5 has been our choice in the two-row electric SUV category for years now, thanks to its stellar mix of useful space, excellent efficiency and range, with competitive pricing and a range-topping, high-performance N version that can fight the Mach-E GT and Blazer EV SS. And of course, there’s always the venerable Model Y from Tesla, long the standard-bearer in terms of EV efficiency and operation, but it still comes with quirks and, these days, unfortunate stigma. 

The Ford Mustang Mach-E is still a solid choice for electric SUV shoppers. You’ll have to sample one to find out whether it’s right for you specifically. 

More Ford Mustang Mach-E News From Cars.com:

• Coastal Migration: Ford Applies California Special Treatment to Mustang Mach-E
• Is the Ford Mustang Mach-E Rally the Most Comfortable Mach-E?
• 2025 Ford Mustang Mach-E Gets Heat Pump, Optional Sport Appearance Package
• Ford Mustang Mach-E Premium Vs. GT Performance Edition: Is the GT Worth the Extra Money?
• Ford EV Drivers Can Now Use Tesla Superchargers

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