The 2022 Ford Mustang Mach-E GT Performance Edition is a great fully electric SUV, with the Mustang nameplate for a reason.
Everyone knows the Mustang Mach-E is not here to replace the good old Mustang that we always love driving. It will also not be as fun, and it would not be able to put a smile on your face like the original Mustang. However, it’s here to stay longer in a world where the days of internal combustion engines are numbered. When that day comes, it will be the worthy successor with the nameplate you will always remember.
It may not be the first fully electric Ford, but it’s their first fully electric SUV platform built from the ground up. So it’s definitely a fresh start not just for the Mustang nameplate, but also for the whole brand. That being said, Ford decided to keep the main design features that make the Mustang an iconic pony car. It was definitely not an easy task to carry over the design language from a pony car to an SUV. I think Ford did a great job with the overall design.
The front fascia has the traditional Mustang look, sharp headlight design, the big nonfunctional front grille, hood lines, and other small details make you feel this is a special product. The level of attention to detail is quite impressive for a car that starts at around $50,000 CAD. The sporty GT trim makes it look sportier with more aggressive looks, mainly because of a different front bumper.
From the side profile, things get a lot harder for Ford to make it look like a Mustang. The car is significatly taller than the original Mustang. The roofline makes it much sportier, but actually, Ford decided to use a black roof to hide the extra length. The biggest design feature of this platform is the hidden door handles. You need to press a button to access your Mach-E GT, which is a futuristic approach and it gives the car a sleek side profile.
The rear end undoubtedly carries over the traditional Mustang design elements. The most significant one is the taillights. It comes with a relatively smaller hatch for more aggressive looks, which is an understandable compromise to keep the design language the same way. As expected from any type of electric vehicle, there is nothing under the rear bumper, except a small rear diffuser for an extra sportier look.
Unlike the exterior, Ford designed the interior from the scratch instead of trying to make it look like an original Mustang interior, which is the right move. It’s an SUV and practicality is the key. The interior gives you a living room experience. Although it’s not functional, there is a huge soundbar that covers the whole dashboard, making it more like a soundbar in your living room.
Ford definitely wanted to give this interior a simplistic look, like the Tesla Model Y. The giant infotainment system is definitely an eye-catcher, and unlike the Model Y, we also have a fully digital gauge cluster located right in front of the driver. The small digital screen only gives you the most necessary information like the speed, which gear you are in, the range, and adaptive cruise control details. Everything else is in the main screen.
The Ford infotainment system works well, you still get a physical volume knob located at the bottom of the enormous 15.5-inch vertical touchscreen. We are assuming bigger is better when it comes to screen size in an electric vehicle, it became a new trend. Other than that, the number of physical buttons is quite low, they are located mainly on the steering wheel.
Moving down from the infotainment screen, you are looking at decently sized 2 cupholders, a rotary knob for the shifter, and a decent amount of storage under the armrest. There is a wireless charging area right under the screen, but you can also have a second phone located right beside it, with no charging option. There is one USB-A and USB-C port included, but you might never need to use it, as it comes with wireless smartphone integration.
In typical Ford fashion, the seats are firmly cushioned, but exceptionally comfortable. It comes with a lot of adjustability options and memory seats make your life easier if you are sharing the Mach-E with your loved one. The heated seats can be controlled through the infotainment system and it’s easy to find, as it is permanently located at the bottom of the screen. I just wish it had a ventilated seat option, it’s disappointing not to see it even as an option for this price range.
The rear seats have a decent amount of legroom for large adults, even for a rear-facing child seat. However, the more surprising part about the rear interior space is the overall headroom. The Mustang Mach-E GT is actually taller than it looks, as Ford decided to hide the roofline with black paint. It also comes with a glass panoramic roof that gives an extra open feeling. The glass roof has no physical sunshade, but it filters out the UV lights exceptionally well.
The trunk space though, that’s where you start to feel there is a compromise when you have a sloping roof line. 2022 Ford Mustang Mach-E comes with 29.7 cubic feet (841 L) of cargo space behind the rear seats. It’s significantly less than an average compact SUV. You also don’t get a lot of vertical storage space due to the design of the vehicle. That said, it’s still usable space for families, as it can easily take a stroller or big items with no problem. The trunk space is just not its strong suit.
Let’s talk about what makes the 2022 Ford Mustang Mach-E GT a Mach-E more than a Mustang. Under the hood, you’ll only see a small storage area, because the electric motors are buried all the way down to the front and rear axles. I do not understand why Ford did not use an electric motor to open the hood, as it’s technically a storage area. You have to pull the lever like you used to do in a regular car. I think that’s a big missed opportunity there.
Speaking of electric motors, there is one for each axle. There are two upsized magnet electric motors that generate 480 horsepower and 634 lb-ft of torque, which are backed by the larger 91-kWh battery packs. The batteries will give you around 270 miles / 400 kilometers of range, which is plenty for any type of commuting. Thanks to the AWD system, it slingshots the Mach-E GT from 0 to 100 in less than 3.5 seconds.
The Ford Mustang Mach-E GT slingshots itself right off the line, but the intensity slowly dies down to a point where it really does not feel like 480 horsepower car. I found electric motors overheat quite easily, they will immediately cut power after repetitive accelerations. It also feels much slower after 100 km/h, especially at highway speeds mainly due to the excessive weight.
The 2022 Ford Mustang Mach-E GT Performance Edition starts to shine on twisties, backroads, or anywhere you turn. This is one of the most engaging fully electric vehicles in terms of driving dynamics. It was unexpectedly good for a 5000 lbs SUV. The steering feels very precise for an SUV, gives you a decent amount of feedback, and the steering weight is spot on.
The chassis is also extremely communicative and it can be quite fun with its playful character, it likes to oversteer and will give you a lot of feedback when doing so. The eAWD system can send power to each wheel based on driving conditions and driving mode. If I really have to nitpick, that would be the brakes. The Brembo brakes look gorgeous from the outside, but they do not offer a lot of feedback. Although they offer an excellent amount of stopping power, it’s hard to utilize it precisely and find the limit braking without going into ABS.
The driving experience is what made the Mustang nameplate an icon in the automotive world, but maybe it’s time for enthusiasts to accept the fact that electric cars are the inevitable future. The 2022 Ford Mustang Mach-E GT is a great fully-electric SUV that offers something that other electric vehicles simply couldn’t. It is the only fully-electric vehicle that prioritizes driving dynamics. It turns your commute into a memorable experience, like the V8 Mustang.
| Engine | Permanent magnet electric engine |
| Transmission & Drivetrain | Direct drive – all-wheel drive |
| Max power | 480 hp |
| Max torque | 634 lb-ft |
| 0-100 km/h | 3.5 sec |
| Battery Pack | 91-kWh liquid-cooled lithium-ion |
| Curb Weight | 5001 lb – 2268 kg |
| Top Speed | 120 mph – 193 km/h (limited) |
| Range | 270 miles – 434 kilometers |
