Ford Mustang Mach-E GT review

Ford has a long and successful history of building fast, fun-to-drive and fairly affordable sporty versions of its many mass-produced family cars. The legendary Sierra Cosworth and Escort Cosworth of the ‘80s and ‘90s are amongst the most famous of these fast Fords of yore, and more recently there have been cars like the Fiesta ST and Focus ST hot hatchbacks. This trend is set to continue on Ford’s electric cars, as the firm’s Mustang Mach-E family SUV now has an ultra-quick range-topping GT model.

High performance is obviously a natural fit for the Mustang nameplate and the GT's numbers are strong on paper. It has dual electric motors for four-wheel drive and makes a total of 480bhp and 860Nm of torque, which is sufficient for a 0-62mph time of 3.7 seconds. The Tesla Model Y Performance is the GT's most obvious rival, but it must also see off the challenge of the Volkswagen ID.4 GTX, Skoda Enyaq vRS and Kia EV6 GT, to name but a few rivals. The Mach-E GT’s pricing – more on that later – puts the car up against premium SUVs like the Jaguar I-Pace, BMW iX3 and Polestar 3, too.

Straight-line speed definitely isn't lacking; you only need to brush the accelerator for a surge of forward momentum from almost any speed. It has to be said, though, that the car's hefty 2,273kg weight can be felt when moving off from a standstill. And the response isn't quite as urgent at higher speeds as it is when accelerating from 20 or 30mph. But it's all relative: whatever way you cut it, the Mach-E GT is a fast car.

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To cope with the GT’s mighty turn of speed, Ford has gone to town on the chassis upgrades. Large 385mm Brembo brakes and tyres developed specifically for the car promise lots of grip and stopping power, and the ‘MagneRide 2’ adaptive suspension tech lets the driver adjust how soft or stiff the ride is on the fly. All of this, Ford claims, was done in the name of making the GT feel exciting to drive – yet while it’s sharper and more dynamic than the regular Mustang Mach-E, those upgrades can only do so much to disguise the car’s significant weight.

The steering responds quickly and grip is as strong as you'd expect from a four-wheel-drive machine, but the truly satisfying engagement provided by fast Fords of old is unfortunately absent. Ford's engineers deserve credit for making the Mach-E GT drive and handle well for such a large and heavy car, but it can't transcend that status like the very best combustion-engined fast SUVs from the likes of Porsche and BMW do.

Like most electric cars – performance or otherwise – the Mach-E GT's driving experience can be adjusted to your preferences thanks to several different modes. Ford calls them Whisper, Active, Untamed and Untamed Plus, with the focus shifting from comfort and refinement in Whisper to all-out speed and sharpness in Untamed Plus.

In some cars, the differences between such modes are too subtle to notice, but in the Mach-E GT, Untamed Plus in particular does open up a degree of playfulness and adjustability that's missing from some of its rivals. It's also said to optimise the drivetrain for repeatedly delivering maximum power, but there's no getting away from the fact that driving the car hard quickly takes big chunks out of the claimed 304-mile range.

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At least you can top the 91kWh battery fairly quickly, thanks to standard 150kW rapid-charging capability that'll get you from 10 to 80% capacity in just under 45 minutes. And if you're done having fun and want to maximise range, the Mach-E's one-pedal regenerative braking system is particularly effective at slowing you down smoothly while also sending energy back into the battery.

The car cruises comfortably in Whisper mode, with smoother dips and bumps taken care of by that trick suspension. Large 20-inch alloys do mean that harsher imperfections send a shudder through the cabin, however, and overall there's always a slightly stiff edge to the ride no matter what driving mode you're in.

To set it apart visually from lesser models in the Mach-E range, the GT gets Ford Performance sports seats that hug you in position so you don't slide out when rounding a fast corner, as well as body-coloured wheelarches, a special bumper design, a 3D-effect grille and two unique, eye-catching colours to pick from: Grabber Blue and Cyber Orange.

Infotainment is provided by the same portrait-orientated 15.5-inch touchscreen you get in all other Mach-Es, running Ford's SYNC4 software. The system is responsive and intuitive, although our previous criticisms about it not being angled towards the driver, and missing somewhere to anchor your hand, bear repeating here. The 10.2-inch digital driver's display can't be faulted, however: it's brilliantly simple and clear to read.

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Regarding practicality, the GT is identical to the standard Mustang Mach-E on which it’s based. There’s still a 402-litre boot, in addition to the 100-litre “frunk” storage area up front under the bonnet. Space in the front and back seats also remains the same on the GT.

Spec-wise, the GT gets everything the Mach-E AWD Extended Range does: wireless phone charging, adaptive cruise control, parking sensors all round, a 360-degree parking camera, dual-zone climate control, heated seats, a heated steering wheel, adaptive LED headlights and comprehensive safety equipment. There's no shortage of kit, then, but you'd expect no less when the Mach-E GT will set you back more than £74,000 – making it £23,000 dearer than a standard rear-drive Mustang Mach-E, and definitely stretching the traditional affordability of fast Fords a tad.

And that pretty much sums up the issue with the Mustang Mach-E GT. On first impressions, it’s a roomy and well-equipped electric SUV that also brings to the table striking looks, an engaging drive and plenty of performance. However, when compared with its famous fast Ford predecessors, the Mach-E GT doesn’t quite match them for pure driving fun and relative affordability.