Equine Electricity:The 2026 Ford Mustang Mach-E GT AWD
Yep, it's still here. The so-called faithful howled when it was announced that Ford was putting the Mustang name on an electric SUV. There were predictions of a sales disaster, even in what seemed like the inevitable path to electrification five years ago.
Nope. For several of those years, the Mach-E outsold the gasoline-powered Mustang.
How is that possible, you ask? Well, whether or not you agree that the Mach-E is a good Mustang, it is a very good electric SUV.
How good? If you're considering a Hyundai IONIQ 5, a Chevrolet Equinox EV, a Kia EV6, a Nissan Leaf, a Chevrolet Blazer EV, a Honda Prologue, a Volkswagen ID.4, a Subaru Solterra or Uncharted, a Toyota bZ or C-HR, a Rivian R2 or a Tesla Model 3 or Model Y, you should also have a Mustang Mach-E on your short list of possibles, and you should absolutely take a test drive.
Out of that group, only the Model Y can top the Mustang Mach-E's cargo capacity of 29.7 cubic feet behind the rear seat and up to 59.7 cubic feet with that seat folded (the Rivian R2 does 28.7 behind the rear seat, but a fairly epic 79 cubic feet with it folded). The frunk (front trunk) holds 2.6 cubic feet more, but this year, Ford made it an option. Accessing that space now costs an extra $495.
There's a comfortable 38.1 inches of legroom in the rear seat, as long as you sit by one of the doors. The back of the center console protrudes into the center space enough to make the center seat everyone's least favorite place to be.
Past that, the cabin is well-designed, nicely appointed and roomy (the touchscreen is, as a friend described it, "comically large" and if only the top half of it existed, it would be big enough and then some).
There are four trim levels of Mustang Mach-E, starting at $37,795. Our tester was the second from the top trim, the Mustang Mach-E GT AWD. Base price is $53,395 ($55,440 including destination). That money buys an impressive list of standard equipment (see the window sticker at the end of this review).
Choosing the GT means a big leap in power over the standard RWD Mach-E (from 264 horsepower to 480), a significant dip in 0-60 times (5.6 seconds for the RWD Mach-E, 3.8 for the GT and 3.3 for GTs equipped with the GT Performance Upgrade, which ours was) and a big drop in range per charge (from 320 miles to 255).
As for extra-cost options, the Adriatic Blue-Green paint is $495, the package with the GT Performance Upgrade (which also includes rally wheels and tires, a black-painted roof, a Magneride suspension damping system, clear paint protective film and a rear spoiler) is $4,295, a fast-charging adaptor that allows use of the Tesla Supercharger network is $200, a tire sealant/inflator kit adds $145, and then there's a connectivity package, a seven-year subscription for $745, another subscription, this one three years of SiriusXM satellite radio with 360L for $300, a home charging cord for $500 and the aforementioned access to the frunk that until this year was free for five model years, but now costs $495 (Why, Ford? Why?).
The bottom line on the window sticker reads $62,615.
That sounds like a big chunk of change, but it's actually less expensive, both in terms of base price and as-tested price, than the 2021 Mach-E GT I reviewed nearly five years ago. That one started at $59,900 and wound up at $69,600, despite having a destination charge $945 lower than this one's.
It may look the same, but the Mustang Mach-E GT AWD has benefitted from a lot of refinement in that half-decade. To be able to get the new one for $6,985 less (not even factoring in inflation), is nothing short of astonishing.
2026 Mustang Mach-E GT AWD at a glance
Price: $53,395 base/$62,615 as tested
Battery: 91kWh
Horsepower: 480
Torque: 600 lb-ft (700 with GT Performance Upgrade)
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Curb Weight: 4,993 lbs.
0-60 Acceleration (manufacturer data): 3.8 seconds (3.3 with GT Performance Upgrade)
EPA Fuel Economy Estimate: 90 MPGe
EPA Range Estimate: 280 miles
Class competitors: Hyundai IONIQ 5, Chevrolet Equinox EV, Kia EV6, Nissan Leaf, Chevrolet Blazer EV, Honda Prologue, Volkswagen ID.4, Subaru Solterra Subaru Uncharted, Toyota bZ, Toyota C-HR, Rivian R2, Tesla Model 3, Tesla Model Y.
