Car and Driver have awarded the Ford Mustang Mach-E its first EV-of-the-year award. All fully electric vehicles that are currently on sale in the US were eligible for this award.
The Mach-E outperformed 10 other vehicles, including three Tesla models, the Audi E-Tron and the Volvo XC40 Recharge, as well as the Porsche Taycan.
Car and Driver stated that the vehicles were subject to a range of tests, including a 75-mile per hour test. Driving range test — To determine how far each car can travel on a full charge, various measured and timed performance tests are performed. Subjective driving experience tests are conducted on public roads. All the cars were then taken on a 1,000-mile trip from Car and Driver’s Michigan headquarters in Michigan to Virginia and back.
Staffers at Car and Driver praised the Mustang Mach-E’s practicality and performance when they awarded the Mustang Mach-E the award.
Eric Tingwall, Car and Driver’s editor, wrote that the Mach-E “has the driving dynamics and design necessary to drive new buyers beyond mere acceptance of electric vehicles to excitement.”
Staff also noted the interior quality of the Mustang Mach-E. Tingwall stated that Ford’s interior was superior in terms of materials and build quality, making the luxury cars in the EV test this year look cheap.
The Teslas competing in the competition — a Model S.Model 3Quality problem hampered the Model Y and a Model Y.
In an interview with Business, Sharon Silke Carty, Car and Driver editor-in-chief, stated that the Tesla Model Y’s cruise control system suddenly stopped working at one point.
She said, “All of a sudden I was going 30 in the middle of the highway.”
The review stated that the touchscreen system, which controls most of Tesla’s controls and is crucial, failed to work shortly after the car arrived. Car and Driver also found a poor fit between parts and a “grating sound” from the rear seat.
Car and Driver observed that the Model 3’s hood had a wide gap. Another Tesla that they tried was the Tesla 3. The Model SIt had only 3,600 miles, but the front motor died. The car was repaired and continued testing, but it lost its chance to win the award, according to Car and Driver. According to Car and Driver, the Tesla Model X SUV was excluded from the testing due to its low sales.
Tesla generally doesn’t respond to media inquiries and has yet to comment on Business’s Car and Driver report.
One area where Tesla vehicles were an advantage was the 1,000-mile trip. Tesla owns its charging network. It is extensive and well-maintained and only works with Teslas. Other electric vehicles had to wait at charging stations to be charged. This is possible with Teslas in California where they are ubiquitous. However, the Midwest was not affected by the issue according to the testers. Some chargers that weren’t Tesla had technical issues, so they didn’t work as well as expected or didn’t charge as fast.
In that order, the Tesla Model S, Model Y, and Model 3 completed the trip. After being hampered by a slow charging system, the Mustang Mach-E finished fourth.
Some of the cars that Car and Driver judges liked, like the Porsche Taycan 4S which testers described as “invigorating”, were also appreciated by the judges. The Kia Nero EV also had the best highway driving range, according to the EPA. Car and Driver praised the Kia Nero EV’s responsive acceleration and handling. It has ample cargo space.
Car and Driver could not test some cars from certain automakers. The competition did not include the Jaguar I-Pace and Chevrolet Bolt EUV and EV as well as the Mini CooperSE and BMW i3. Models that aren’t yet in production, such as the GMC Hummer EV or BMW i4, could not be tested by the magazine. These models may be eligible next year for the award.
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