2026 Ford Mustang Mach-E Review: When Select Makes More Sense Than PremiumSlashGearAlex HevesyFri, September 25, 2026 at 4:00 PM UTCAdd us on GoogleAlex Hevesy/SlashGearThe 2026 Mustang Mach-E has managed the incredible feat of staying alive despite Ford's killing spree amid its electric offerings. With the death of the F-150 Lightning, for now the Mach-E and the electric version of the Transit van are the only two EVs that carry a Ford badge.Even though I'm not a big fan of the "Mustang" moniker — given the fact it's a four-door (albeit reasonably sporty) SUV – I've always liked the Mach-E. I was impressed with the model I drove a couple of years ago, even though I had nowhere to conveniently charge it at the time. And the much more athletic Rally Mach-E was an absolute riot to drive in the mud.Now that I have moved back to an area with better EV infrastructure, I was ready to give the Mach-E another go. EVs bill themselves as practical daily drivers with none of the monetary fuss that's inherent to gasoline powered vehicles in this current juncture of 2026. With a few more model years under its belt, does the Mach-E still hold up?AdvertisementAdvertisementRead more: 5 Of The Worst-Looking Cars From The 1970s That We Wouldn't Be Caught Driving TodayNot all that subtleAlex Hevesy/SlashGearThe 2026 Ford Mustang Mach-E Premium AWD that I received was finished in a new color for 2026 called "Race Red" that it shares with its two-door gas-powered namesake. To put it a little bluntly, you can probably see the car from space, as this particular shade of red is about as understated and subtle as a Motley Crue concert happening in the middle of a rodeo.In my personal opinion, it's an excellent color, and — while EVs generally aren't afraid of being brash — a bright red car in a sea of boring shades of white, black, and silver, is a treat. Tint aside, the only meaningful updates to the Mach-E for 2026 are the removal of frunk hardware as standard and the addition of a tire inflator. Unless you are buying the significantly more performance oriented GT or Rally models, Ford doesn't update the Mach-E very much, at least when it comes to changes to the battery or drivetrain.Speaking of electrons, the Mach-E's power comes from an extended range 88-kWh battery that, according to Ford, gives you a range of 300 miles. I found that to be pretty accurate. The week I drove the Mach-E was really hot, so the blasting AC didn't do the range any favors, but 300 miles is not an outlandish or overly optimistic claim.Hassle free drivingAlex Hevesy/SlashGearBehind the Mustang-branded steering wheel, the Mach-E actually does a very nice job being a calm and comfortable daily driver. Unless you punch the accelerator, the Mach-E is compliant and drama free. The nearly-silent EV motors glide around with no spectacle.AdvertisementAdvertisementEVs, just by nature of their design, tend to have a much lower center of gravity. That, paired with the Mach-E's somewhat wider 225mm tires, leads to a very predictable driving experience. Under normal driving conditions, it's not all that exciting, but predictable and drama-free are excellent adjectives to embody for a vehicle trying to gain the mass-market's trust like the Mach-E. Adding to the drama-free experience, charging was a non-issue. I live near an Electrify America DC fast charger that's well maintained, so range anxiety was not something I experienced.When you put your foot down, it takes off with the hurry you would expect from an EV. It's not slow by any means when you are trying to go fast. The 370 horsepower from the combined pair of electric motors ensures that, at least. The "Unbridled" drive mode, like the name entails, puts all the horses down on the pavement, allowing for much quicker acceleration than the calmer drive modes for daily use. Just don't expect your battery's range to hold up all that well.A big ol' tablet insideAlex Hevesy/SlashGearInside the Mach-E honestly isn't all that much to write home about, but I don't want to make it sound like that's a bad thing. It's a very minimal experience with the only pop of oddity being the giant rectangular infotainment screen in the middle of the dashboard. The Mach-E's screen has always reminded me of the ordering kiosk at a fast food restaurant. That's neither here nor there, when it comes to function, but I thought I'd at least mention it.Ford's infotainment operating system works well enough that it didn't give me any real grief, despite the fact that there are very few physical buttons in the Mach-E. Climate control, navigation, drive modes, and your entertainment are all governed by the big center tablet. I don't like it on a philosophical level, but that doesn't mean it functions any way other than just fine.A lot of optional extrasAlex Hevesy/SlashGearAs I mentioned earlier, the financial aspects of an EV are part of the appeal. You aren't paying for gas, but what premium are you paying for the car itself? Setting a baseline for the Mach-E's many flavors, the entry-level standard battery, 260 mile, rear-wheel drive Mach-E has a price of $37,795. The Mach-E I drove was the Premium trim with all wheel drive.AdvertisementAdvertisement"Race Red" adds $495 — the only non premium colors are white and black — and the extended range battery is $4,750. This Mach-E was also equipped with the "Sport Appearance Package" which gives you 19-inch wheels, a different front "grille," and some sportier accents throughout the cabin like red stitching. It's $2,995.The panoramic roof is a $1,875 option. For little accessories, there's a $200 NACS adaptor that allows you to charge at Tesla Supercharger stations, the tire sealant kit is $145, and the cord to charge at home is $500. The $745 Connectivity package includes a Wi-Fi hotspot with data for a year, as well as live traffic monitoring. This Mach-E came with a $300 plan for three-years of Sirius XM radio. We aren't done yet. The power liftgate, driver-facing camera, and BlueCruise functionality are part of the $1,495 Technology package. Lastly, the frunk hardware — which was formerly standard — is $495, likely added as an optional extra to streamline production. Finally the $2,045 destination charge gets us to the final as-tested price of $59,635.The EV competitionAlex Hevesy/SlashGearNearly $60,000 is no small change, and personally I'd skip everything apart from the red color, extended range battery, all-wheel drive, and the frunk. So, if you're looking to save a lot of cash, and are willing to forgo a premium sound system, a sportier front fascia, and some more fancy interior accoutrements, the base model "Select" trim might be the way to go.In the EV landscape, the Mach-E competes with the Tesla Model Y, the Kia EV6, and Chevy Blazer EV. As far as range is concerned, all of the models hover around the 300-320 miles depending on whether you choose all-wheel drive or two-wheel drive. There's not a lot to distinguish them in starting price, either. The Ford comes in as the lowest, at $37,795, followed by the Kia EV6 at $37,900, then the Tesla at $39,990. Finally, the Blazer is the most expensive at $44,700.2026 Ford Mustang Mach-E verdictAlex Hevesy/SlashGearShopping purely based on price, the Mustang wins by virtue of being the cheapest (though not by much). The Mach-E also inches out a win when it comes to practicality, with a maximum 59.7 cubic feet of storage that just beats the Blazer's 59.1 cubic feet.AdvertisementAdvertisementIf it were my money, I would still pick the Ford out of the bunch, and I say that even a a General Motors fan. The Blazer is still a bit too expensive, the Kia doesn't fit as much cargo at 46.7 cubic feet, and I wouldn't touch a Tesla as long as Elon Musk is at the helm.If you're willing to be selective with the options and wait for the right car to show up at the dealership lot, I think the Mach-E would be an excellent family SUV: not only for an EV, but in general. And who knows: given the minimal changes from the 2025 Mustang Mach-E, you might even get a good discount for about the same car, if one has been sitting on that lot for a while.Want the latest in tech and auto trends? Subscribe to our free newsletter for the latest headlines, expert guides, and how-to tips, one email at a time. You can also add us as a preferred search source on Google.Read the original article on SlashGear.