Throughout its history, the bread and butter brand Ford has repeatedly sold emotional models in addition to its down-to-earth products. Mustang Mach-e and Explorer are appropriate representatives of the new mobility. ntv.de compared them.
The question of the type of drive has recently become more complex. In the past, the decision between petrol and diesel was in the room – if at all. On the other hand, you now have to think carefully about whether you want a battery-electric car, no, rather whether you are already mentally ready for this technology. Or would you rather try to drive just a little bit electrically.
In the case of the Ford Explorer, this little can be estimated at around 40 kilometers – the electrical energy for this comes from a 14 kWh battery. But in practice it has been shown that it is difficult to drive the Explorer electrically. And not because the big chunk would not drive well with its 101 hp electric motor. No, the Explorer simply lures with its systemic power of an unabashed 457 hp. A double-turbocharged three-liter V6 carries the main share and, in combination with the Stromer, the 5.05 meter long all-wheel drive becomes a steam hammer.
So just be careful with the accelerator pedal, a courageous step on the same makes the Ford literally jump forward. The Explorer storms off with such elemental force that the inexperienced driver is simply amazed. Who would have thought that a tomboyish Explorer, which is primarily regarded as a family and leisure vehicle with maximum practicality (and a dash of luxury), is suddenly an acceleration marvel?
At this point I stop and mentally switch to the Mustang Mach-e. It’s actually a cool thing – a crossover with taillights in the same style as a real Mustang, i.e. the traditional coupe. My car-enthusiastic friends wave it off, finding the concept rather odd than conclusive. A crossover that is somewhere between a coupe, sedan and SUV cannot be called a Mustang, I am told. And then not even a combustion engine works under its hood, let alone an eight-cylinder. A neat marketing ploy. Yes, it’s okay, I get that. But the Mach-e is still a cool guy. Especially if it is ordered in one of the bright colors like “Grabber Blue” or “Cyber ??Orange”.
If you then want to get emotional about the drive, you need the GT – at 86,200 euros (without subsidy) it is also on the same level as the Explorer (from 86,490 euros). And the two don’t do much in terms of performance either – the pure Stromer responds to the 457 hp Explorer with 487 hp. However, the fact that the 2.5-ton Explorer should take longer to sprint to 100 km/h (six seconds) than the Mustang Mach-e GT (4.4 seconds) does not feel that way in practice.
But on paper, even the 351 hp version of the Mach-e is faster at 5.1 seconds – both versions press their passengers into their seats with great force, but lack drama compared to the Explorer. It simply makes more steam hammer, impresses with its sonorous six-cylinder and makes the driver even more happy than the Mustang versions. And when it comes to top speed, the Explorer trumps its two most powerful electric brothers with 230 to 180 or 200 (GT) km/h.
Of course, the two most powerful all-wheel drive vehicles also have the corners of their drivers’ mouths pointing upwards. Incidentally, the question may arise as to why the comparison of these two offers should be considered, which differ significantly in terms of dimensions: the Mustang Mach-e measures 4.74 meters in length, while the Explorer is 5.05 meters rather stressed in the parking garage. However, the wheelbase (2.98 to 3.03 meters) is almost balanced because the Mustang Mach-e was designed as a purely electric vehicle and its components can be accommodated accordingly.
Nevertheless, the more comfortable Explorer is the utility champion with a third row of seats and 2274 liters of luggage space. The politically correct lifestyle probably doesn’t need to be able to pack as much as his potential buyers will forgive him – 1420 liters should be enough. However, the tightly sporty electric Mustang is very suitable for long-distance journeys with a WLTP range of 490 (GT) or 550 kilometers for the second most powerful all-wheel drive variant. Ford should only add to the charging time from 10 to 80 percent battery level (direct current, via CCS connection). Currently, 45 minutes are communicated with a maximum charging capacity of 150 kW. This means that one or the other charging break is due on the long haul.
However, there is a tie in terms of infotainment – at least almost. Both candidates come up with huge touchscreens, on which the complex functionality of the vehicles can be controlled intuitively. With a 15.5-inch screen diagonal, however, the Stromer adds another 5 inches. In both cases, both instrument clusters consist purely of display surfaces. And both interiors have the same character, rather down-to-earth and casual with a high proportion of plastic and therefore not for material gourmets.
At this point, ntv.de refrains from giving a tip as to which offer you should choose, because the choice ultimately depends on personal preferences and you cannot make a general assessment. There should be a lot of customers who shy away from the dimensions of the Explorer, even though you can park it wonderfully thanks to the camera and sensors. In a pinch, the standard automatic parking system provides support.
Other target groups, on the other hand, would despise the more compact Mustang Mach-e and may not be keen on the charging stops during longer trips. After all, you can quickly fill up the Explorer with petrol.
Ultimately, the Mach-e is quite a desirable battery electric vehicle and Ford has pulled out all the stops to make it as emotional as possible. Nice that Ford makes various offers to its customers. In any case, both Explorer and Mustang Mach-e are emotional and useful. The buyer has the last word.
