The 2024 Ford Mustang Mach-E Premium is a fully electric, five-seat SUV. Let's see how the Mach-E fares as a BabyDrive and put it through our family car testing with child seats and Thule prams.
BabyDrive Verdict
This five-seat fully electric SUV is available in three variants: The base model Select with a 470km range costs $64,990, the mid-range Premium model tested here has a 600km range and costs $79,990, and the top-spec GT model has a 490km range and costs $97,990.
The 2024 Ford Mustang Mach-E Premium looks sporty and stylish on the outside.
It has quite distinctive opening methods, with the lack of door handles outside the car. The front door has a press-button opening and lock and a code panel above it, like a padlock. You can lock and unlock the car with the correct code instead of a key. The doors just pop open slightly so you can grab the frame and get in.
The rear doors have the press button to unlock them. I'm in two minds about how suitable this is for travelling with children, as I'm forever encouraging them to use door handles so they don't accidentally trap their fingers if they lean on the door or do some other uncoordinated fumble!
The styling inside the Mach-E Premium is nicely done, with a central portrait media screen and minimal and clutter-free dash and central console.
The contrast red stitching is a nice detail, but I expected the front seats to have a more sporty bucket shape and style.
The back of the Mach-E is minimal, too, and has good storage.
The rear central seat back has a fold-down armrest with two cup holders that will hold a reusable coffee cup or kid's drink cup.
There are map pockets on the back of both front seats that will hold an iPad and USB-C charging sockets in the back of the central console box.
The rear door bins will hold a refillable water bottle.
In the front, the central console has great storage with two cup holders, a double phone tray and charging pad. The central console storage box is a good size and the central console bridge has good storage underneath.
The glove box is a practical -size for your wallet and iPad…
… and there is a lined glasses case in the ceiling.
Storage in the 2024 Ford Mustang Mach-E Premium's boot is practical for family use. The boot floor can drop down about 10cm giving you extra depth for storing prams etc.
The boot floor is nice and flat and carpeted for emergency nappy changes too, and comfortable for a medium-sized family dog to travel in.
When empty, the 2024 Ford Mustang Mach-E's boot holds eleven shopping bags, comparable to the Toyota bZ4X, which holds 14, and the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Tesla Model Y, which hold 15.
When using all three rows of seats, the Thule Sleek, future-proof, multi-configuration pram with a single seat…
…will fit in the Mustang Mach-E's boot with four shopping bags.
The Thule Sleek, future-proof, multi-configuration pram with two sibling seats…
…will fit in the boot of the Ford Mustang Mach-E with four shopping bags beside it.
The Thule Sleek, future-proof, multi-configuration pram with a single seat and bassinet beside it…
…will fit in the boot of the Ford Mustang Mach-E with no shopping bags.
… with the back wheels removed, it will fit in the boot of the Ford Mustang Mach-E with two shopping bags.
The Thule Spring, lightweight and one-handed folding stroller…
…fits in the boot of the Ford Mustang Mach-E with six shopping bags.
The boot of the Ford Mustang Mach-E can also accommodate two 90L Thule Chasm duffle bags.
The window blind is attached to the window in the boot of the Ford Mustang Mach-E which is great for keeping it up out of the way when you are loading and unloading the boot.
Under the bonnet of the Ford Mustang Mach-E is a small frunk storage area.
When it comes to installing child seats in the Ford Mustang Mach-E Premium…
…there are ISOFix points in both outer second-row seats. They are not within plastic guides but behind slits in the seat fabric; they are nice and easy to connect to.
All three second-row seatbacks have top tether anchorages, which are clearly labelled, within plastic guides, and easily located through the boot.
Three child seats fit really comfortably across the second row of the Ford Mustang. It's a really spacious back seat so different combinations of forward-facing and rear-facing child seats fit well.
I could also fit in the central seat between two child seats.
With a rear-facing infant capsule in the second row, we could fit a 180cm driver in front of it comfortably. Or, with a forward-facing child seat in the second row, we could fit a 186cm driver in front.
The rear footwell is completely flat so rear passengers have great kickroom for their feet and great access getting in and out of the car.
Rear passengers are kept comfortable in the Ford Mustang Mach-E with air vents in the back of the central console box and USB and USB-C sockets for charging devices while travelling along.
The Ford Mustang Mach-E's media system is on an enormous portrait media screen in the centre of the dash. It is modern and easy to use and navigate. It has Apple CarPlay and Android Auto so you can access your phone's navigation, listening and messaging apps while driving.
There are easy touchscreen controls so you can go in and customise the settings of the car to exactly your preference.
You can easily adjust the sound and alerts, which is a great feature for families with noise-sensitive kids.
Within the media screen, you can customise the driver assist settings to your preference and change the drive mode.
The Ford Mustang Mach-E also has the Ford Assistant. So you can say “Hey Ford” and ask it to do most things in the car. For example change the climate temperature, open the windows etc.
The climate controls always stay in the bottom third of the media screen so you can access them at any time when driving.
In the home screen you have your quick touch buttons.
One of them is Sketch, which you can not do while driving!
But is great fun for drawing on with your kids when you're waiting at school pick up for example (or scrawling notes to remind me of some of the car's details while filming).
It also has some built-in noughts and crosses, a calculator and Mach-E colouring in sheets!
The charging screen allows you to monitor your battery usage and control your charging.
You can also look at how your energy was used on a journey.
The reversing cameras in the Ford Mustang Mach-E are really crisp and clear, you have a couple of view options and you can turn the parking sensors off easily with a button on the right of the screen.
The 2024 Ford Mustang Mach-E is a great car to drive. It's really enjoyable. Visibility is very good, and even with three child seats in the back, there is excellent visibility out of the back windscreen.
The turning circle is excellent, and the steering is nice and light, so it's easy to park and maneuver in tight school and supermarket car parks.
Dual frontal, side chest-protecting and side head-protecting (curtain) airbags, and a driver knee airbag, are standard. A centre airbag which provides added protection to front seat occupants in side impact crashes is also standard.
There is a child lock on the driver's door control panel, so you can quickly lock the rear windows and doors to keep little rear passengers safe.
BabyDrive Indepth
BabyDrive Indepth - Storage
How big is the boot of the 2024 Ford Mustang Mach-E Premium?
Storage in the 2024 Ford Mustang Mach-E Premium's boot is practical for family use. The boot floor can drop down about 10cm giving you extra depth for storing prams etc.
The boot floor is nice and flat and carpeted for emergency nappy changes too, and comfortable for a medium-sized family dog to travel in.
From empty, the 2024 Ford Mustang Mach-E's boot holds eleven shopping bags, comparable to the Toyota bZ4X, which holds 14, and the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Tesla Model Y, which hold 15.
When using all three rows of seats, the Thule Sleek, future-proof, multi-configuration pram with a single seat…
…will fit in the Mustang Mach-E's boot with four shopping bags.
The Thule Sleek, future-proof, multi-configuration pram with two sibling seats…
…will fit in the boot of the Ford Mustang Mach-E with four shopping bags beside it.
The Thule Sleek, future-proof, multi-configuration pram with a single seat and bassinet beside it…
…will fit in the boot of the Ford Mustang Mach-E with no shopping bags.
… with the back wheels removed, it will fit in the boot of the Ford Mustang Mach-E with two shopping bags.
The Thule Spring, lightweight and one-handed folding stroller…
…fits in the boot of the Ford Mustang Mach-E with six shopping bags.
The boot of the Ford Mustang Mach-E can also accommodate two 90L Thule Chasm duffle bags.
The window blind is attached to the window in the boot of the Ford Mustang Mach-E which is great for keeping it up out of the way when you are loading and unloading the boot.
Under the bonnet of the Ford Mustang Mach-E is a small frunk storage area.
How good is storage in the 2024 Ford Mustang Mach-E?
Storage in the front of the Ford Mustang Mach-E is good.
The central console has two cup holders that will fit a reusable or disposable coffee cup. In front of those is a double phone tray and the left side is a wireless charging pad and there are USB and USB-C charging sockets.
The central console storage box is a good size…
… and the central console bridge has good storage underneath and will fit an iPad or handbag.
The glove box is a practical size for your wallet and iPad…
… there is a lined glasses case in the ceiling and the front visors have lit vanity mirrors.
The front door bins will hold a 600ml water bottle and an iPad or wallet just fit in there too.
In the back of the Mustang Mach-E, the rear central seatback has a fold-down armrest with two cup holders that will hold a reusable coffee cup or kid's drink cup.
There are map pockets on the back of both front seats that will hold an iPad and USB and USB-C charging sockets in the back of the central console box so rear passengers can charge devices while travelling.
The rear door bins will just fit a refillable water bottle.
BabyDrive Indepth - Noise
How noisy is the 2024 Ford Mustang Mach-E, and how easy is the media screen to use?
Being fully electric, the Ford Mustang Mach-E is not a noisy vehicle to drive.
The Ford Mustang Mach-E's media system is on an enormous portrait media screen in the centre of the dash. It is modern and easy to use and navigate. It has Apple CarPlay and Android Auto so you can access your phone's navigation, messaging and music/podcast apps while driving.
There are easy touchscreen controls so you can go in and customise the settings of the car to exactly your preference.
You can easily adjust the sound and alerts, which is a great feature for families with noise-sensitive kids.
Within the media screen, you can customise the driver assist settings to your preference and change the drive mode.
The Ford Mustang Mach-E also has the Ford assistant. So you can say “Hey Ford” and ask it to do most things in the car. For example change the climate temperature, find charging stations and open the windows etc.
The climate controls always stay in the bottom third of the media screen so you can access them at any time when driving.
In the home screen you have your quick touch buttons.
One of them is Sketch, which you can not do while driving!
But is great fun for drawing on with your kids when you're waiting at school pick up for example (or reminding me of tech specs when making the video).
It also has some built-in noughts and crosses, a calculator and Mach-E colouring in sheets!
The charging screen allows you to monitor your battery usage and control your charging.
You can also look at how your energy was used on a journey.
The reversing cameras in the Ford Mustang Mach-E are really crisp and clear, you have a couple of view options and you can turn the parking sensors off easily with a button on the right of the screen.
The Mach-E's indicator sound was not too loud, so it did not disturb my kids while sleeping in the back.
The windows and doors in the Ford Mustang Mach-E are not too loud or noisy to open and close, and they do not baby-wake!
Becoming a parent I soon realised there are some noises and sounds I feel are unnecessary and I could happily live without if it meant my baby stayed asleep!!
That often the distraction of my screaming, distressed baby is more dangerous when driving than not having a lane departure warning for example.
If it is the lane departure warning beeping that creates distress with my baby then which is safest?
It’s where I think we need to be able to strike a balance and choose when we can mute the warnings or swap them to a vibration in the steering wheel or flashing light perhaps?
A lot of these noises come with the increase in technology and especially linked to safety features and alerts. For me these all have their place.
Another thing I have realised is I spend my time in a lot more places where small children roam, parks, beaches, play gyms, swimming lessons, daycare centre etc. I have become more aware that when I’m reversing or manouvering in the car parks I have to tripple check for small children running around behind me or being in my blind spot when reversing. For this I LOVE reversing cameras, I just don’t like their beeping sounds!!
I have become so much more aware of safety and potential accidents or hazards since having a child and so I love the peace of mind that I get from the cameras and sensors combined with my own vision from windows and mirrors as I don’t trust cameras alone.
BabyDrive Indepth - Car Seats
How many child/baby seats can you fit in the 2024 Ford Mustang Mach-E?
When it comes to installing child seats in the Ford Mustang Mach-E Premium…
…there are ISOFix points in both outer second-row seats. They are not within plastic guides but behind slits in the seat fabric; they are nice and easy to connect to.
All three second-row seatbacks have top tether anchorages, which are clearly labelled, within plastic guides, and easily located through the boot.
Three child seats fit really comfortably across the second row of the Ford Mustang. It's a really spacious back seat so different combinations of forward-facing and rear-facing child seats fit well.
I could also fit in the central seat between two child seats.
With a rear-facing infant capsule in the second row, we could fit a 180cm driver in front of it comfortably. Or, with a forward-facing child seat in the second row, we could fit a 186cm driver in front.
The rear footwell is completely flat so rear passengers have great kickroom for their feet and great access getting in and out of the car.
There is room to insert Bub into their child's seat from outside the car and from inside, and there is room to feed Bub in the back if only one child seat is installed.
Australia being a country of weather extremes- blazing sun and torrential rain, mean you may find it easier to put Bub into their seat from inside the car sometimes. If it’s hot you can get the air-con going, cool the car down and not stand out in the sun while you fasten them in or shelter from the rain and not get soaked yourself whilst you’re doing it. So it is important to test whether Bub can be easily installed from either direction!
BabyDrive Indepth - Drive & Comfort
How comfortable is the 2024 Ford Mustang Mach-E?
The Ford Mustang Mach-E keeps rear passengers comfortable with air vents in the back of the central console box and USB and USB-C sockets for charging devices while travelling.
The climate controls are along the bottom of the media screen, and they are easily accessible while driving.
The rear seats are comfortable for passengers, not child seats, and have good legroom. The rear footwell is completely flat so you have great rear kick room.
The upholstery is dark grey with perforated central panels for seat heating and contrast stitching. Both may be magnets for little kids' spills and crumbs! The front seats are equally as comfortable as the rear seats.
There are four air-conditioning vents across the front of the dashboard, one on either side of the media screen and one at each end of the dashboard.
Visibility is good in the Mustang Mach-E. Even with three child seats installed in the back, I could see well over the top of them and out of the rear side windows.
The rear windows slope up at the back and are not very deep, so rear passengers may have limited visibility.
The Ford Mustang Mach-E is a great electric car to drive. It's lovely, smooth, and quiet, with a sporty feel. It has fast acceleration and a very tight turning circle, so school and tight supermarket car parks are no problem.
One thing I have noticed since being a mum is I hate it when I reach a destination or get home from being out and Bub has either done really well in the car or she is screaming her head off and I have done really well to keep it together for the entire journey (usually the latter!!) and it takes 10 minutes to park the car! It can be really stressful. Usually, I dread parking in our tight apartment block carpark, but the Ford Mustang Mach-E was easy to reverse park!
BabyDrive Indepth - Safety
How safe is the 2024 Ford Mustang Mach-E?
The Ford Mustang Mach-E has been given a five-star ANCAP safety rating, scoring 88% for child occupancy protection and 92% for adult occupancy protection.
Of the child occupancy testing, ANCAP wrote:
In both the frontal offset and side impact tests, protection was GOOD for all critical body areas for both the 6 year and 10 year child dummies and full points were scored. The Ford Mustang Mach-E is fitted with lower ISOFix anchorages and top tether anchorages for the rear outboard seating positions. A top tether anchorage is also fitted to the centre rear seating position on Australian vehicles. Installation of typical child restraints available in Australia and New Zealand showed most child restraints could be accommodated in most rear seating positions, though a rearward facing capsule could not be correctly installed in the outboard seating positions, and one of the booster seats could not be correctly installed in the centre seating position. NOTE: Installation of child restraints in the second row centre seating position of New Zealand vehicles is not recommended as there is no top tether anchorage.
Eight airbags are standard:
Dual frontal, side chest-protecting and side head-protecting (curtain) airbags, and a driver knee airbag, are standard. A centre airbag which provides added protection to front seat occupants in side impact crashes is also standard.
Some of these safety features are also features that drive me crazy as a mum! Like the lane departure and forward collision alert or the parking sensor beeping sound. I want all the safety technology AND to be able to mute the sound when Bub’s asleep!
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About Tace Clifford
Tace Clifford founded BabyDrive in 2017 after discovering a huge information gap in mainstream car reviews that left new parents and expanding families in the dark when it came to one of the biggest purchasing decisions of their lives.
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