Reasons to buy Ford Mustang Mach-E, Tesla Model Y or Volkswagen ID

The car market is an interesting place. There is a lot of variation. There are hundreds of models, and while some are more popular than others, millions of buyers decide each year to spend tens of thousands of dollars on a model that millions of others hate – mostly because of style, identity, and culture. Of course, if someone spends $ 20,000–100,000 on a product, they spend some time determining if it really is the one they want, rather than hundreds of others, and what is often not appreciated is that the big variation in the market is due to preferences for small differences. And sometimes those small differences matter that ‘consumers’ make or break, let alone the big differences in classes and features that also exist in the market.

The good news for those of us who care about reducing pollution and stopping the climate catastrophe is that we now have a handful of great / great electric options in the hugely popular crossover / small SUV category – such as the Ford Mustang Mach -E, Tesla Model Y, and Volkswagen ID.4.

After driving the Mustang Mach-E for a few days and the Model Y a bit too, I wanted to further explain why someone might want to buy it. Since the ID.4 has just come on the market and has its own advantages, I also take it into the discussion.

In the first place, even if pollution were not a thing and the climate was as stable as the Rock of Gibraltar, I would have a hard time understanding why someone left a petrol or diesel powered crossover or an SUV over would buy an electric car. . Powerful electric motors, a low center of gravity of large batteries, a much smoother driving experience, the ease of home loading and much lower operating costs, make electric crossovers and SUVs in my opinion so much better that I tend to say that it’s even a objective fact. So you might say, why not everyone buys electricity? Well, people feel uncomfortable with change. I think this is by far the biggest factor on the consumer side. (On the car manufacturer’s side, there is not nearly enough battery delivery.) New technology is often scarce for us. We feel that it should not be ready yet, that we will not know how to use it, or that it is generally just not better and will always be a niche option. It takes time for people to learn more about new technology, consider it and jump in. Not to say that there are no corners where electricity does not really work for a buyer, but I think it is much rarer in reality. than is often accepted.

Let’s go to the fun now. Why would anyone buy a Ford Mustang Mach-E, Tesla Model Y or Volkswagen ID.4? Before you start talking to the discriminators, the good news is across the board that they all have a great range for normal use, and that charging networks across the board are good enough for the charging audiences to meet fairly easily. Overall, technology is also at a level that is satisfactory to most buyers, but I will come back to that topic. On top of that, they are not giant vehicles, but large enough for the needs and desires of normal consumers.

Ford Mustang Mach-E

In the first place, someone might want to buy the Ford Mustang Mach-E for its style and cultural heritage. It really is a fun, cool vehicle by many people’s standards, and the one we’ve had for a week has certainly attracted far more attention, directions, smiles and questions than we do Tesla these days. (Teslas is only very common in this area.) Every inch of the Mustang Mach-E has been given a lot of attention, especially since Ford’s iconic Mustang name under a new vehicle class (crossover) and a new drivetrain (well) , EVs have been around for over a century, but you know what I mean). The attention to detail and dedication to continuing the sporty, fun, carefree design history of the Mustang comes through and I think it is noticed to some extent.

Inside, the vehicle is very comfortable and again carries a fun, sporty, yet ‘ordinary’ human appeal. Spatial organization and console design are excellent, the seats are sturdy and yet comfortable. There’s nothing really wrong if this is the style for you. The blue stitching on the seats on the model we tested was also extremely popular – a thing that for some reason just stands out and raises the “love level” a notch or two (or maybe I should say stitch or te).

For a crossover / SUV, the driving is also extremely sporty and fun, with surprisingly good handling. And we did not just test it in city streets. We took it to the famous Sebring Raceway and a professional race car driver (and winner) took it through the steps for hours and swapped it who had to sit on the passenger seat with a helmet. The consensus – from race car driver Blake Fuller, three Tesla owners, and a Mustang fanatic with a Mustang tattoo living on the track – was that it was a surprisingly amazing car on the track due to the lower center of gravity plus some really excellent engineering from the Ford team.

The driving is much less firm than in a Tesla, which was not my favorite thing about the vehicle (I like the Tesla style), but many people would definitely prefer it. The brake was also much more sensitive / stronger than the brake in the Tesla Model Y or even Tesla Model 3, another driving style element that can appeal to certain buyers a lot.

The information technology very clearly follows Tesla’s guidance, which many people will appreciate. This is a great appeal to me over any other non-Tesla. But I will return to the subject in a moment.

The autonomous driving characteristics were pretty good, better than I expected. However, I think I should devote a full article to it, because they had a very different implementation – with both pros and cons – than in a Tesla.

The door-opening system is in my opinion the best on the market, and one of the most important things I like about the Mustang Mach-E (as crazy as it may sound). You push a small circle to pop the door open and then you have a small handle to pull the door with your finger. It looks like it’s gonna be hard or clumsy, but it’s insanely easy and comfortable. Like I said, the best on the market.

The Mach-E also had better sound insulation and damping than a Tesla.

But at the end of the day, when it comes to buying the Mach-E versus something else, I think the predominant factor is style and culture. If it pulls you, it’s the vehicle for you (or maybe even). If that does not happen, then so be it. Personally, I would love to have one in my garage. However, not rather as much as I prefer a Tesla, so no Mustang Mach-E for me – but a lot of love and respect for the vehicle.

Tesla Model Y

Aside from Tesla’s own style and culture, which can appeal to many people, Tesla has a handful of features and outlets that stand out to the crowd. A bullet list may be in order. Here are the main reasons why I bought a Tesla Model 3, and they all apply to the Tesla Model Y:

• The best NHTSA security statement in its class – in history.
• Tesla Autopilot / Full Self Driving features that are best in class are constantly improving and could soon lead to full-scale door-to-door autonomous driving. (I’m hopeful, others are skeptical.)
• Tesla’s Supercharging network, unmatched in reliability, expansion, ease of use and charging speed for the Model Y’s class.
• Infotainment – absolutely in its own league, thanks to an excellent in-car theater and gaming system that provides access to Netflix, YouTube, Hulu and various video games.
• Performance. Again, the Mustang Mach-E was amazing! But the Model Y has even more performance, and it’s clear.

One thing that also quite surprised me is that Model Y had a lot more storage space than the Mach-E (68 ft³ with the rear seats versus 59.7 ft³). Like I said, I think the Mach-E has enough for a normal person, but the Model Y has so much more that it’s a clear advantage of the Y that you should consider. It also has a bit more cargo space than the ID.4 (64.2 ft³).

You can get a slightly larger range of a Model Y if that’s what you’re concerned about – 326 miles for the long distance variant compared to 305 miles for the Mustang Mach-E California Route 1 or 250 miles for the ID.4 Pro S.

Volkswagen ID.4

What about the ID.4? What makes it a great selling point? The first one should be the cost of it. Its MSRP starts much lower than the Model Ys (more than $ 10,000 lower *) and much lower than the Mustang Mach-Es, except in the case of the Select finish (which starts just a few thousand dollars higher). It also gets an extra cost of $ 7,500 over Tesla in the US, because buyers can still get the federal ZEV tax credit – as long as they are eligible for that much tax credit. (* You can allegedly get a lower-range, lower-cost Model Y “off-menu”, but it is not currently listed on the website, so I do not include it here.)

Considering the operating costs of an electric vehicle, the ID.4 may cost less than a much inferior Volkswagen Tiguan or Hyundai Tucson.

The Volkswagen ID.4 also has the advantage of looking like a ‘regular’ SUV – if you like such things. I do not like it and prefer the style of the Mustang Mach-E or Model Y, but I understand and respect the appeal. The operating and information screens are also more conventional, which I consider a disadvantage, but I know that others have a upside down of the model.

But yes, the ID.4 is about lower cost compared to the other models above, and significantly better features and performance for the cost compared to gas-powered vehicles, which have the same cost.

Anything I miss?

---

---

New podcast: Cruise talks about autonomous driving technology, regulations and car design

New Podcast: Mineral Mining Batteries Policy and Regional Trends