For decades, a Ford Mustang signified power, but in a world where electric vehicles might take over, could a whir supplant a roar instead? That’s one of the things I wondered while driving the 2025 Mustang Mach-E Premium Trim for a week. The logo is the same, and even the interior materials feel like they belong, yet the experience behind the wheel is an intriguing one.
I fully recognize the Mach-E is old news as a model now, though Ford would say it’s finally coming into its own thanks to design tweaks and newer technologies, like BlueCruise, in the 2025 model. In the U.S., the 2025 Mach-E starts in the low-to-mid $40,000 USD range for the Select trim, with Premium models typically landing in the mid-$40,000s before options. In Canada, pricing begins at $45,690 CAD for the Select trim and $49,690 CAD for Premium, making this all-electric crossover a little more affordable than it once was.
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The Mach-E’s Tech: New Tweaks Inside
It may not look like a muscle car but Ford didn’t neuter this thing, either. Its contours and overall body borrow at least a little from the power and prestige that’s been part of the brand for so long. It maintains a low-slung profile with a wide stance that makes it look bigger than it is, complete with slick LED headlights and rear taillights.
A Cabin That Leans Even More on Touch Controls
Getting in, the roomy interior clearly makes the 10.2-inch digital cluster and 15.5-inch touchscreen (running Ford SYNC 4A) stand out. Mercifully, Ford keeps a physical volume knob to keep things tactile on that front, but otherwise changes the way you interact with the infotainment system. The rotary dial in the centre console is gone, replaced with nothing but the screen itself. You’ll have to tap your way to a lot more of the features in the vehicle apart from those you can deal with by voice through Ford’s own onboard assistant.
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Wireless Everything — but Fewer Physical Controls
CarPlay and Android Auto both work — this time wirelessly — keeping those USB ports free to charge instead. A wireless charging pad in the front of the console also keeps the battery topped up, albeit at a slower rate than the ports do.
The Mustang Mach-E is in unusual territory in that it can actually run three voice assistants at once. Beyond Ford’s and Google Assistant or Siri, Amazon’s Alexa is also available. To avoid confusion, you just need to be mindful of how you activate each one. Alexa is easy because it won’t do anything unless you say the wake word, “Alexa.” A long press of the steering wheel’s voice button wakes Google Assistant or Siri, while a simple press accesses Ford’s assistant.
They also serve different purposes. Ford does more than a few things, though it also maintains exclusive access to the Mach-E’s features and functions. This is where you can control cabin climate, get tire pressure, understand battery life and range, and find out about other diagnostics. There are navigation, phone calls, messaging, and media playback controls when pairing your phone via Bluetooth. It’s just that CarPlay and Android Auto take those features much further. Alexa can tap into smart home devices and help with miscellaneous questions.
What the Mach-E Still Can’t Upgrade (Yet)
Moreover, now that Amazon has launched the smarter and more capable Alexa+ in Canada, don’t expect to get an upgrade to that in any of the Mach-E trims. I asked both Ford and Amazon about this and while I didn’t get a definite “no”, I’m not seeing any evidence to suggest that kind of upgrade is possible.
On the bright side, Android users will eventually see Android Auto run Gemini, Google’s AI platform, as a successor to Assistant. That transition is already underway now, and since the platform runs off the phone, it will work seamlessly in the car. That means a wiser and more conversational AI agent that can prove far more helpful while you focus on the road. No such luck yet for iPhone users, though.
Related – Meet the Engineers Who Built Ford’s Mach-E from Home
BlueCruise Driving Impressions
The 2025 Mustang Mach-E is also a showcase of sorts for BlueCruise. As Ford’s own semi-autonomous driving tech, it uses a combination of GPS, cameras, and radar to help the vehicle measure its position in a lane and relative to other vehicles on the road via sensors adorned around it. Press the BlueCruise button on the steering wheel while driving on an eligible highway and the system engages, taking over steering, throttle, and braking.
Hands-Free Lane Changes and Smarter Highway Awareness
Version 1.2 is a noticeable change in a few key respects. The Automatic Lane Change is a slick way to move between lanes hands-free, even if it feels a little jarring at first. I got so used to it after understanding the nuances that I started trusting its decisions, especially since I could flick the signal column myself to cancel a lane change if I felt it unnecessary.
There’s also something truly liberating about having a vehicle move freely on the highway and have felt that way since first testing GM’s SuperCruise back in 2017.
It will act autonomously to pass slower-moving traffic, but also operates under some set conditions. For example, it needs plenty of clearance behind it to initiate the move. It will also only change between the middle and left passing lane — never going right to pass a vehicle in the middle. I did, however, get it to do that when signalling to the right myself manually, where it then moved to the right lane on its own.
I also like that Ford built in further awareness to move out of the passing lane to avoid blocking a faster vehicle that is coming up behind with speed. A quick touch of the wheel or accelerator still keeps BlueCruise active, so taking over control yourself simply requires sustaining that manual control. As I expected, I had to fully take over when driving through rerouted sections of the highway due to construction, as well as maintain some eye contact with the road given the infrared driver-facing camera keeping tabs on me.
Better Cornering Confidence — but Still Bound by Blue Zones
BlueCruise is also better now at recognizing when there’s a bend further ahead, decelerating to stay between the lines for a smoother — and less dicey — self-driving experience. Since it only works on what Ford calls “designated Blue Zones”, it doesn’t necessarily recognize off-ramps or highway interchanges. However, if the lane leading to the ramp is long enough, the Mach-E will follow the lines until you need to take over because of the inevitable bend or curve that comes with it.
This is, after all, a Level 2 autonomous system that shows the most autonomy under controlled guardrails. No less cool when you see it in action. I personally love it in stop-and-go traffic because it takes away the monotonous displeasure of slowly pressing and releasing the brake to inch forward. But there’s also something truly liberating about having a vehicle move freely on the highway and have felt that way since first testing GM’s SuperCruise back in 2017.
Driving the Mach-E In Different Conditions
My test drive included a range of weather, be it rain, shine, and a snowstorm, all of which the Mach-E handled with aplomb. Caveats do pop up, like dealing with some slippage upon quick braking in snow on city streets and battery range dropping under these conditions. My test drive Premium trim with 73 kWh battery delivers max 380 km (290 miles) range in all-wheel drive, but the estimated range visible in the digital cluster adjusts itself based on demand.
It’s hard to fully gauge what that might look like throughout a cold winter but at least Ford doesn’t hide much. The infotainment screen presents some battery metrics and estimates, including what’s sipping the most power. The Mach-E is also equipped with FordPass to remotely check the vehicle’s status from your phone and schedule charging sessions, as well as lock/unlock the doors.
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There are so many variables with inclement winter weather that maintaining a charging strategy is probably a good idea. Even more so if you plan on driving the Mach-E while living in a condo or building without your own charger. With a home charger, on the other hand, you’re less likely to worry unless you have a longer trek planned.
Fortunately, it’s a comfortable ride in the front and back, otherwise. I had no one complain a single time traversing the various highways and roads in the Greater Toronto Area. The Unbridled driving mode is basically a sporting mode under a different moniker and it aims to emulate the muscled power of a combustion engine Mustang, complete with a louder sound coming out of it.
Takeaway
If the 2025 Ford Mustang Mach-E appeals to you, I’d say start looking at the Premium trim first. I never drove the Select trim but for a few thousand more to start, Premium has come a long way and now offers more useful features, and while BlueCruise is available on all trims, the extras make the self-driving mode feel a little more substantial.
I can’t be certain how long the technology inside will last with future updates. Alexa will likely hit a roadblock in terms of its own evolution, but everything else centred in the Mach-E’s own computer and infotainment system will depend on Ford’s own plans.
As a Mustang EV crossover, it’s not copying the brand’s lore and design ethos to a tee. Door handles are gone, there’s no grille, and any sort of roar coming out of it is an audible simulation. In practice, though, there’s plenty of torque to appreciate in an otherwise smooth ride that you’d probably want in an SUV. Ford is up against tough competition in this space but if you want to go ahead with a Mach-E, make it an AWD.
