Buying the Best EV Under $60,000: I Tested the Ford Mustang Mach-E, Tesla Model Y, Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Others

[ThomF]

Joanna Stern of the Wall Street Journal just posted a review of available EVs as both a news article and an associated video. After looking at five of the leading electric compact SUVs: Ford’s Mustang Mach-E, Hyundai’s Ioniq 5, KIA's EV6. Tesla’s Model Y and Volkswagen's ID.4., she narrows the field to the Mustang Mach-E, Tesla's Y, and the Hyundai for a road-trip comparison.

She tests and evaluates the three on battery range, charging, infotainment, and assisted driving before picking the Mustang Mach-E. It's an entertaining and well-written article, available here: WSJ EV Article

Her conclusion?

The verdict
OK, buying a car isn’t exactly like buying a computer: It’s a more emotional decision.

Sure, Tesla has a superior charging network—and my 6-year-old loved how the car makes fart noises. (Seriously.) But I found the Ford to be a smoother, more enjoyable drive, and I really felt more comfortable with the screen over the steering wheel. Plus, I don’t expect to road-trip more than two or three times a year in this car, and I’m installing a home charger.

So my plan is to lease the Ford Mustang Mach-E. With this technology improving so quickly, just as smartphones did in their first decade, it’s hard not to want to upgrade after a few years.

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[Lola2004]

Joanna Stern of the Wall Street Journal just posted a review of available EVs as both a news article and an associated video. After looking at five of the leading electric compact SUVs: Ford’s Mustang Mach-E, Hyundai’s Ioniq 5, KIA's EV6. Tesla’s Model Y and Volkswagen's ID.4., she narrows the field to the Mustang Mach-E, Tesla's Y, and the Hyundai for a road-trip comparison.

She tests and evaluates the three on battery range, charging, infotainment, and assisted driving before picking the Mustang Mach-E. It's an entertaining and well-written article, available here: WSJ EV Article

Her conclusion?

The verdict
OK, buying a car isn’t exactly like buying a computer: It’s a more emotional decision.

Sure, Tesla has a superior charging network—and my 6-year-old loved how the car makes fart noises. (Seriously.) But I found the Ford to be a smoother, more enjoyable drive, and I really felt more comfortable with the screen over the steering wheel. Plus, I don’t expect to road-trip more than two or three times a year in this car, and I’m installing a home charger.

So my plan is to lease the Ford Mustang Mach-E. With this technology improving so quickly, just as smartphones did in their first decade, it’s hard not to want to upgrade after a few years.

Great choice, we have a 2021 er awd and a 2023 er awd. Love them both

 

[DevSecOps]

Great choice, we have a 2021 er awd and a 2023 er awd. Love them both

So you don't have a 2021 GT?

 

[Vulnox]

That was a great video overall. I (and this site especially) could pick on a few things, like she complained about the battery integration with CarPlay, but with Apple Maps that is possible, it just isn't super obvious. It also won't engage preconditioning so not claiming it's perfect either.

Also for the Kia/Hyundai, I feel like they kind of glossed over the rate of fast charging advantage over the MME and in some cases even the Tesla. Yeah it's circumstantial, you need a working and available 350 charger, etc. But it's really a shining advantage for that car if you road trip and have reliable EA stations on your typical routes.

That said, I am fine with those not being hit super hard in the video because I think comparisons from this standpoint are in some ways more important than getting super into the details. If I was helping my in-laws get an EV, it would be more headache than it's worth to go over all the nuances of every vehicles charging curve. What matters is safety, reliability, and convenience, and that seemed to be at a high level her priorities, and it's a lot of why we went for the MME over the competition even if the competition was sometimes faster 0-60, or had a higher peak charging rate. The MME does more of the everyday stuff better for us.

 

[ARK]

That's great to see, she's my favorite tech columnist. I especially like her iPhone/iPad reviews - when the NY Times guy has made his phone review column say 'no big change, keep your old phone' for the past several years now, she actually talks about what's new/good/bad.

Anyway, back to the Mach-E, I think her conclusion makes sense. Most of the automotive media makes a big deal out of range and charging infrastructure, and this forum too has a big focus on road trips, but for the average person, it's just not a particularly relevant consideration and she basically says as much in her conclusion (driving dynamics trump charging network).

 

[DamDoc]

Huh.. she didnt mention the potential to brick the car by welding the battery contacts.

 

[ARK]

Huh.. she didnt mention the potential to brick the car by welding the battery contacts.

It's not a big concern for people buying a non-GT 2023 model.

 

[geftsnowball]

So my plan is to lease the Ford Mustang Mach-E. With this technology improving so quickly, just as smartphones did in their first decade, it’s hard not to want to upgrade after a few years.

I think this makes a lot of sense. In addition to the (at the time I purchased) $2500 incentive for using Ford Options, the quasi-lease aspect of being able to either refinance the remaining balance or trade/give back after the 36/48 month terms is appealing because I'll either decide to keep it or "upgrade" to a newer model in '25. It's nice to have some... options ? Honestly, my experience so far is leading me to lean towards holding onto my current Mach E unless there is a significant advance tempting an upgrade. I wouldn't upgrade to a '23 but who knows what the market will look like in 2 more years.

 

[DamDoc]

It's not a big concern for people buying a non-GT 2023 model.

Not as big a concern for sure, but still a concern I have with the AWD.. my understanding from this forum is that there are examples of non-GT models having that problem.

 

[RKinWA]

Not as big a concern for sure, but still a concern I have with the AWD.. my understanding from this forum is that there are examples of non-GT models having that problem.

When I first got my GTPE and joined this forum I scoured every post, which was probably not a good idea. Within a week I was scared to even drive it, let alone take it on a road trip. But after taking it on a few road trips and putting about 8k on it since March, I no longer have those concerns, and find any reason I can to go out and drive.

I felt comfortable getting my '22 because it had a manufacture date in November. I will say however with recent posts, I am absolutely more concerned about the HVJB issue even on mine. But the way I drive, I shouldn't have an issue ?

 

[RedStallion]

I think this makes a lot of sense. In addition to the (at the time I purchased) $2500 incentive for using Ford Options, the quasi-lease aspect of being able to either refinance the remaining balance or trade/give back after the 36/48 month terms is appealing because I'll either decide to keep it or "upgrade" to a newer model in '25.

She decided to take lease. Ford Options is not a lease. If you determined to return the car after 3 years then the lease can be better choice because you won't pay sales tax on the full price.

 

[mburtsvt]

I think this makes a lot of sense. In addition to the (at the time I purchased) $2500 incentive for using Ford Options, the quasi-lease aspect of being able to either refinance the remaining balance or trade/give back after the 36/48 month terms is appealing because I'll either decide to keep it or "upgrade" to a newer model in '25. It's nice to have some... options ? Honestly, my experience so far is leading me to lean towards holding onto my current Mach E unless there is a significant advance tempting an upgrade. I wouldn't upgrade to a '23 but who knows what the market will look like in 2 more years.

I'm in the same boat. My "My Option" comes up in April of '24. Right now refinancing the balance is option 2 for me. Moving back to an ICE is option 1.

 

[Vulnox]

Yeah I am glad we did options, especially since it puts us into September 2025 when it's up, so will get to see what gen 2 of Ford's platforms are likely to look like with NACS without the risk of any possible massive value loss if people shun CCS cars at that point. I went in intending to finance but the rebate and rate that was offered tipped the scales. That said, I think we just luck of timing got one of the best possible prices on a MachE, so if in 2025 the Gen 2 Ford EVs are still looking to be $60k+ for even small/midsize EVs, may just buy this one if there are no catastrophes with it before then. At our current rate it may not even have 20k miles on it.

 

[geftsnowball]

She decided to take lease. Ford Options is not a lease. If you determined to return the car after 3 years then the lease can be better choice because you won't pay sales tax on the full price.

Yes but you have less options. Ford Options got additional incentive and tax credit. No clue what the current state of this is right now but for a while incentives were disappearing and leases did not qualify for tax credits. I'm sure one could go point by point and argue for one being better than the other but my intent was to buy a car and not lease. Ford Options provided additional benefits so that's the route I went even if it is technically just kicking the can down the road for now. My point was that Ford Options (like a lease) has a clear path to return the car. I did say quasi-lease though so I thought it was pretty clear I was asserting my statement with the understanding that it wasn't a lease I was talking about (versus the lease stated in the OP/article if that makes any sense).

 

[MBCook]

I liked her take on Tesla charging too. Reminding viewers that it won’t nearly matter as much next year with the adapter is great.

That said Vulnox’s point about charging speed is a good one. My ‘21 ER is not fast. I don’t know if the newer ones are better. I’ve always assumed Teslas are faster and even if you can only find a 150kw unit at least the Ionic could max it out.

In the end I agree with her reasons. I really like the big screen, the binnacle display, and refuse to live without CarPlay (she didn’t say that, I’m harder line).

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