10k Mile Review of 2024 Mach E Premium AWD

[dan_meh]

I purchased my Mustang Mach E, Premium AWD in September of 2024. I've put 11k miles on it, but the world loves a base 10 system, so let's call it a 10k review.

Why I Bought It
I bought the Mach E as my first electric vehicle. I was expecting it to be a fun commuter and a cure for early-onset midlife crisis. I thought it was a pretty thing and a bit frivolous... but not too much. I have two kids, who I call Travel Buddy and Spinner in this group. They needed to fit with my wife and a 45-pound dog.

As a family, we do messy things - enough that both kiddos know how to do tick checks when we get back home. There's always some nasty clothes, boots, or swimsuits at the end of an adventure, so the frunk appealed to me. I thought it would be like having a backwards pickup truck: BITF (Bed In The Front).

I was aware of more technically capable vehicles - Hyundai/Kia charge faster, Tesla Model Y has better software, and the VW ID.4 has a better ride. I drove all of those. Hyundai Kia has five regen settings, for example. I don't want to customize that much. I want either on or off. Tesla is superior for its software, but Elon was already going bonkers by then, and it just felt... well, gross. I want to feel good about my second-largest purchase. And finally, I couldn't make heads or tails of the VW software. Yeah, you could customize all the stuff, but I don't want to. I want the car company to figure it out and give it to me, baked.

The one solid competitor was the Chevy Equinox. I put a deposit down on one. I think I could have been very happy in it. But two things kept me away. I share this car with a loving wife who wants just one thing out of a car: Apple CarPlay. While I probably could have gotten along without it, and she probably would have gotten used to it, she's sacrificed enough to be with me. The woman just wants CarPlay... she doesn't care if it preconditions the battery en route or not.

What Surprised Me
I road-trip this thing. Granted, I'm not driving from coast to coast. I'm doing the sort of one or two-stop trip in a radius of 500 miles. If you look at some of my other posts, you'll see some of my surprises:

• I drove it from DC to Canaan Valley, WV, through the Great Eastern Charging Desert in 20-degree weather. I had Travel Buddy with me (she's a road tripper). I was terrified, but it was fine. I was able to do it with the support of this community.
• I drive it from DC to Richmond and Pittsburgh regularly.

I agree that these aren't YouTube worthy, but they're the kinds of trips that I wasn't considering when I bought it. It turns out that the DC charging rate has never been a problem. We are more limited by the humans in the car than the car itself. Someone has to pee, is hungry, or needs to stretch and take a break. I'm not sure I'd drive it to Seattle, but I'm not sure I'd drive my Toyota Hybrid to Seattle either.

What I Like
In list form...

• There's a START button. I like to confirm that I want the car on and I want the car off. I don't want my butt to turn on the car.
• EV Routing with Apple Maps. I like the FordPass Nav better for road-trips, but there's a comfort level with Apple Maps.
• The look... I love to look out my window at it. I'm shallow. I know Ford calls this an "SUV" but it's a sportback wagon. There, I said it.
• Blue Oval Charge Network. I originally thought I would ignore it and use the many apps, but the convenience of broad plug-and-charge is excellent.
• The updates. Yeah, I wish they came faster, but they come and they've made the car demonstrably better.
• The app cards - an interaction pattern taken from Windows Phone - are a good idea.
• The FordPass app works well. It does the things I want it to. Yeah, I wish I could see trips on it and some other stuff, but I can control the car, start the climate, lock and unlock, see charging, and so on.
• My experience with charging has been seamless. I'm in the early majority. I'm grateful for those who came before.
• The community: I'm thankful for the advice I read here (and some grouchiness).
• The fit and finish is like a Lincoln.

What I don't Like
In more list form...

• There's a whine from the motors at 30 MPH. It's super annoying, so I drive at 28 or below or 32 or above.
• The ride could be better. I'm seriously considering the rally springs I've read about here.
• I had a problem with the High Voltage Junction Box (HVJB) - a fuse in there. And it's the new version of the HVJB. The good news is that the dealer fixed it quickly and gave me a loaner.
• The laggy infosystem. It's not so bad as to make it unusable, but I'd like it to be better.
• Lack of buttons. It's a bit better because the touch zones are huge, but the buttons are better.
• The dial-a-gear control. This is fixed in the 2025s.

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[Hyperion]

Nice review! The motor whine at 30 MPH is annoying as heck! Same with the ride quality, but at least this one I knew it before buying.

 

[Herbknowsit]

Nice review!!
I would add to the "likes" that the stock sound system is better than I expected since I am an audio snob. Was expecting to have to tear it out and upgrade which in the latest vehicles, ain't so easy. I too appreciate all the forum help I've relied on and would move to the top of my list.
As for dislike I would only add that i wish the drivers seat had more lumbar adjustment and a longer base seat for better support for those of us with longer legs. I'm still missing those wonderful Volvo seats back in the day.

 

[HuntingPudel]

I can’t disagree with most of your pros and cons. I don’t use Apple Maps for navigation often but it works. When I am on a road trip (also pretty rarely) I tend to identify chargers with ABRP and PlugShare, then simply do a point to point navigation in the Ford system. I’m an old dog, so it’s a step up from the free gas station maps I remember. ??

My 2024 doesn’t whine around 30 mph. Probably because it’s a GT with a different front motor than yours. I also have not run into an HVBJB issue with my 2024 (I did with my 2021 GT). ?‍?

I find the Magneride suspension pretty good in Unbridled mode, while too soft in other modes. This has nothing to do with your assessment since your car doesn’t have Magneride. The steering is also acceptable if overassisted in Unbridled mode. The steering is also somewhat imprecise and a little slow but acceptable for 90% of my driving. ??

I’m also not a fan of the rotary gear selector. It’s poorly executed. It needs stops before rotating through Neutral into Reverse from Drive. It needs more positive detente at every position. It’s a mess to put it bluntly. That said, I don’t care for a column shifter in a car with bucket seats so the 2025 is also lacking in the gear selector department. The car is begging for a real dual-gate shifter like the one the Gen2 Trans Am and Formula with an automatic had in it. ??

I also consider my MME as an AWD station wagon. A real SUV has a part-time transfer case and a full frame. ??

SUV:

#NoTaBlAzEr: ?

 

[msmithuf09]

I have a 25; I am at about 1k miles.

I love mine. My mind doesn’t really mind the electric car whine sound.

I DO have problems with the charging. I haven’t tried yet since the app update, which supposedly makes the public charging in Ford Pass easier, but I have struggled with charging at anything that’s not plug & charge via the Ford Pass. The individual apps have worked for some of them and some of them the app “works” but the car won’t accept the charge (looking at you FPL Evolution).

I decided that I can just use plug and charge. I have plenty of Tesla chargers around, and EA on my main roadtrip routes.

 

[Teslaeata]

I purchased my Mustang Mach E, Premium AWD in September of 2024. I've put 11k miles on it, but the world loves a base 10 system, so let's call it a 10k review.

Why I Bought It
I bought the Mach E as my first electric vehicle. I was expecting it to be a fun commuter and a cure for early-onset midlife crisis. I thought it was a pretty thing and a bit frivolous... but not too much. I have two kids, who I call Travel Buddy and Spinner in this group. They needed to fit with my wife and a 45-pound dog.

As a family, we do messy things - enough that both kiddos know how to do tick checks when we get back home. There's always some nasty clothes, boots, or swimsuits at the end of an adventure, so the frunk appealed to me. I thought it would be like having a backwards pickup truck: BITF (Bed In The Front).

I was aware of more technically capable vehicles - Hyundai/Kia charge faster, Tesla Model Y has better software, and the VW ID.4 has a better ride. I drove all of those. Hyundai Kia has five regen settings, for example. I don't want to customize that much. I want either on or off. Tesla is superior for its software, but Elon was already going bonkers by then, and it just felt... well, gross. I want to feel good about my second-largest purchase. And finally, I couldn't make heads or tails of the VW software. Yeah, you could customize all the stuff, but I don't want to. I want the car company to figure it out and give it to me, baked.

The one solid competitor was the Chevy Equinox. I put a deposit down on one. I think I could have been very happy in it. But two things kept me away. I share this car with a loving wife who wants just one thing out of a car: Apple CarPlay. While I probably could have gotten along without it, and she probably would have gotten used to it, she's sacrificed enough to be with me. The woman just wants CarPlay... she doesn't care if it preconditions the battery en route or not.

What Surprised Me
I road-trip this thing. Granted, I'm not driving from coast to coast. I'm doing the sort of one or two-stop trip in a radius of 500 miles. If you look at some of my other posts, you'll see some of my surprises:

• I drove it from DC to Canaan Valley, WV, through the Great Eastern Charging Desert in 20-degree weather. I had Travel Buddy with me (she's a road tripper). I was terrified, but it was fine. I was able to do it with the support of this community.
• I drive it from DC to Richmond and Pittsburgh regularly.

I agree that these aren't YouTube worthy, but they're the kinds of trips that I wasn't considering when I bought it. It turns out that the DC charging rate has never been a problem. We are more limited by the humans in the car than the car itself. Someone has to pee, is hungry, or needs to stretch and take a break. I'm not sure I'd drive it to Seattle, but I'm not sure I'd drive my Toyota Hybrid to Seattle either.

What I Like
In list form...

• There's a START button. I like to confirm that I want the car on and I want the car off. I don't want my butt to turn on the car.
• EV Routing with Apple Maps. I like the FordPass Nav better for road-trips, but there's a comfort level with Apple Maps.
• The look... I love to look out my window at it. I'm shallow. I know Ford calls this an "SUV" but it's a sportback wagon. There, I said it.
• Blue Oval Charge Network. I originally thought I would ignore it and use the many apps, but the convenience of broad plug-and-charge is excellent.
• The updates. Yeah, I wish they came faster, but they come and they've made the car demonstrably better.
• The app cards - an interaction pattern taken from Windows Phone - are a good idea.
• The FordPass app works well. It does the things I want it to. Yeah, I wish I could see trips on it and some other stuff, but I can control the car, start the climate, lock and unlock, see charging, and so on.
• My experience with charging has been seamless. I'm in the early majority. I'm grateful for those who came before.
• The community: I'm thankful for the advice I read here (and some grouchiness).
• The fit and finish is like a Lincoln.

What I don't Like
In more list form...

• There's a whine from the motors at 30 MPH. It's super annoying, so I drive at 28 or below or 32 or above.
• The ride could be better. I'm seriously considering the rally springs I've read about here.
• I had a problem with the High Voltage Junction Box (HVJB) - a fuse in there. And it's the new version of the HVJB. The good news is that the dealer fixed it quickly and gave me a loaner.
• The laggy infosystem. It's not so bad as to make it unusable, but I'd like it to be better.
• Lack of buttons. It's a bit better because the touch zones are huge, but the buttons are better.
• The dial-a-gear control. This is fixed in the 2025s.

Ah, so that 30mph whine isn’t just me?

I thought bearings or something may be wearing making it sound like a 1960s electric milk float, well not quite - bit of an exaggeration - problem is without engine & conventional transmission noise even my heartbeat’s too loud?

So I had the transmission oil changed and the old oil analysed, the car’s not mine!

There was some copper, iron & aluminium (I think from memory) particulate matter in there but nothing to get excited about.

Planning a service now we’re approaching 116,000 miles at 4 years so may drain off another 1/2 litre of oil and have another analysis done for comparison.

 

[dan_meh]

I also consider my MME as an AWD station wagon. A real SUV has a part-time transfer case and a full frame.

? I look at the MME when I park next to other cars. Its roof is lower than a RAV4 and about the same as a lifted wagon like an old school subie or Volvo Cross Country.

 

[dan_meh]

I have a 25; I am at about 1k miles.

I love mine. My mind doesn’t really mind the electric car whine sound.

Hm… if the 25s solve the 30 MPH whine, I might deal with the teeny frunk.

 

[msmithuf09]

Hm… if the 25s solve the 30 MPH whine, I might deal with the teeny frunk.

the sound it makes is the same electric car sound they all make. My wife’s EV6 makes the same sound at low speeds. I kinda like it in a weird way.

honestly I test drove a 24 and the 25 is an upgrade in a lot of ways. Quieter cabin, smoother suspension, the dial a gear is gone.

 

[Magneto]

I purchased my Mustang Mach E, Premium AWD in September of 2024. I've put 11k miles on it, but the world loves a base 10 system, so let's call it a 10k review.

Why I Bought It
I bought the Mach E as my first electric vehicle. I was expecting it to be a fun commuter and a cure for early-onset midlife crisis. I thought it was a pretty thing and a bit frivolous... but not too much. I have two kids, who I call Travel Buddy and Spinner in this group. They needed to fit with my wife and a 45-pound dog.

As a family, we do messy things - enough that both kiddos know how to do tick checks when we get back home. There's always some nasty clothes, boots, or swimsuits at the end of an adventure, so the frunk appealed to me. I thought it would be like having a backwards pickup truck: BITF (Bed In The Front).

I was aware of more technically capable vehicles - Hyundai/Kia charge faster, Tesla Model Y has better software, and the VW ID.4 has a better ride. I drove all of those. Hyundai Kia has five regen settings, for example. I don't want to customize that much. I want either on or off. Tesla is superior for its software, but Elon was already going bonkers by then, and it just felt... well, gross. I want to feel good about my second-largest purchase. And finally, I couldn't make heads or tails of the VW software. Yeah, you could customize all the stuff, but I don't want to. I want the car company to figure it out and give it to me, baked.

The one solid competitor was the Chevy Equinox. I put a deposit down on one. I think I could have been very happy in it. But two things kept me away. I share this car with a loving wife who wants just one thing out of a car: Apple CarPlay. While I probably could have gotten along without it, and she probably would have gotten used to it, she's sacrificed enough to be with me. The woman just wants CarPlay... she doesn't care if it preconditions the battery en route or not.

What Surprised Me
I road-trip this thing. Granted, I'm not driving from coast to coast. I'm doing the sort of one or two-stop trip in a radius of 500 miles. If you look at some of my other posts, you'll see some of my surprises:

• I drove it from DC to Canaan Valley, WV, through the Great Eastern Charging Desert in 20-degree weather. I had Travel Buddy with me (she's a road tripper). I was terrified, but it was fine. I was able to do it with the support of this community.
• I drive it from DC to Richmond and Pittsburgh regularly.

I agree that these aren't YouTube worthy, but they're the kinds of trips that I wasn't considering when I bought it. It turns out that the DC charging rate has never been a problem. We are more limited by the humans in the car than the car itself. Someone has to pee, is hungry, or needs to stretch and take a break. I'm not sure I'd drive it to Seattle, but I'm not sure I'd drive my Toyota Hybrid to Seattle either.

What I Like
In list form...

• There's a START button. I like to confirm that I want the car on and I want the car off. I don't want my butt to turn on the car.
• EV Routing with Apple Maps. I like the FordPass Nav better for road-trips, but there's a comfort level with Apple Maps.
• The look... I love to look out my window at it. I'm shallow. I know Ford calls this an "SUV" but it's a sportback wagon. There, I said it.
• Blue Oval Charge Network. I originally thought I would ignore it and use the many apps, but the convenience of broad plug-and-charge is excellent.
• The updates. Yeah, I wish they came faster, but they come and they've made the car demonstrably better.
• The app cards - an interaction pattern taken from Windows Phone - are a good idea.
• The FordPass app works well. It does the things I want it to. Yeah, I wish I could see trips on it and some other stuff, but I can control the car, start the climate, lock and unlock, see charging, and so on.
• My experience with charging has been seamless. I'm in the early majority. I'm grateful for those who came before.
• The community: I'm thankful for the advice I read here (and some grouchiness).
• The fit and finish is like a Lincoln.

What I don't Like
In more list form...

• There's a whine from the motors at 30 MPH. It's super annoying, so I drive at 28 or below or 32 or above.
• The ride could be better. I'm seriously considering the rally springs I've read about here.
• I had a problem with the High Voltage Junction Box (HVJB) - a fuse in there. And it's the new version of the HVJB. The good news is that the dealer fixed it quickly and gave me a loaner.
• The laggy infosystem. It's not so bad as to make it unusable, but I'd like it to be better.
• Lack of buttons. It's a bit better because the touch zones are huge, but the buttons are better.
• The dial-a-gear control. This is fixed in the 2025s.

The whining noise is on all newer EVs, it is for pedestrians to hear and know the car is near. I agree with all your likes.

 

[Teslaeata]

The whining noise is on all newer EVs, it is for pedestrians to hear and know the car is near. I agree with all your likes.

Don’t quite think this is the whine about which Dan_Meh speaks from what he describes at around 30mph.

It’s the whine my transmission on Dec ‘20 built car seems to emit.

I’ve been analysing the transmission oils for wear particulates for around 40,000 miles to see if it’s symptomatic of a development of degradation or wear.

Very little in the way of wear particulate matter in there so concluded it’s the characteristic sound of differential and/or motors.

 

[Magneto]

Oh okay. I have a 24 and have not had that issue.

 

[Teslaeata]

Oh okay. I have a 24 and have not had that issue.

Apologies, I meant Dan_Meh

 

[HuntingPudel]

Oh okay. I have a 24 and have not had that issue.

The 2024 rear drivetrain has a different sound than the 2021 rear drivetrain. It took me by surprise when I got my 2024 but now I'm used to it.

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