Ford Mustang Mach-E 2024: our long test drive in Denmark

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Launched in 2021, the Ford Mustang Mach-E marked the beginning of the American brand’s electric era with a historic name and achieved good sales success, especially in its home market.

It’s a car we’ve become familiar with, but in 2024 it received several upgrades—not so much in design or performance, but rather in software. Ford became the first automaker to obtain approval for higher-level autonomous driving specifically with the Mach-E, thanks to BlueCruise technology.

Ford Mustang Mach-E: our tops & flops

The Ford Mustang Mach-E has always appealed to me since its debut – and this has drawn quite a bit of criticism from name purists. But to me, it’s just another way of interpreting a sports car, certainly adapted to the times, and this is proven by the solid success it has enjoyed. Its success is thanks to its good driving characteristics, which make you forget about its significant weight, and in fact, make this coupe-SUV really fun to drive, especially in Untamed mode, where it delivers excellent acceleration and enviable road handling. Not to mention a steering precision that lives up to the expectations of the Mustang name. It’s a good balance between performance and comfort, with attention to detail, design, and interior quality that had never been seen before in a European Ford (and this is coming from someone who started driving with a Fiesta and a Mondeo). It still ranks in my top three for the best audio system on the market, and now also features advanced autonomous driving, with BlueCruise allowing hands-off driving on some highway stretches, as long as you keep your eyes on the road. The only downsides are the overly bright display, which is maybe a bit too large for my taste, and the somewhat long charging times.

What we like

• It’s a joy to drive;

The B&O soundbar is something you can’t live without;

There’s a lot of storage in the frunk under the hood.

What we don’t like

• The central display doesn’t seem well integrated into the dashboard;
• The charging power is a bit underwhelming;
• The fake V8 sound is better left off.

Prices in Scandinavia

Denmark: from 379.976 DKK (you can read all the last offers here);

Sweden: from 599.900 SEK;

Norway: from 592.525 NOK;

This Mustang wants independence!

The BlueCruise system is an evolution of the already sophisticated Adaptive Cruise Control in the Mustang Mach-E and is available as an upgrade on all MY23.75 variants – but it will also be available on other versions. Users can try it for free for three months, but afterward, they will need to pay a subscription fee, which in Denmark is 190 DKK per month.

Let’s be clear: this is not fully autonomous driving. It can’t be used everywhere, and you can’t completely disengage. It’s called BlueCruise because it only activates in Blue Zones, which are currently limited to highway systems.

In Denmark, around Copenhagen, it includes parts of Motorvej 16 (Hillerødmotorvejen), E20 (Øresundsmotorvejen, the road to Sweden), and the E47/E55 system (Motorring 3), but ther are also other highroads available in Jutland. These areas are marked in blue on the vehicle’s navigation system, covering a total of 133,000 km already approved across Europe.

BlueCruise activates either by suggestion or automatically if pre-authorized when Cruise Control is engaged and all parameters are met. The small display behind the steering wheel turns blue, and from that point, drivers are allowed to take their hands off the wheel. The car maintains speed, steers, accelerates, and brakes to keep a safe distance, and it can also detect traffic jams, stop and start on its own, and adjust its driving to changing speed limits.

During this, drivers are not allowed to be distracted. When the system detects you’re leaving a blue zone, it will ask you to put your hands back on the wheel. Additionally, you must keep your eyes on the road at all times, with frequent alerts, and BlueCruise will deactivate if the sensors detect you are not doing so.

Some limitations

The system is very interesting but can’t yet be defined as fully autonomous driving, and not just because drivers must keep their eyes on the road.

Compared to the BlueCruise available in the U.S. and Canada (where it’s been available since 2021), in Europe, the system only works where there are at least two lanes in the same direction. It also can’t handle overtaking, sharp or narrow turns, exits, or tunnels. In all these cases, the system will shut off.

The technology holds a lot of promise, and with ongoing software updates and evolving European regulations, Ford could make BlueCruise smarter. For now, it’s convenient because you can take your hands off the wheel without the car going into alert mode, but it’s more like a highly evolved cruise control—the best and most well-integrated on the market.

Another limitation is that for now, BlueCruise is reserved for Ford’s global models or those designed for the U.S. market. In Europe, this means it’s only available on the Mustang Mach-E, and in Norway, the Ford F-150. It won’t be available for the new Explorer and Capri, which are based on Volkswagen platforms and are European models.

Yes, it’s still a Mustang – and that’s so fun

The Mustang remains a Mustang, in this case, the Mach-E. This model has sparked debate over whether the iconic name suits it, but I’ve liked it since its launch.

It’s an American car in size and concept, meaning it’s very practical. For example, the long front end isn’t just a homage to the classic Mustang—it houses the largest frunk (front trunk) on the market: 100 liters, enough to store a charging cable, two backpacks, or even a small suitcase. Combined with the 402-liter rear trunk, which expands to 1,420 liters with the rear seats folded down, it makes excellent use of space.

The design remains sleek, with the absence of traditional door handles replaced by buttons on the door panels, emphasizing aerodynamics and the coupe-like look of this SUV. There are also nods to the traditional Mustang in the design of both the front and rear lights, with a unique twist that has even inspired the new Mustang coupe.

Inside, the Mach-E continues to offer the best audio system in its category, featuring a dashboard entirely made of a Bang & Olufsen soundbar, perfectly integrated with speakers in the door panels.

The large 15.5-inch vertical display remains, though its parallel positioning to the dashboard makes it less ergonomic for the driver. Even with brightness settings adjusted, it can still be too bright at night.

However, the SYNC system has been updated with a better graphic design and layout. The only physical button is a rotary dial used to control either volume or climate, with everything else managed via software.

Customizable driving experience

Despite its size, the Mustang Mach-E is a joy to drive and remains one of the most fun SUVs on the market. The model we tested was the 351-hp AWD Mach-E X or Mach-E Premium with the larger 98.8 kWh battery, offering a claimed range of 550 km. The version with the longest range is the RWD model, with 294 hp and 610 km of range.

For just 50 km less, I would choose this one. It has multiple personalities: a true family SUV in Active and Whisper modes, and a zero-emission muscle car in Untamed mode, delivering impressive acceleration with a precise steering setup, especially when lane-keeping assist is turned off. Untamed mode also allows you to simulate a V8 engine, though, as I’ve said before, the effect isn’t the best. Regardless, the top speed is limited to 180 km/h.

In Untamed mode, the 550 km range isn’t achievable, but in the other two modes, reaching this figure in city and mixed driving is easy. On the highway, it comfortably covers between 400 and 420 km at 120 km/h.

Perhaps the only downside is charging. Ford has improved this aspect with recent updates, and the car now reaches 80% charge in about 36 minutes with a maximum power output of 150 kW. While this is decent, it’s somewhat underwhelming in a market where even more affordable models offer higher charging power.