Three Surprises Ford's Mustang Mach-E Has For Tesla Shoppers With a $50K Budget

If you are a Tesla Model Y shopper with a budget of around $50K, do yourself a favor and check out the new Ford Mustang Mach-E Extended Range, AWD Premium. We drove the Ford Mustang Mach-E back to back with a Tesla Model Y Long Range AWD and found the Mustang better in three important ways. If you'd like the fine details along with all the ways that the Tesla Model Y beats the Mustang Mach-E, check out our full comparison of these two great vehicles.

Ford Mustang Mach E vs. Tesla Model Y - The Mustang Mach-E Drives Better
Both the Ford Mustang Mach-E ER AWD Premium and Tesla Model Y LR AWD have a 0-60 MPH sprint time of 4.8 seconds. That is where the driving similarities end. The Mustang Mach-E feels more refined, more satisfying to drive, and offers a richer behind the wheel experience. It feels like the more premium vehicle in the matchup. The Model Y is harsher over poor pavement, noisier inside on the highway, and offers a less confident feeling in turns.

Ford Mustang Mach-E vs. Tesla Model Y - The Mustang Mach-E Has a Better Infotainment Package
Tesla pioneered the "one huge screen" infotainment design. That was almost nine years ago. Since then, every automaker from Subaru to Ram has taken the best parts of that design and improved on it. Ford has a larger main screen than does Tesla, and Ford augments that with features Tesla does not. The Mach-E has a large central volume knob, sensible steering wheel controls similar to those found in other premium vehicles, and a superb driver information screen at the top of the driver's-side dash. Ford also incorporates wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. Tesla doesn't have any form of these smart device integration apps.

Ford Mustang Mach-E vs. Tesla Model Y - The Mach-E Offers Better Interior Features
If you like the large glass roof in the Model Y you will love the one in the Ford Mach-E as well. However, the similarities pretty much end there. Ford offers perforated seats in the Mach-E. By comparison to the unadorned look of the Model Y, the Mach-E has a richer and more premium interior design.

Where does the Model Y shine? It offers a longer range, Supercharging, optional third-row seating, and the promise of evolving upgrades among other advantages. Until this month, the much more expensive Jaguar I-Pace was the only other BEV option to the Model Y. That has now changed with the introduction of the new Ford Mustang Mach-E. If you are shopping for a Tesla, do yourself a favor. Test drive a Mach-E back to back with a Model Y. Tell is in the comments below which you liked driving more.

John Goreham is a long-time New England Motor Press Association member and recovering engineer. Following his engineering program, John also completed a marketing program at Northeastern University and worked with automotive component manufacturers. In addition to Torque News, John's work has appeared in print in dozens of American newspapers and he provides reviews to many vehicle shopping sites. You can follow John on Twitter, and view his credentials at Linkedin