2021 Ford F-150 wins Edmunds Top Rated Truck award for 2021 while 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E wins Edmunds Top-Rated Luxury EV. Both vehicles are receiving national attention as media outlets offer first-drive thoughts as F-150 arrives on dealership lots.
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It’s no secret that 2021 will be a huge year for Ford Motor Company. With the 14th-generation Ford F-150 launching, and the addition of the first-ever electric Mustang crossover, plus the eventual launch of the Ford Bronco two-door and four-door, 2021 could be quite a comeback year for the Blue Oval.
I recently wrote about delays related to the two and four-door Bronco, and it’s understandable, given the Covid-19 pandemic and the parts shortage it’s created. Those same delays have hit, in smaller scale, some variants of the 2021 Ford F-150 as trucks equipped with the max towing package and the power running boards are facing production delays, also due to Covid-related supply chain issues.
We can all cut Ford some slack. But that doesn’t mean Ford doesn’t have some good news churning out for them. Far from it, in fact.
First drive impressions are hitting the interwebs for the Mustang Mach-E and also the Ford F-150. Certainly many of us are anxious to get behind the wheel of both vehicles. I especially want to test drive the new PowerBoost hybrid F-150 and see what it’s like, plus all those cool new features like the max recline seats and the fold-flat gear shift with flat work surface.
I’m super excited about the 14th-generation F-150 and think Ford will sell a lot of them.
Now, as far as the Mustang Mach-E goes, that also presents a lot of intrigue for me. I rode along in one earlier this year and gave my initial reaction. But, let’s be honest, as a noted Mustang historian and one of the most outspoken critics of the Mustang name being used on a crossover, it would benefit Ford to get me some seat time behind the wheel of the Mach-E.
If it can win me over, imagine how far that could go. But, some of my peers and fellow journalists have already gotten precious seat time. Their first-drive thoughts are out there and I’ll let you do your own research.
Likewise, there are numerous reviews in print and on YouTube for the 2021 Ford F-150. That one will be a pretty easy sell, as what’s there not to like about that? But I could be wrong and look forward to my seat time behind several variants of the 2021 Ford F-150. Until then, we can turn to some of the noted names to provide their thoughts.
And one I highly respect, Edmunds, has given the Mach-E and the F-150 some high honors.
Edmunds editor-in-chief Alistair Weaver said they were impressed with the 2021 Ford F-150. He said, F-150 stood out in its class because of the extensive options it offers for truck customers looking for a tailor-made pickup.
"The Ford F-150 has numerous bragging rights with impressive towing, max payload and with an EPA-estimated rating of 25 mpg city/26 mpg highway/25 mpg combined3,” Weaver said. “But we believe its true strength rests in the extensive and varied options that allow shoppers to get a truck tailored to their needs. With the F-150, Ford displays a clear understanding of the changing needs and wants of truck customers, and for that and many other reasons, it deserves the title of Edmunds Top Rated Truck this year."
In addition to the F-150, Edmunds recognized the brand-new, all-electric Mustang Mach-E as one of their top choices.
Weaver praised Mustang Mach-E for its attention to luxury interior details while boasting the performance inherent to the Mustang name.
"The Mach-E has a lot in common with similarly priced EVs, but it's the vehicle’s attention to detail that makes it stand out,” said Alistair Weaver, editor-in-chief at Edmunds. “The luxury component truly comes from its upscale interior materials and attractive central touchscreen. It also combines driving fun worthy of the Mustang name with an EPA-estimated range of 270 miles1 and 346 horsepower2 [Premium with extended-range battery and electric all-wheel drive]. The Ford Mustang Mach-E offers guilt-free performance and pleasing luxury at an attainable price, and that’s why it’s our pick this year for Edmunds Top Rated Luxury EV."
More about the 2021 Edmunds Top Rated Awards
Edmunds Top Rated Award winners are selected by the Edmunds editorial team based on their informed opinion gathered during their vehicle testing and ranking process. Edmunds’ editors selected the overall winners from a group of finalists that consisted of each of the highest-ranked eligible new vehicles as of Dec. 15 in their vehicle classes assigned by Edmunds. Eligible vehicles must have undergone the full Edmunds testing process by Dec.15 and be available for sale as new on Jan. 1.
Vehicles are rated and ranked based on driving, comfort, interior, tech, storage, fuel economy/range and efficiency, value/build quality as well as attributes unique to that vehicle.
How much credibility do you, the average consumer or enthusiast give to these “best of” awards? I honestly am interested in that as someone who writes about cars and reviews them for a living. It’s a subjective thing. And I do question the category of Luxury EV for the Mustang Mach-E. I’ve sat in a prototype version and would not categorize it as luxurious.
It had fine appointments and good enough touchpoints, but it didn’t feel luxurious to me. So that categorization alone is subjective. I would not question Edmunds however, as I have the utmost respect for them as one the least cynical, fairest publications out there.
So, what do you have to say about this honor and other similar awards these vehicles are likely to pull in? Does it sway you or impress you? Leave me your comment with your thoughts.
Jimmy Dinsmore has been an automotive journalist for more than a decade and been a writer since the high school. His Driver’s Side column features new car reviews and runs in several newspapers throughout the country. He is also co-author of the book “Mustang by Design” and “Ford Trucks: A Unique Look at the Technical History of America’s Most Popular Truck”. Also, Jimmy works in the social media marketing world for a Canadian automotive training aid manufacturing company. Follow Jimmy on Facebook, Twitter, at his special Ford F-150 coverage on Twitter and LinkedIn. You can read the most of Jimmy's stories by searching Torque News Ford for daily Ford vehicle report.
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