Ford Mustang Mach-E Rally Review: A Luxury Commuter in Off-Road Clothing?

Christmas. Snowdonia. Mud. Ice. Mountains. Yr Wyddfa. Logic suggested I should be flinging a rally-spec electric Mustang up the side of Eryri National Park like some sort of eco-conscious mountain goat. Reality, however, intervened. I took the Ford Mustang Mach-E Rally to The Ritz instead. Champagne. White tablecloths. Soft lighting. Our own table, suspiciously close to David and Victoria Beckham.

I will never forget the look David gave me as I casually swirled the Mustang keys around my slightly pudgy fingers and ordered “your finest champagne, my good man” in my best faux-aristocratic whisper. The waiters hovered. The Beckhams were ignored. Viscount beats Sir every day of the week, even if the bank balance politely disagrees. C’est la vie.

And when we left, the Mustang lit up like a festive electric cathedral. Keyless entry glowing from halfway down the street, reminding my friends, passers-by, tourists, and at least one confused pigeon that yes, this was my car. Subtlety is overrated.

How the Mustang Quietly Ditched Muscle Car Stereotypes & Learned to Take Corners Like a Rally Pro

Here is the thing: this is the first electric Mustang that truly deserves the name. The Mach-E Rally is essentially the Mach-E GT fitted with the Rally Pack, and for once, a badge is not lying through its teeth. The elongated bonnet, carbon fibre rear spoiler, and rally stance restore proper visual credibility. It no longer looks like a confused gym trainer wearing cowboy boots; it looks purposeful. It looks ready.

It is fast. Brutally so. It is also civilised, luxurious, and weirdly good at being a daily car. Somewhere along the way, the Mustang has quietly evolved from a straight-line muscle car to a fully-fledged rally weapon that actually understands corners. That alone deserves a slow clap and a small glass of something French.

Power Figures, Performance Numbers & Other Things That Make Engineers Smile

Underneath, the dual-motor all-wheel-drive system delivers 487 PS and a frankly outrageous 950 Nm of torque, which arrives instantly and rearranges your internal organs with polite American efficiency. Zero to 62 mph takes 3.6 seconds, which is quick enough to silence most supercar owners at traffic lights. Top speed is 124 mph, though how often you’ll need that in a muddy field is another question entirely.

The clever bit is how it puts the power down. All-wheel drive, MagneRide adaptive suspension, and rally-specific tuning mean it grips in wet, frost, and general British misery without ever feeling nervous. At 2.2 tonnes, it has the mass to stay planted, yet never feels cumbersome. You’d need a Chinook helicopter to accidentally lift it off line.

Drive Modes That Politely Cater to Civilised Adults & Encouragingly Enable Idiots Like Me

Ford gives you a choice of personalities. Whisper mode smooths throttle response and dials everything back for grim weather or urban duty. Active is perfect for everyday use, pairing beautifully with one-pedal driving that becomes second nature within minutes. Untamed mode, however, is where the mischief begins.

Untamed sharpens the steering, firms things up, and makes the accelerator feel like it’s had three espressos. Tick RallySport mode and suddenly the Mustang remembers it was named after something that runs sideways when necessary. Rear-biased torque, instant shove, and superb chassis balance mean you can slide it on gravel and sand, then pull it back into line with unexpected precision. My colleague and I were giggling like schoolboys who’d found the headmaster’s car keys.

There’s even an ‘L’ button on the drive dial, increasing regenerative braking for steep slopes or trickier surfaces. It’s one of those small, thoughtful touches that suggests someone actually drove this car somewhere other than a design studio.

An Exterior That Finally Looks Like It Means Business

Finished in Grabber Blue—which costs extra and is worth every penny—the Mach-E Rally grabs attention like a French waiter grabbing the last croissant. The colour suits it. The black stripe suits it. The rally-inspired wheels look ready for violence rather than Instagram.

Those solid alloys are built to take abuse, and off-road, they do exactly that. Rally by name, rally by nature. It warms the cockles of my Irish-French heart to see Mustang no longer defined solely by drag strips, but by dirt tracks, beaches, and the occasional Sussex mud bath. Grease is the word, baby. Electric grease, perhaps. Kilowatts are the new word, but without the same ring.

Interior Luxury That Feels More Paris Apartment Than Petrol Station Pit Lane

Inside, it is genuinely impressive. Sensico leather, white contrast stitching, and beautifully finished doors, dash, and console. The dashboard soundbar dominates the space, wrapped in textured grey fabric with a clean, minimalist driver display and a vertical infotainment screen that actually works properly.

I review Ferraris, McLarens, and Lamborghinis for a living. This still excited me. That should tell you everything.

The performance seats offer eight-way adjustment with lumbar support; both the seats and steering wheel are heated, which was deeply appreciated when temperatures dipped below minus five. Dual-zone climate control, ambient lighting, and a wireless charging pad round out a cabin that feels genuinely premium, rather than just “premium for a Ford”.

Technology That Genuinely Improves Your Life

The FordPass app is properly useful. You can unlock the car, preheat it, and set departure times. When it hit minus five outside my house, the cabin, seats, and steering wheel were already warm when I got in. That alone is worth its weight in croissants.

The front screen demister is a little piece of genius; it clears the glass without blasting air in your face. Whoever designed that deserves a pay rise and a decent lunch.

There is also the SecuriCode keypad hidden in the door pillar. Touch-sensitive numbers let you unlock doors, open the boot, and even start the car without a key if you have set up 'Phone as a Key'. James Bond meets suburban practicality.

Charging, mercifully, is painless. A standard three-pin plug delivers around 50 per cent overnight, giving roughly 125 miles by morning. Plug into a 150 kW fast charger and it will add close to 100 miles in ten minutes, running from 20 to 80 per cent in 36 minutes. It delivers a real-world range of around 275 miles at 100 per cent, even in freezing conditions. BlueCruise driver assistance, SYNC4A navigation, and a Bang & Olufsen sound system complete a package that feels properly thought through.

Off-Road, On-Road & Everywhere In Between

We took the Mustang Rally off-road in the Sussex Downs and down to a beach near West Wittering. Mud, sand, ruts, and general chaos—it shrugged it all off. Immediate torque launches you forward, the suspension soaks up abuse, and the chassis stays stiff and confidence-inspiring even at pace.

You can genuinely forget it’s electric. Only a handful of cars have managed that trick for me, including the Audi RS e-tron GT and the electric Porsches. That is very serious company.

Rally Pack Details That Turn It from Stylish SUV into Proper Rally Machine

The Rally pack adds:

• A large rear spoiler
• Rally-inspired wheels with all-terrain tyres
• Raised ride height and underbody protection
• Rally-tuned MagneRide suspension
• Unique RallySport mode

One of the Finest Electric Cars on Sale, Full Stop

This hits every sweet spot: size, performance, comfort, technology, and character. It is one of the most engaging electric medium SUVs on the market. The Rally version is the one to buy; for a couple of grand more than the GT, it transforms the car completely. It becomes fun, ridiculous, capable, and luxurious in equal measure.

Standard Mustang Mach-E OTR: £74,550

Mach-E Rally as tested with extras: £77,950

There is currently a promotional deal that could save you around £7,000

Built by Ford, and for once, fully deserving of its legend.