[Nemy]

Finally getting around to my review and comparison with the Mach-E. For background, I had over 100k miles between a 2017 and a 2019 Bolt Premier. Chevy bought back my 2019 earlier this year and I ended up getting a Mach-E Select standard range with the comfort/tech package in July. So as of today, I've had the MME for 4 months and over 11k miles on the exact same commute (130 miles/day - mostly interstate at 75ish mph).

Ultimately, I loved the Bolt. Other than the recall and the fact that I wanted more room for a stroller, I had no problems after 100k miles. I probably would've run it to the ground if the buyback wasn't too good to pass up ($22,500 for a $24,000 car with over 50k miles and needed new tires). I have no regrets with either car and the Bolt was/is the best value EV but the MME is bigger, faster, and can be parked indoors . Anyways here's what I loved about the Bolt and what I wish it had compared to the MME.

Where the Bolt is better than the MME:

• Regen paddle. What I miss the most.
• Software. Probably the biggest complaint of the MME - it's slow and lags even though it's 4 years newer than the Bolt.
• Charge settings - priority charging and departure charging. On the MME, there's no option for priority and the car charges fully randomly about an hour before the departure time. If I plug in early, it'll charge to full even when I get home instead of waiting to charge overnight.
• The Bolt's lock horn is a nice chirp. On the MME it's full blast.
• HUD has better info: instant energy use, trending energy use.
• Size. The Bolt is compact and easier to park.
• Huge windshield.
• Visors. The MME visors don't fold all the way to the windshield and get blocked by the roof way before it should.
• Noise isolation. The first thing I noticed in the MME was the huge amount of wind noise compared to the Bolt. People new to the car ask me if the windows are open...
• Adjusting volume on the steering wheel shows up on the HUD.

Where the MME is better than the Bolt:

• Brake light stays on at stops with one pedal driving.
• Cupholders have four tabs that adjust to different sizes.
• GOM is a lot more accurate and a lot less confusing for people new to EVs (i.e. one number vs. high/low/expected range)
• 0-100 mph. The Bolt is great 0-60 but the MME feels great 0-100.
• Sunglass holder.
• Overall a more premium feel/fit/finish. Except for the turn signal and wiper stalks that feel like they're from the dollar store.
• Auto sensing wipers.
• BlueCruise option. Though lane centering alone is already pretty amazing and exponentially better than the Bolt's LKA.
• Size. Sooo much more cargo space.
• Aesthetics. I love staring at the hood lines inside and outside of the car. I had an early Bolt and drove it for 3.5 years - nobody looked twice. People stop and comment all the time with the MME.
• EDIT: drainable frunk and handsfree liftgate.
• And my favorite: the puddle lamp.

Now that I don't have the Bolt, I also have a bunch of stuff to get rid of: winter tires/rims, heatshield sunshade, and rubber mats. I'll post it in the classifieds for anyone interested.

 

[shocker]

I test drove an AWD Premium. Nice car to be sure, was I inspired to swap my Bolt for it? Nope, it's not that much nicer, and it doesn't have a tow rating so I'm spending money for something that isn't a measurable upgrade.
I have a Lightning reservation, because truck>>car.

 

[Dark-Fx]

I was going to look at the Mach-E but there was no way I'd be driving one off the lot here without the dealer adding a "market adjustment", so I didn't even bother to sit in one.

Having not driven the Mach-E and using the Polestar 2 as my comparison vehicle, I personally do not miss the regen paddle. It took a bit to get used to not having it (muscle memory sucks some times) but the full one pedal regen in the Polestar is actually slightly stronger than the Bolt's with the paddle. I haven't yet given my Bolt back. I've still occasionally driven it, so it's not just my perception of being in something different. Is the MME regen not adequate to stop for most/all situations?

I turn off all the unnecessary horn chirp stuff. I just realized after reading your post that I don't even know what the horn in my new car sounds like.

Biggest thing I don't like is that the P*2 is quite a bit less efficient, but there's really no getting away from that in the move to a larger vehicle with AWD.

 

[AZBILL]

I got my Mach E in June and still have a 2017 Bolt with 100K miles. Mine is a California Route 1, range is king for me.

• Mach E has much nicer interior, looks and comfort
• One pedal works in reverse
• 360 camera view is great, especially on the big screen
• Still waiting for Blue Cruise OTA, but the ACC/LKA work pretty well
• Oh yea, I have actually had 3 OTAs already, never saw that in the Bolt
• Great highway range, I got 270 miles of range going up a 6000 ft elevation change at 75mph.
• Good fast charging curve, peak at 160kW, maintains 80kW out to 80%, and Ford is planning an OTA to push that to 90% and indicated adding a few more mile to range
• On my first trip was able to add 160 miles of range in 25 minutes on a 350kW charger
• Plug and charge has worked perfectly for me, so far.
• Glass roof is cool, even works fine in Phoenix heat with a shade screen (aftermarket)
• Has a frunk

Only negative is the software is a bit glitchy, but overall this car has way more features than the Bolt, so not unexpected. Plus those can be fixed via OTA.

I miss the max/min range and the trend vector of the Bolt, that is useful on long trips. But then with the 305 EPA range on my Mach E, the range anxiety is way down.

Headed out from Phoenix to Las Vegas in about a week for my second road trip. Plan a 10 minute charge in Kingman, but could likely make it without a stop. The Bolt would add about an hour to the trip time.

 

[greendave]

Seems to be a very well sorted EV. Charging speed sounds great.

Any chance Ford is going to release either a sedan version, or one with a proper hatch? The squished SUV thing kills any interest I might have though.

 

[shocker]

Any chance Ford is going to release either a sedan version, or one with a proper hatch? The squished SUV thing kills any interest I might have though.

Ford, like everybody else, is constrained by battery supply. Mach E and Lightning demand will absorb everything they've have for the next few years.

 

[mattbatt]

Thanks for your review I appreciate the feedback. I personally never use one pedal or the paddle so those aren't important to me. Of course I bought my Bolt used because it was the best value EV available at the time. So if the MME ever comes down in price on the used market I'll keep your review in mind.

 

[AZBILL]

Seems to be a very well sorted EV. Charging speed sounds great.

Any chance Ford is going to release either a sedan version, or one with a proper hatch? The squished SUV thing kills any interest I might have though.

For me, the hatch on the Mach E has way more room than the Bolt, and the specs prove it. Bolt has 16.9 cu ft cargo space behind the rear seat, whereas Mach E has 29.7 cu ft. For example, my golf clubs will not fit in the Bolt, unless I fold the rear seat. They fit in the Mach E diagonally just fine.

 

[cfhgarza]

Thanks everyone for sharing. I think we would get a Mach-e if we had to replace our Bolt.

 

[finallygoingev]

Thanks for the review...The Mach-E is currently on my replacement Bolt list as well.

I only have a basic Bolt LT so I don't have a lot of the premium features that the Mach-e has also like 360 camera, all the parking monitors, the navigation, etc...(and we paid more for our Bolts back in 2019)

With the $7500 credit and $2k state, a select with the tech option can be had for around ~36k.

 

[Nemy]

I was going to look at the Mach-E but there was no way I'd be driving one off the lot here without the dealer adding a "market adjustment", so I didn't even bother to sit in one.

Having not driven the Mach-E and using the Polestar 2 as my comparison vehicle, I personally do not miss the regen paddle. It took a bit to get used to not having it (muscle memory sucks some times) but the full one pedal regen in the Polestar is actually slightly stronger than the Bolt's with the paddle. I haven't yet given my Bolt back. I've still occasionally driven it, so it's not just my perception of being in something different. Is the MME regen not adequate to stop for most/all situations?

The ADMs are negotiable. I got mine off the lot with no ADM. I also signed up for Mustang Club of America so I can qualify for x-plan if/when I upgrade (when the tax credits increase).

The regen is actually stronger on the MME (sometimes too strong/jerky) because it blends in mechanical brakes. So it probably is just muscle memory but I miss having it.

For me, the hatch on the Mach E has way more room than the Bolt, and the specs prove it. Bolt has 16.9 cu ft cargo space behind the rear seat, whereas Mach E has 29.7 cu ft. For example, my golf clubs will not fit in the Bolt, unless I fold the rear seat. They fit in the Mach E diagonally just fine.

Yes, a huge difference. I can fit my stroller without taking any wheels off and placing it in straight into the trunk.

I also completely forgot about the frunk and the hands-free liftgate because I use them so much. Between these for dirty diapers, camping/beach gear, and the drainable frunk - it's ironically the perfect "family mustang."

 

[Sean Nelson]

And my favorite: the puddle lamp.

Is that the light on the door that shine down to illuminate the ground? I agree that those are really nice and I don't understand why I don't see them on more cars...

 

[Nemy]

Is that the light on the door that shine down to illuminate the ground? I agree that those are really nice and I don't understand why I don't see them on more cars...

Ya these are OEM and shine down from the mirrors. It's almost comical how many mustang logos are in/around the car but the puddle lamp Stang is just beautiful.

 

[E-nigma]

Are any of you Mustang Owners concerned about battery problems? Seems there already are some issues, and isn't it a very similar design the Bolt's battery?

 

[XJ12]

my golf clubs will not fit in the Bolt, unless I fold the rear seat.

That was one of the first things I solved with my Bolt. Can fit all but my driver under the false floor. The other longer clubs can fit outside the bag under the false floor. Put the driver on the floorboard of the back seats.

 

[twriter]

Nice comparo. The latest recalls have had me tempted to "upgrade" to the MME. I definitely am attracted by the longer range (I'd get the Premium with the longest range option) and the faster charging. I definitely don't need a larger vehicle, though, and in looking at it from the outside on several occasions, I really don't see the need for the monster hood. It's there, I think to make the car more appealing to the compensating monster truck crowd. Reviews do say that the interior is of higher quality. I really like the light gray seat option and the moon roof, which is the best I can do from any EV having come from a roadster. Not gonna pay the premium, but perhaps next year, with the 2022 models adding a slightly larger battery, I may make the jump depending on what Chevy does with my Bolt in the latest recall.

How's your m/kWh? In my Bolt, in around-town driving that's been a combination of city/highway, I have typically managed around 4 m/kWh, which makes the Bolt essentially equal the EPA range estimate. My math says the MME would average about 3.4 m/kWh, a 15% hit on mileage, which makes sense as the MME is significantly heavier. Similar to gas mileage, that would be a larger or smaller factor for folks depending on where they live. (A few gas stations here in CA are pushing $5/gallon for gas, and electricity prices here ain't exactly cheap despite so much of our generation coming from renewable resources.)

 

[Nemy]

Are any of you Mustang Owners concerned about battery problems? Seems there already are some issues, and isn't it a very similar design the Bolt's battery?

No. But like the Bolt, I wasn't worried until there was a reason to worry... In any event, every manufacturer has a different design and the MME, in particular, has a big (>10%) buffer built in between usable and total battery capacity.

How's your m/kWh? In my Bolt, in around-town driving that's been a combination of city/highway, I have typically managed around 4 m/kWh, which makes the Bolt essentially equal the EPA range estimate. My math says the MME would average about 3.4 m/kWh, a 15% hit on mileage, which makes sense as the MME is significantly heavier. Similar to gas mileage, that would be a larger or smaller factor for folks depending on where they live. (A few gas stations here in CA are pushing $5/gallon for gas, and electricity prices here ain't exactly cheap despite so much of our generation coming from renewable resources.)

So the hood is definitely for looks but it also allows for the drainable frunk. I always have my go-bag and tire pump in there and will use it for anything that's dirty or smells (e.g. food, diapers, beach/camping gear).

My lifetime mi/kWh on the MME is 3.3 right now. That's with mostly interstate 75mph driving and warm weather. Around town, I always got around 4. Ford estimates are very conservative and I drive it exactly the same (if not faster) than I did with the Bolt. I just reset my trip meter to see what I get with the colder weather but I've been seeing 2.5-3.

In comparison, my lifetime mi/kWh on the Bolt was 2.8 but that included winter/cold weather seasons. My warm weather average was probably around 3.6. So I'd say there's a 10% hit in efficiency but offset by 10% more battery. IIRC the drag coefficients were exactly the same.

 

[Packard V8]

And the out-the-door prices of the Mustang Mach-E and the Polestar 2 were?

jack vines

 

[finallygoingev]

I really don't see the need for the monster hood

I think that was a design decision from some videos I've seen (long hood...compared to MY).

As for out-the-door prices, there is no question the MME is going to cost you more than a Bolt EV, esp comparing a higher end optioned MME vs. the cheapest Bolt, but most would say the MME gets you more car and is compared with the Tesla MY vs. a Bolt so that's a bit of an unfair comparison.

There's still the $7500 credit if nothing passes and if the Bolt qualifies again for a new credit ($12.5k), then the Bolt EV will be lots lots cheaper (assuming they don't raise prices) so new Bolts will be a much better deal. GM did instantly adjust prices when the credit expired back in 2019/2020.

Cheapest before tax/title with incentives in CA will be ~32.6k.

 

[AZBILL]

How's your m/kWh? In my Bolt, in around-town driving that's been a combination of city/highway, I have typically managed around 4 m/kWh, which makes the Bolt essentially equal the EPA range estimate. My math says the MME would average about 3.4 m/kWh, a 15% hit on mileage, which makes sense as the MME is significantly heavier.

For me, with the CA Route 1 with RWD, I have a lifetime of 3.9 mile/kWh after 7500 miles. My Bolt varies from 3.8 up to 5 depending on the hot Phoenix temperatures. One thing I notice about the Mach E, since it has 50% more battery, running the AC has less effect on efficiency, since it uses about the same kW to cool the car. The reduction in efficiency is not proportional to the weight increase at all.

But what is most impressive to me is the efficiency at 75mph. The Bolt runs 3.4-3.6 at that speed, I can get 3.1 on the Mach E at that speed. Early on I did trip in the Bolt at 75mph and would have gotten 190 miles of range. My first trip in the Mach E at that speed was 270 miles of range. At 70mph I can get 300 miles in the Mach E. Around town I see anywhere from 340 to 370 miles, way above the EPA city rating.