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An electric Volvo XC40 and a Ford Mustang Mach-E have already competed against each other. However, both models have been significantly modified, creating a completely new playing field. How do these two endurance testers fare against each other?
Upgrade for both the Volvo C40 and the Ford Mustang Mach-E, what about that?
When all new cars still had a combustion engine, it was a well-organized whole. A model was launched and after a number of years the facelift came, whether or not combined with new engine technology. After another number of years, a new successor came along. However, in these electric times, that is a suicide strategy. Innovation is happening so fast that as a manufacturer you cannot afford to keep a model unchanged on the market for five years, because then you will be so hopelessly behind that you will no longer be competitive at all. The emerging competition from China obviously does not help. Things such as consumption, range, charging options and also the price are aspects that you should pay close attention to. Ford and Volvo understand this better than anyone and have both already made changes to their most important electric models. At Volvo the change was even unique. The brand switched from front to rear-wheel drive for the electric C40 and XC40 versions with one electric motor, a change that is unique in the car world for an existing model. The battery and electric motor have also been adjusted to make the car more efficient. That was necessary given our experiences in terms of consumption and range with the XC40. We have added such a new C40 (technically the same as the XC40, but with sportier bodywork) to our endurance test fleet. We also have a Ford Mustang Mach-E driving there. Interesting, because that Ford previously competed against an electric XC40 and managed to win. The American has also had a few adjustments. The rear-wheel drive has still remained, but Ford also claims to have made the car more economical and the chassis has also been refined somewhat. Let’s see if all these things lead to a different result than back then.
What do you notice about the update of the Volvo C40?
The results are impressive. We immediately notice in the Volvo why rear-wheel drive is so much nicer. The whole car feels nicer to drive, everything is more neutral. In wet weather you will notice that the electronics sometimes have to work to regulate the traction, partly due to the M+S tires present. We would certainly opt for normal summer tires, because the weight of the Volvo is a bit too high to make any sacrifices in the field of traction. Furthermore, there is a wonderful balance between comfort and good handling. The C40 is not sporty, but it doesn’t pretend to be either. The car still grips the road tightly, while there is a lot of peace and quiet on board. Actually, exactly how Volvo has marketed many of its cars over the past ten years. The power of 252 hp is not too little for this type of car. Choosing a four-wheel drive version with more power is nice, but not really necessary.
And the Ford Mustang Mach-E?
The Ford also remains true to its brand values. The Mach-E has always been a dynamic car, but lacked refinement. He could push hard in wet weather, which is not really pleasant with so much mass. However, the chassis changes are paying off. The car has become much more fun to drive with the well-known Ford feel in the steering wheel, only now with rear-wheel drive. When driving a bit aggressively, the butt is also happy to take a step to the side, which is then easy to catch. It helps increase driving involvement. You notice how the car feels smaller than it is, something that wasn’t necessarily the case a year ago. The weight is now less noticeable. The car is on the sturdy side. The rear axle in particular is a bit clunky, something that can cause frustration in the long term. In our Long Range version, the rear-wheel drive version has just under 300 hp. As with the Volvo, more power is not that much more expensive than petrol models, but not really necessary for use in the Netherlands. It’s great to see both brands embracing their brand values ​​in these electric times. Had this been a test ten years ago with a Volvo V40 and a Ford Focus, we could have attributed the same properties to both models: the Focus a bit more dynamic, the Volvo a bit more refined.
In the video we discuss all parts of an AutoWeek comparison test, as a service for logged in users we also have the PDF magazine for you with all measurements and test results?
– Thanks for information from Autoweek.nl