2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E vs 2021 Lexus GX

Eager to prove that it’s serious about electric cars, Ford applied the iconic Mustang name to its new electric SUV. The 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E is not only the first electric vehicle to wear the Mustang name, it’s also the first production Mustang model with more than two doors.

Ford has made electric cars before (the Focus Electric ended production just a few years ago), but the Mach-E is much more ambitious. It’s the first Ford electric car based on a dedicated platform, and aimed at a mass audience.

Ford believes style and sportiness will help it sell more EVs, but the emphasis on performance also puts the Mach-E in direct competition with the similarly-sized Tesla Model Y. As a small electric crossover, the Mach-E could also get cross-shopped against the upcoming Volkswagen ID.4 and Nissan Ariya crossovers.

Mach-E buyers must choose between rear-wheel drive (RWD) and all-wheel drive (AWD), Standard Range and Extended Range battery packs, and four trim levels— Select, California Route 1, Premium, and GT. Our test car was a sold out First Edition model, which is identical to the Premium trim level aside from cosmetic differences like red brake calipers. It featured the Extended Range battery pack and all-wheel drive.

Most modern SUVs are really car-based crossovers—lifted station wagons, or minivans without the sliding doors. That’s not the case with the 2021 Lexus GX 460.

Like the mythical Loch Ness Monster, the GX is a creature that time forgot. It’s one of the last SUVs with truck-like body-on-frame construction and true off-road capability. That’s because the GX is actually a rebadged Toyota Land Cruiser Prado (a smaller version of the iconic Toyota Land Cruiser not sold in the United States), and is related to the Toyota 4Runner. It’s also genuinely old: the current generation dates back to the 2010 model year, and Lexus has kept it in production with some updates of styling and tech over the years.

That makes the GX a fairly odd proposition on the new-car market. It has the off-road capability, not as a lifestyle statement, but because that’s what was still expected of SUVs when it was launched. The GX sits between the RX and LX in Lexus’ lineup but has little direct competition. Its only real rival is the much newer Land Rover Discovery.

For the 2021 model year, the GX gets some minor updates, including a new Premium Plus Package, and acoustic front side glass. Lexus continues to offer only the GX 460 model, with a single powertrain option, standard four-wheel drive (4WD), and three trim levels: base, Premium, and Luxury. Our test car was the midlevel Premium version.