2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E vs 2022 Hyundai Tucson Hybrid

The 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E aimed to evoke the spirit of the traditional Mustang coupe and convertible through its exterior design. Despite having four doors and a rear hatch, it retained Mustang-like features such as thin headlights, a long hood, and a large, nonfunctional oval grille. The taillights mimicked the original Mustang's look with sequential turn signals, and the vibrant exterior color palette, including Grabber Blue, reinforced the Mustang connection. Inside, the Mach-E featured a massive infotainment touchscreen suspended in the middle of the dashboard, a thin rectangular display for the instrument cluster, and a rotary gear selector on the center console, giving it a minimalist feel akin to Tesla electric cars. However, the lack of a leather-upholstery option, even in top trims, might have disappointed some buyers.

The 2022 Hyundai Tucson Hybrid showcased a dramatic new design with sharp, angular cues across the fascia and sides, making it longer and wider than its predecessor. The grille, blending seamlessly with the LED headlights, running lights, and turn signals, gave it a futuristic look. The base-level Blue trim shared design cues with the mid-level SEL Convenience trim, but with smaller wheels. The interior featured heated front seats, cloth upholstery, and an eight-way power driver seat on the Blue trim, while the SEL Convenience added a digital driver information display, wireless device charging, and ambient lighting. The Limited trim further enhanced the interior with a 64-color ambient lighting system, heated steering wheel, and ventilated front seats. The Tucson's interior was open and airy, with a bulkier center console but an unobstructed view at eye level.

The 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E needed to live up to the Mustang name, so Ford made it rear-wheel drive by default and decently powerful. The base RWD Select model produced 266 horsepower and 317 pound-feet of torque, achieving zero to 60 mph in 6.1 seconds. The most potent configuration was the AWD GT Performance Edition, with 480 hp and 634 lb-ft, reaching zero to 60 mph in 3.5 seconds. Our test car had the lower-level AWD powertrain, delivering 346 hp, 428 lb-ft of torque, and zero to 60 mph in 4.8 seconds. The Mach-E handled corners well, with responsive steering and a planted feel due to the low-mounted battery pack. However, the taut suspension and 19-inch wheels resulted in poor ride quality. The Mach-E offered three drive modes—Engage, Whisper, and Unbridled—and allowed toggling between one-pedal driving and conventional braking.

The 2022 Hyundai Tucson Hybrid impressed with its AWD and 1.6-liter turbo-four engine, producing 180 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque. Combined with the electric motor, the system delivered 226 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque, making it noticeably quicker than the gas-powered Tucson. The Tucson's steering was responsive and direct, managed by a six-speed automatic transmission. The suspension excelled at absorbing road imperfections while maintaining balance through corners. The Tucson Hybrid achieved good fuel economy, with the EPA rating it at 37 mpg city, 36 highway, and 37 combined. Our test saw 36.5 mpg. The upcoming plug-in hybrid Tucson promised even better efficiency with an 80 MPGe rating and 33 miles of all-electric range.

The 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E, marketed as an SUV, had packaging more akin to a station wagon or hatchback. The driving position was low, and the low roofline didn't create a spacious feeling, even with a panoramic glass roof. Compared to the Tesla Model Y, the Mach-E fell short on interior space, offering less headroom and legroom. The Mach-E provided 29.7 cubic feet of cargo space with the second row in place and 59.7 cubic feet with it folded, along with a 4.7-cubic-foot front trunk. The interior featured a decent-sized storage bin under a flip-up armrest and a large area beneath the touchscreen for smartphones, with a wireless charging pad and USB ports for both rows.

The 2022 Hyundai Tucson Hybrid, despite its larger footprint, didn't look huge but offered ample cargo space. The trunk provided 38.8 cubic feet, expanding to 74.5 cubic feet with the rear seat folded. The Tucson also delivered excellent front and rear legroom, with over 41 inches each, and reclining rear seats. The cargo floor had a dual-level system for a flat loading floor or maximized space. The interior featured decent bottle holders in all doors, two cupholders in the center console, and a fold-down center armrest with two cupholders in the rear. The Limited trim's ambient lighting added flair to the cabin.

The 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E featured Ford's new Sync 4 infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto and over-the-air software updates. The main infotainment touchscreen measured 15.5 inches, while the instrument cluster was 10.2 inches. Standard features included SiriusXM 360L with satellite radio and a six-speaker audio system, with higher trims getting a nine-speaker B&O by Bang & Olufsen sound system. The touchscreen's size was its only noteworthy feature, as the text-heavy design made it hard to navigate. The bottom of the screen replaced analog controls with touchscreen icons and sliders, which were less convenient than physical buttons.

The 2022 Hyundai Tucson Hybrid's tech was consistently good but sometimes frustrating. The 10.25-inch touchscreen in the Limited trim looked great with native software but only utilized about 8 inches for Android Auto or Apple CarPlay, requiring a wired connection. The smaller 8-inch screen in the Blue and SEL Convenience trims offered wireless connectivity. The touch-capacitive buttons for infotainment and HVAC controls were less user-friendly than physical buttons. However, the Tucson provided plenty of USB ports, a beautiful touchscreen display, and a Bose premium stereo in the test vehicle.

The 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E had not yet been crash-tested by the NHTSA or IIHS. Standard driver-assist features included automatic high beams, blind-spot monitoring, lane-keep assist, automatic emergency braking, post-collision braking, a reverse sensing system, reverse automatic braking, adaptive cruise control with automated lane centering, traffic-sign recognition, and evasive steering assist. Higher trims had a 360-degree camera system. The Mach-E was also set to receive Active Drive Assist, enabling automated acceleration, braking, and steering on designated highways, with a driver-facing camera to monitor for distraction. This feature would be available via OTA update for $600.

The 2022 Hyundai Tucson Hybrid came with a comprehensive suite of standard safety features, including automatic emergency braking, pedestrian and cyclist detection, blind-spot collision avoidance, rear cross-traffic alert, a driver-attention monitor, lane-keeping and lane-following assist, safe-exit warning, and rear occupant alert. The Limited trim added a surround-view monitor, highway-driving assist with adaptive cruise control, navigation, blind-spot view monitor, and remote smart park assist. The IIHS awarded the Tucson a Top Safety Pick+, while the NHTSA had not yet tested it.