Ford’s Mustang Mach-E is better then Tesla’s Model 3 according to Consumer Reports’ “Top Pick” for an electric vehicle in 2022.
This designation by Consumer Reports is further validation of Ford CEO Jim Farley’s belief Ford can not only compete but also beat Tesla when it comes to EVs.
Jake Fisher is a senior director of automotive testing at Consumer Reports. According to him, he was very impressed with the Mach-E. “Not only is it a really fun vehicle to drive, it is sporty, but it is also extremely mature. When I say that it rides nice, it is very quiet. I mean it really feels well built,” said Fisher.
According to Consumer Reports based on the data that they have collected, the Mach-E has very few problems. That data, along with owner reviews and testing conducted by Consumer Reports, prompted it to make the Mach-E its 2022 “Top Pick” for an electric vehicle, replacing the famous Tesla Model 3.
Consumer Reports still recommends the Model 3, but Fisher says that the small electric car from Tesla fails to match the Mach-E in certain areas, most notably when it comes to hands-free driving and alerting drivers who fail to pay attention.
Ford’s BlueCruise system uses a camera to monitor and alert drivers when they are not paying attention. The Model 3 also has a camera watching the driver, but Consumer Reports says that Ford’s camera is better and more effective.
“In our tests we can cover up the camera, we could not look at the road and it really doesn’t give any alerts to the driver to make sure they are looking where they are going.”
Jake Fisher
Overall, Tesla fell 7 spots to 23rd place in Consumer Reports ranking of 32 major auto brands. This is the poorest showing in the 7 years Tesla has been included in the “Top Picks” issue.
Besides the criticism regarding Tesla’s Autopilot system, Consumer Reports is critical of the automaker’s steering yoke, a change from the steering wheel in the Model S and Model X. Fisher says that using the yoke is frustrating. “It is not just about making it harder to turn the wheel, but they also got rid of the turn signal stalk,” said Fisher.
According to Fisher the quality of the “Top Picks” for 2022 are better than ever, with the brands once again dominated by Japanese automakers. Subaru was rated No. 1, followed by Mazda, BMW, Honda and Lexus. At the bottom of the list this year are Mitsubishi and GMC, just above Jeep which was the lowest-rated brand.
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