2024 Ford Mustang Mach-E vs 2025 Mercedes-Benz GLE

The 2024 Ford Mustang Mach-E retained its distinctive and sharp styling, with an aggressive front fascia and a sloping profile that maintained its crossover proportions. The tri-bar tail lights, a hallmark of the Mustang nameplate, were refreshed to match the signature lighting of the seventh-generation Ford Mustang. The new Rally trim emerged as the top-of-the-line model, featuring unique styling cues such as LED fog lamps, a black roof, and Oxford White 19-inch wheels that paid homage to rally racing. The interior of the Mach-E continued with its minimalist design, highlighted by a large touchscreen and Ford Performance front seats, which were standard on the GT and Rally trims.

The 2025 Mercedes-Benz GLE, last redesigned for the 2020 model year and facelifted for 2024, showcased a more rounded profile reminiscent of its predecessors. Its styling, while not the most handsome in the Mercedes lineup, adhered closely to the brand's orthodoxy. The interior offered a luxurious feel with unique colour options and upscale features like chunky air vents and a 64-colour ambient lighting system. The GLE's interior was designed to feel special, with a focus on comfort and style, although the heavily bolstered front seats in the AMG models made entry and exit slightly challenging.

The 2024 Ford Mustang Mach-E was known for its sporty ride quality, with a firm suspension that prioritized sports-car dynamics over crossover comfort. The GT trim featured a MagneRide damping system, allowing for more adjustment by drive mode, and the GT Performance Upgrade package increased torque to 700 lb-ft, maintaining 480 horsepower. This translated to impressive acceleration figures, with a zero-to-96-km/h time of 3.3 seconds. The Mach-E's range varied by trim, with the Premium trim offering the longest range at 515 kilometres. Ford also improved the DC fast-charging experience, reducing charging times by about 20%.

The 2025 Mercedes-Benz GLE offered a range of powertrain options, starting with the GLE 350's 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine producing 255 horsepower. The GLE 450 featured a 3.0-litre turbocharged inline-six with 375 horsepower, while the AMG GLE 63 S boasted a twin-turbo 4.0-litre V8 with 603 horsepower. The AMG models delivered exhilarating performance, with the GLE 63 S achieving a 0-100 km/h time of 3.9 seconds. Despite its performance capabilities, the GLE felt larger than it was, making it less nimble on backroads and more challenging to maneuver in tight spaces.

The 2024 Ford Mustang Mach-E excelled in interior space, offering 965 litres of cargo space, including a drainable frunk. With the rear seats folded, cargo capacity expanded to 1,690 litres. The Mach-E provided ample headroom and legroom for both front and rear passengers, with power-adjustable seats and ActiveX seating surfaces standard across trims. Heated front seats were available on the base trim and standard on higher trims.

The 2025 Mercedes-Benz GLE was available in two-row and three-row configurations, with competitive cargo space of 894 litres behind the second row and 1,790 litres with all seats folded. The GLE offered a high seating position, although outward visibility was somewhat limited. Second-row passengers enjoyed slightly more space than in most competitor SUVs, and the GLE's towing capacity of 3,500 kilograms ensured it could handle substantial loads.

The 2024 Ford Mustang Mach-E featured wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, with the latest SYNC 4A infotainment software operating through a 15.5-inch touchscreen. The system included Ford's Intelligent Range feature, which provided real-time range updates based on various factors. While the screen-based controls were becoming more accepted, the user experience could be improved with more intuitive navigation.

The 2025 Mercedes-Benz GLE's interface consisted of dual 12.3-inch screens, with the MBUX system offering wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The interface could be accessed through various methods, including a touchpad and voice recognition, which proved effective in navigating the system. The AMG models featured additional drive modes and settings, accessible via steering wheel dials, although this required some attention from the driver.

The 2024 Ford Mustang Mach-E offered BlueCruise 1.3, a hands-free highway-driving assist software, available on all trims. The Ford CoPilot 360 suite included advanced driver-assistance technologies, and the Mach-E received high safety ratings from both the IIHS and NHTSA, ensuring peace of mind for drivers.

The 2025 Mercedes-Benz GLE came equipped with a comprehensive suite of driver-assist features, although some were optional. The standard Pre-Safe system aimed to mitigate collision effects, while the optional Driver Assistance Package added adaptive cruise control and other advanced features. The GLE earned a Top Safety Pick+ award from the IIHS, although its front-crash prevention tech received mixed ratings.