When Ford unveiled the 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E, Ford fans and Mustang fans didn’t give it the warmest reception. Regardless, the Mach-E is on the market now, and it’s received quite a bit of praise from car critics and customers since its initial debut. While it’s not a perfect car, the 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E has won more than a few awards, though customers have been advised to upgrade their Mach-E to get the most out of their car.

The Ford Mustange Mach-E and other best EVs of the year

When someone says EV, one of the first words that may come to mind is Tesla. Despite that notoriety, Tesla didn’t actually win that much as far as Good Housekeeping was concerned. The Tesla Model 3 won in its segment, but other than the Model 3, other automakers managed to make better EVs than Tesla. For example, the Volvo XC40 Recharge won in its Good Housekeeping class, despite Tesla also debuting the Model Y in the segment.

Additionally, in the electric compact SUV segment, the Mustang Mach-E won it all. This is one of the many awards that Ford has won for the Mustang Mach-E, and like other awards, it was well-earned. After all, the compact SUV segment is one of the hottest segments right now, and while there are fewer electric compact SUVs, it’s still an impressive achievement by Ford.

Why the 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E won

Off the bat, Ford’s been hyping up the Mustang Mach-E, and like Good Housekeeping wrote, the Mustang Mach-E “doesn’t disappoint.” It starts at about $43,000, which isn’t cheap, but it’s definitely attainable for many families. However, just like its namesake, the Mach-E is a Mustang, and it’s a pretty sporty car. The Mustang Mach-E’s standard electric motor gets about 266 hp and 317 lb-ft of torque, and this allows it to go from 0 to 60 mph in about 5.8 seconds.

This powerful motor provides drivers and passengers with a “smooth, quiet ride,” according to Good Housekeeping. With that being said, the standard Mach-E has a 68 kWh battery, and that gives it a 230-mile driving range. This is about average for an EV, but for many customers, it’s not enough. That’s why Good Housekeeping, despite giving the Mustang Mach-E the win, also advised that customers should get the Premium trim instead of the regular trim.

The Premium trim of the Mustang Mach-E has access to the larger 88 kWh battery. This bigger battery provides up to 300 miles of range, which will come in handy on road trips or adventures to the great outdoors. These upgrades won’t be cheap, though, and the Premium Extended Range trim will push the Mustang Mach-E’s price tag to about $52,000.

For some folks, however, the Premium trim might be a necessity. According to Good Housekeeping, the Premium trim gets fast-charging capabilities, allowing the Mustang Mach-E to be more usable on road trips. In any case, all Ford Mustang Mach-E trims are pretty high-tech inside the cabin. They all feature the latest in Ford’s infotainment system, as well as a large suite of standard safety features.

How Good Housekeeping got its list

Obviously, Good Housekeeping, like any car critic, test drove many different EVs to create its list. However, Good Housekeeping also looked at various qualities to pick the best vehicle of them all.

Good Housekeeping did a few extra things for EVs as well. They also looked at important stats like the EV’s charging speeds, driving range, and even things related to charging infrastructure. Good Housekeeping didn’t go at it alone, either. The critic’s experts and engineers also got insights from Car and Driver before making the list.