The 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E has a hint of the classic muscle car from the 1950s but is a new animal unto itself. The five-passenger electric crossover SUV is turning heads with its captivating looks and superior packaging.

Already winning awards, the Mustang Mach-E is a hard-to-beat EV. It recently received an impressive award. And from the looks of it, it’ll be earning plenty more recognition as the year progresses.

The Ford Mustang Mach-E’s award-winning performance

Ranked number one in midsize SUVs, the 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E has won two distinctive awards from The Car Connection.

Receiving 69 percent of the vote, the Mustang Mach-E won the 2021 Driver’s Choice for Best Performance. It swept the category, beating out the Chevy Corvette and Tesla Model S.

The Mach-E also won The Car Connection‘s 2021 Best Car to Buy award. The sporty performance vehicle received an overall 8.6 out of 10 expert rating score. That’s an impressive accomplishment considering tough competition including the Acura TLX, Toyota RAV4, and Ford Bronco Sport.

Last year’s winner, the 2020 Kia Telluride, garnered stellar reviews and went on to become one of the best-selling SUVs in 2020. If that’s any indication, the 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E is off to a great start.

The 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E at a glance

The Car Connection calls Mach-E a “new Mustang for a new generation.” The beloved muscle car got a facelift and is ready to take on the burgeoning EV market.

Inspired by the original Ford Mustang muscle car, the new Mach-E is an electric crossover SUV in direct competition with the Tesla Model Y, Volvo XC40, and Chevy Bolt.

The galloping pony nods to yesteryear’s Mustang. The distinct styling now focuses on a long wheelbase and a nose that dramatically dips into the front end. Its sloping roofline is indicative of today’s crossover SUVs. The lack of door handles is a new feature that accentuates the rear haunches. And the thin LED headlights and fishbone taillights with sequential indicators are also nods to signature Mustang styling.

With a robust 300-mile range, the California Route 1 RWD model achieves 108 mpg-e in the city and 94 mpg-e on the highway. The 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E offers exceptional value, with a starting price of $49,800.

It’s also loaded with advanced safety features and state-of-the-art tech. That includes a 15.5-inch infotainment touchscreen, a 10.2-inch digital instrument gauge bar, and smartphone integration.

The start of something new

MotorTrend’s North American Utility Vehicle of the Year is considered the Oscar of the auto industry. And this year, the award went to the 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E. Detroit News Auto Critic and NACTOY juror Henry Payne said, “The Mustang Mach-E leapfrogs European EVs as the Tesla Model Y’s most formidable challenger yet. Like Tesla, Mach-E understands that the premium EV market is as much about interior tech as it is about torque.”

The Mustang Mach-E has also been named Edmunds’ Top Rated Luxury EV, Best Electric Car to Buy, and Green Car Reports Best Car to Buy, Ford reports. This is just the beginning of what promises to be a huge year for the new crossover.

The exciting vehicle “isn’t meant to be the tree-hugger’s Mustang — the Mach-E emphasizes performance and technology,” MotorTrend states. It’s a “radical reimagining of the classic Mustang and a glimpse at Ford’s electric future.”