In late 2020, Ford will be taking Tesla head on. The competition between these two automakers have been mostly just sparring on social media so far, but in late 2020, Ford’s brand-new electric crossover SUV, the Mustang Mach-E, will be hitting dealerships. Why are people so divided over the look of this new car?

What is the Mustang Mach-E?

There are three main aspects of the Mustang Mach-E that Ford has placed its bets on. These three aspects are the fact that the Mustang Mach-E is an electric car, an SUV, and a Mustang. While some Ford fans haven’t reacted well to that, other Ford fans do seem to enjoy the idea and concept behind the Mustang Mach-E.

The fact that the Mustang Mach-E is an EV is simply part of Ford’s plan for the future. The fact that the Mustang Mach-E is an SUV rather than a sports car like every other Mustang has been is a reflection of America’s love for SUVs and trucks over smaller cars. And, what ties it all together, is the Mustang branding. 

Mustangs are famous American cars for many reasons, but chief among them is the fact that a Mustang is a fast, powerful, and cool car. That’s ultimately one of the reasons why Ford gave it the Mustang branding. Ford wants to make a cool EV that’s wildly different than the more boring EVs on the market today. 

How the Mustang Mach-E SUV still looks like a Mustang

As Consumer Reports said, other than just slapping on a Mustang onto the grille and calling it a Mustang, the Mustang Mach-E has many Mustang-looking traits. Its headlights, taillights, and fenders are just some of the design choices that were clearly influenced by the iconic Mustang look, according to Consumer Reports. 

But, while the Mustang Mach-E may look like a Mustang in some angles, in other angles, it’s clear that it’s not the traditional Mustang look. That’s ultimately the result of making the Mustang Mach-E an SUV. As a result of that, it’s simply larger than the Mustang is, and that becomes clear if you look at it from the side. 

That said, from the front, especially if you choose to get the GT trim, Consumer Reports says that the Mustang Mach-E’s grille is very Mustang-like. This allows the Mustang Mach-E to unmistakably be a Mustang when it’s seen from the front. Even though the Mustang Mach-E is taller than the Mustang is, its face is as much of a Mustang as any other Mustangs are. 

The future of the Ford Mustang

However, there are lots of other differences between the looks of Mustang Mach-E and the Mustang of old, according to Consumer Reports. The biggest of which is in its interior, which Ford has totally updated. 

As Consumer Reports said, the Mustang Mach-E’s interior looks more like the interior of a Tesla than a Mustang. For example, the Mustang Mach-E will feature a massive, 15-5-inch touch screen display that will control all the other high-tech features that it has. Some of those high-tech features include a phone-as-key system, a sophisticated voice command system, and Ford’s own suite of smart safety technologies. 

Despite the fact that the Mustang Mach-E resembles the Mustang on the outside in certain angles and simply doesn’t look like a Mustang in the interior, the Mustang Mach-E is still a Mustang to its core. That’s because a Mustang is ultimately a fast, powerful, and cool car. 

The Mustang Mach-E is fast and powerful enough, and Ford clearly thinks that what “cool” means in the 21st century is different than what cool meant back in the ’60s. The Mustang Mach-E takes what looked cool about the original Mustang and brings it to the modern age. This is ultimately what Ford thinks will allow the Mustang Mach-E to compete with Tesla.