Is there a more natural place for someone to step on the accelerator for the first time in an electric car than the much-hyped DirtFish Rally School outside of Seattle, Washington? With gravel wet from a day of fresh, classic Pacific Northwest spring rain? Surely there must be.
And yet, here I am, behind the wheel of the 2024 Ford Mustang Mach-E Rally, politely (and clearly too slowly) following instructions while a very patient rally instructor asks me to “really hit it this time.” Shortly after this instruction, and almost on purpose, I drive sideways.
If this sounds like fun, then, sure, absolutely. Arguably Ford’s best step forward in the controversial electric car series in 2024, the Mustang Mach-E Rally shows the Detroit automaker is ready to entertain. (It’s controversial because not everyone is convinced that a crossover should be called a Mustang, plug-in or not.)
The future of Ford’s electric business may be murky or complicated at best (more on that later), but the Mustang Mach-E Rally shows the automaker willing to pull some tricks to persuade a new audience to leave the gas pump and choose. above the socket.
Dirty electric vehicle
This is Ford’s first rally-inspired electric car. Note the phrase “rally-inspired”: those interested in such a car will sadly not get anything close to Ari Vatanen’s 1988 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb race record, which became legend in climbing dance (skip to 3:08 to see Ari’s casual genius in action).
What you do get, compared to the Mach-E GT version, are some finishing tweaks to make the electric vehicle friendlier on rocky and slippery surfaces: suspension raised by one inch, protective armor for the front and rear motors, wheels rally style that cover Michelin. CrossClimate2 tires (designed to slide), two racing stripes on the front hood and, of course, a rear spoiler. At Ford’s DirtFish event, some kind men lovingly cleaned mud from the windshield and driver’s door between laps, although this is not standard.
The Mach-E Rally comes with the off-road RallySport driving mode with increased yaw (more lateral slip) and aggressive damping to better navigate difficult corners. Tied to that extra inch of ride height is the addition of Ford’s MagneRide suspension system, which is designed to adapt to changing road conditions. It’s powered by integrated sensors and pistons equipped with magnetic damping fluid, which produces firmer or softer bumps depending on what the road demands.
In practice, the RallySport driving mode creates a noticeably more relaxed drive, with the SUV much more willing to slide. Still, the vehicle didn’t allow a Rally rookie to get doomed, let alone killed, which meant it was all actually a lot of fun. Even in the mud, I felt like I got the hang of it quickly. (Of course, an instructor shouted extremely specific braking instructions.)
One of the advantages of driving an electric vehicle is the immediate power you get without having to shift gears, which (for a red-blooded American who can’t remember the last time she was in a manual transmission car, much less behind the wheel of a one—it is appreciated.