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Review: 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E Brings Wireless CarPlay to a Huge Infotainment Display
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CarPlay is all fine and good but what about unlocking and starting it with my Apple Watch?
I read that got MY22 Mach E will get a 2nd key fob (surprised that there was only one til now TBH); is this because we can’t use or watch or pocketed phone to get in and drive away? If so that would be a tremendous oversight/shortcoming.
I read that got MY22 Mach E will get a 2nd key fob (surprised that there was only one til now TBH); is this because we can’t use or watch or pocketed phone to get in and drive away? If so that would be a tremendous oversight/shortcoming.
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You don’t know stang about mustang: The original mustang was a secretaries car built on a falcon chassis.
It’s had 4, 6 or 8 cylinders. It’s been slow and fast, plain and a looker. It was prototyped as a 4-door coupe and a 2-door wagon in the 60’s.
The Mach-E can run circles around any historical production Mustang and is also to get you ready for the eventual end of the Mustang 2-Dr with ICE powertrain.
Full disclosure I own an OG Ford pony car.
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Agree, the integration could be better.
I wonder what it’s like to clobber the edge of that thing with your hand in a frontal impact.
You can unlock and start with an Apple Watch. I use it everyday when the phone as key doesn't work.
These giant displays are more distracting than a 5" phone. I can't remember the last time a stop light turned green and there wasn't some idiot getting updated on his/her social media feed.
Does it also now allow for more than 5 seconds of full power or is that still in the works?
One of the hottest electric vehicles at the moment is Ford's Mustang Mach-E, and I recently had a chance to spend some time in a 2021 model in First Edition trim to test out all of its features including the SYNC 4A infotainment system on a massive 15.5-inch portrait display with support for wireless CarPlay.
I went hands-on with the 2021 F-150 hybrid with SYNC 4 a few months ago, but the SYNC 4A infotainment system in the Mach-E offers a rather different experience.
The Mach-E offers very little in the way of hardware controls, certainly as far as the dash and center stack are concerned, with almost all of the vehicle's functions handled through the main infotainment screen that dominates the vehicle's interior. About the only hardware control in the traditional center stack area is a textured ring for controlling volume, and even that is mounted directly on the screen in a very neat touch.
SYNC 4A Infotainment
The SYNC 4A infotainment system is essentially divided vertically into four sections, with a narrow top bar at the top offering some high-level information on the vehicle and access to some shortcuts, a main app section, a card-based interface for changing between functions, and a climate control section at the bottom.
SYNC 4A relies heavily on the card-based user interface, with the swipeable row of cards offering information on and access to features such as the radio, onboard navigation, phone, owner's manual, and more. Tapping any of them brings the corresponding full app to the main portion of the screen. If you're using CarPlay, that will take over this primary portion of the screen that offers a generous amount of space, but you'll still have access to the native infotainment functions on the rest of the screen.
I've repeatedly noted that I'm not a fan of screen-based climate controls, so that's a knock against the Mach-E. Automatic systems are, however, getting more and more sophisticated to allow you to mostly "set it and forget it" with only the occasional temperature adjustment or a temporary shift to defrost mode, for example. You can also use the built-in voice assistant to make changes to your settings without having to touch the screen.
While the huge portrait display and the volume ring are very futuristic looking, I'm not a huge fan of the overall look of the SYNC 4A system, as it just feels bland to me. That blandness is even more noticeable when you've got CarPlay with its vibrant apps and icons displayed on a portion of the screen.
CarPlay
I still tell everyone who will listen that wireless CarPlay is a life-changing feature, even if you're coming from the wired version. Having CarPlay automatically pop up on the screen without having to take your phone out of your pocket just makes the whole experience so much smoother. So even for short drives where in the past I wouldn't have bothered digging out my phone and plugging it in, with wireless I've got CarPlay up and ready to go if I need it.
Fortunately, wireless CarPlay comes standard with SYNC 4A and the Mach-E, something that's becoming more and more common as car manufacturers have accelerated development on their infotainment systems in response to customer demand and rapidly changing technology.
CarPlay is bright and vibrant on the Mach-E's display, and I like that it only takes up a portion of the screen so I still have access to information and controls from the native system. But while CarPlay is reasonably large on the screen, it's unfortunately not widescreen, which is a feature I've come to appreciate on many cars for the much more expansive view of navigation apps like Apple Maps. Still, CarPlay looks good and works well, and it's well-positioned to be visible while not being too far out of your line of sight while driving.
Ford has also recently rolled out a software update that enables CarPlay to take over even more of the screen, shrinking the native card interface in the row below and offering a more square aspect ratio for CarPlay, although this functionality wasn't available on my vehicle at the time of testing. It seems to have appeared first in the new GT models before making its way into other versions of the vehicle.
Digital Cluster
Similar to the VW ID.4, the Mach-E doesn't have much directly in front of the driver, going for a minimal look that relies on a 10.2-inch display to provide all of the relevant information.
The display shows battery level and range data, current gear, speed, vehicle safety data, navigation prompts, and more, dynamically adjusting as needed based on what's happening with the vehicle. Second-screen navigation prompts for Apple Maps in CarPlay are supported on the driver's display, offering another way to help keep you headed in the right direction.
Charging and Ports
As with most of the rest of the hardware in the vehicle, connectivity options in the Mach-E are a bit sparse, but you do get a set of USB ports (one USB-A and one USB-C) located prominently below the center display for wired connectivity. There's another set of USB-A and USB-C ports for second-row passengers.
There's also a wireless charging pad adjacent to the front ports, located under a portion of a rubber mat for keeping other items from sliding around too much. The mat has dividers to separate the main bin into sections, and the wireless charging area is JUST big enough to accommodate a Max-sized iPhone. If you have a bulky case on yours, it might not quite fit.
Wrap-up
Given that this is an Apple site and not an EV site, I haven't focused on some of the main features of the Mach-E such as the driving experience, but I will say it was a joy to drive with the snappy performance you expect from an EV of this type. Acceleration off the line was excellent, thanks in significant part to my tester being a First Edition eAWD model with 346 horses and a 0–60 time of 4.8 seconds. It's not as quick as the new GT editions that can push that time down into the mid-3s, but it's a big step up from the lower-end RWD versions with times closer to six seconds.
As for the SYNC 4A infotainment system and CarPlay, I have mixed feelings about these. The large portrait display is certainly eye-catching, but I don't love the overall look and I wish more functions were still available as hardware controls. The portrait display pretty much precludes the possibility of a widescreen CarPlay layout, but aside from that, I thought it worked well with the SYNC 4A system.
The wireless connectivity was solid in my experience, and wireless phone charging worked well with the tight fit on the charging mat ensuring that my phone couldn't become misaligned while driving. And thankfully, both wireless CarPlay and wireless phone charging are standard across all trims.
I'm glad to see support for Apple Maps directions in the digital cluster coming to more and more vehicles, and Ford has done a good job making that information fit in with the overall look of the system.
Article Link: Review: 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E Brings Wireless CarPlay to a Huge Infotainment Display
I don't understand - these things are a distraction for the driver. It will result in accidents, injuries and deaths.
What have I misunderstood?
On my car, I have buttons on the steering wheel to change audio volume and radio station without me having to move my hands or eyes. There isn't more functionality than that. That seems the right approach.
And touch-navigating menus and submenus .. seems like a very dangerous idea.
Is this a US thing that isn't allowed in Europe?
What have I misunderstood?
On my car, I have buttons on the steering wheel to change audio volume and radio station without me having to move my hands or eyes. There isn't more functionality than that. That seems the right approach.
And touch-navigating menus and submenus .. seems like a very dangerous idea.
Is this a US thing that isn't allowed in Europe?
Not a fan of portrait displays in cars. The CarPlay implementation is horrendous. It should always be full screen on any car.
At least Subaru somewhat remedied the portrait screen issue.
At least Subaru somewhat remedied the portrait screen issue.
This is literally a reason my fiance and I are not considering a Tesla. Would not buy a car without CarPlay. I don't care how fancy they think the internal system is... I just want an experience that is perfectly integrated with my phone.
Sure, but why not just drop an EV drivetrain in a real mustang and call it a day? That would be a much more desirable vehicle than this horrible mishmash of design ideas.
It's funny, when my friends look at my Model S, they say "eh, it's an electric car" and I respond with, "Its an American Muscle Car, more so than any other car currently being made".
Ford should have a) made this thing look like a mustang, like they did with the F-150 Lightning, or b) not called it a mustang.
The true EV Mustang is coming. It will be a beast.
But, for me, the awesome note coming out of the back of my 2019 Mustang GT and the feel of rowing through the gears myself will always win out.
However, I do believe all of my other cars will be full EV from now on. I don't need my small SUV to sound like anything or spew CO2 when I'm driving my son to daycare...
But we'll never know what it would have done with another name, the name could be holding it back. This is Fords first real electric vehicle.
I’ve got one, and it‘s a bit love/hate with the screens.
The climate controls are awful. I’ve had several cars now that have touchscreen controls for full climate control features, but this is the first car I’ve had that didn’t at least have basic hard buttons. I always thought it was stupid to have both, but only having them on a screen is a pain. I would have much preferred the screen to be smaller and had at least some buttons for the climate underneath it.
The screen is a bit awkward to use while you’re driving, but since the car kind of takes care of itself while moving, especially if you have the cruise control on, it doesn’t feel as sketchy as it should if you have to poke around on the screen for a few seconds.
There could be a lot more information on the driver screen. The screen is pretty big with a lot of empty space. It feels wastful.
The wireless CarPlay is so nice that I bought a dongle to enable this on my other car. It really is nice, just having it pop up when you start the car while your phone is in your pocket. It works just as well for Android Auto, too.
I really wish that CarPlay could tell when the car is not in motion and let you watch video when the car is charging. Not that I’ve ever sat in the car and waited for a charge, but I’m sure that it will come up sooner or later.
I also wish that updates were more reliable on this system. I’m kind of tired of hearing about all of these new features while mine has yet to receive a single update. It pisses me off to see the screen say that my system is up to date when I know for sure that it isn’t.
Not that this is unique to the Mustang, but I’m really enjoying that I can drive my 50-mile-each-way commute to work five days a week for just $40 a year. That really takes the sting out of complaining about the features.
The climate controls are awful. I’ve had several cars now that have touchscreen controls for full climate control features, but this is the first car I’ve had that didn’t at least have basic hard buttons. I always thought it was stupid to have both, but only having them on a screen is a pain. I would have much preferred the screen to be smaller and had at least some buttons for the climate underneath it.
The screen is a bit awkward to use while you’re driving, but since the car kind of takes care of itself while moving, especially if you have the cruise control on, it doesn’t feel as sketchy as it should if you have to poke around on the screen for a few seconds.
There could be a lot more information on the driver screen. The screen is pretty big with a lot of empty space. It feels wastful.
The wireless CarPlay is so nice that I bought a dongle to enable this on my other car. It really is nice, just having it pop up when you start the car while your phone is in your pocket. It works just as well for Android Auto, too.
I really wish that CarPlay could tell when the car is not in motion and let you watch video when the car is charging. Not that I’ve ever sat in the car and waited for a charge, but I’m sure that it will come up sooner or later.
I also wish that updates were more reliable on this system. I’m kind of tired of hearing about all of these new features while mine has yet to receive a single update. It pisses me off to see the screen say that my system is up to date when I know for sure that it isn’t.
Not that this is unique to the Mustang, but I’m really enjoying that I can drive my 50-mile-each-way commute to work five days a week for just $40 a year. That really takes the sting out of complaining about the features.
Saw one on the road today. It has more presence than any Tesla. Red is a great color on this.
Exactly, it's an abomination calling an SUV a Mustang.
On the VW you pick a primary and a secondary and you can always switch them on the fly, but not via an automatic popup.
Mustangs have been all over the map in what they looked liked and how they were configured since inception. So, yeah.
Now, the new Corvette? No more a Corvette than a Porsche 928 was a 911.
No one is buying it for the name, they are buying it because it's a fast electric SUV. They will burn in hell for destroying the value of the Mustang name. They should have built a low, fast, lean and mean electric beast of a coupe, and saved the Mustang name for that. Instead they built an electric soccer mum SUV, with a decently fast electric motor in it, and burnt the Mustang name to a crisp.
Exactly. They've just started putting cameras at traffic lights in Australia, so they can dish out fines for people using their phones.... whilst stopped at a red light ffs!!!! And yet, I can plug in my phone to CarPlay, and mess about on that screen while driving to my heart's content. And guess what happens when I get a message on my phone now when driving... I don't wait until I'm stopped at a red light to check it, oh no, that could get me a fine... so instead, I actually wait until I am driving to check it, so that I don't get a fine. Insanity.
Actually, they should’ve. It was a risk, and look how it translated to their marketing ploy, recruiting those who want a performance EV vehicle, coupling the Mustang branding, and yet Ford is showing the future of where this is leading. And it’s worked out in their favor in every which way.
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This brand switching is absurd. The venn diagram of who wants a traditional mustang and who wants this is nearly zero. Cue “Look how they massacred my boy” memes.