Electric Car Comparison: Ford Mustang Mach-E vs. VW ID.4 vs. Toyota bZ4X | Range, Interior & More

Aug 3, 2023

Electric Car Comparison: Ford Mustang Mach-E vs. VW ID.4 vs. Toyota bZ4X | Range, Interior & More

These days, it feels like a new electric car is released every other week, making it more and more difficult to know what makes each one unique. In this electric car comparison, Ryan ZumMallen from Edmunds rounds up three popular electric vehicles — the Ford Mustang Mach-E, Volkswagen ID.4 and Toyota bZ4X — and talks about the good and the bad of these EVs as well as their similarities and differences. Ryan compares the range of each EV, what interior features to expect, how each electric car drives and so much more. Does the new Toyota bZ4X have the goods to stack up against the Mach-E and ID.4? Which EV is the most fun to drive? Ryan covers all of this in our electric car comparison test of the Ford Mustang Mach-E vs. VW ID.4 vs. Toyota bZ4X.

2023 Toyota bZ4X price \u0026 review: https://edmu.in/36NfhR1
2022 Volkswagen ID.4 price \u0026 review: https://edmu.in/2IwZtSP
2022 Ford Mustang Mach-E price \u0026 review: https://edmu.in/37h32tu

00:00 Intro
01:24 The Big 3
03:30 Interior \u0026 Tech
10:22 Driving Impressions
13:17 Testing Numbers
14:57 Edmunds’ Take
Correction: 00:47 In August 2022, Toyota issued a full recall for the bZ4X due to malfunctioning wheel hubs. This video was filmed prior to that announcement.

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Content

0 -> [MUSIC PLAYING]

3.88 ->

7.77 -> RYAN ZUMMALLEN: Well, well, well.

10 -> Looks like demand for electric vehicles is through the roof

13.26 -> right now, just as a whole bunch of new models

15.96 -> are coming to the market.

17.43 -> You know what that means?

18.6 -> Time for a comparison test.

21.86 -> Today, we'll show you all around our very own Volkswagen

24.95 -> ID.4 and our very own Ford Mustang Mach-E. Both of those

29.81 -> are part of the Edmunds long-term test

31.79 -> fleet, which you can read more about right there.

35.12 -> The ID.4 is spacious and practical.

37.82 -> While the Mach-E is fun to drive and this one

40.67 -> has the extended battery for more range.

43.28 -> But what's this?

44.72 -> The Toyota bZ4X.

47.15 -> This is the newest EV on the scene,

49.31 -> and since it's from a company as massive and as popular

53.21 -> as Toyota, it's a big deal.

55.76 -> This is the first proper full EV from Toyota.

58.88 -> So it directly challenges both the ID.4 and the Mach-E.

62.81 -> How does it compete?

63.92 -> And should you swap out your gas powered RAV4 to get one?

67.52 -> Let's find out.

68.84 -> If you're as big a nerd about EVs as we are,

71.42 -> then click Like and Subscribe to see more electric content

74.42 -> in the future.

75.08 -> And if you want to sell your gas guzzler,

76.79 -> go to edmunds.com/sellmycar to get a cash offer on it right

80.58 -> now.

81.08 ->

87.67 -> Let's start with our ID.4.

90.13 -> Now, at its heart, the ID.4 is about everyday practicality.

94.63 -> It's an extremely usable car.

97 -> And by that, I mean there are plenty

98.68 -> of places to store people and cargo, plus it's got a family

102.88 -> friendly price.

104.08 -> Starting prices for the ID.4 range

106.18 -> from about $42,000 to $49,000.

109.42 -> And importantly, the ID.4 is available

111.79 -> for a full federal tax credit, which

114.01 -> means that you could get up to $7,500 back off

117.31 -> the price of the vehicle.

118.69 -> Not every EV comes with that offer.

121.27 -> Click the box here to read our detailed article

123.43 -> explaining the EV credit process and what you can expect.

127.24 -> Next up is the Mach-E. Call it a Mustang or don't.

131.35 -> Doesn't bother me.

132.52 -> But what's clear is that Ford puts style and fun

135.73 -> front and center.

137.29 -> That doesn't mean that other areas have to suffer.

140.35 -> In fact, the Mach-E is surprisingly practical.

143.26 -> In fact, we like the Mach-E so much

145.42 -> we named it the Edmunds Top Rated Luxury EV for 2021.

149.14 -> Pricing starts at about $45,000 for base models,

152.41 -> and can go all the way up to $63,000

154.99 -> for the high performance GT model.

156.85 -> Keep in mind that you'll have to get in line for a 2023,

160 -> as all the 2022 versions are sold out.

164.81 -> Finally, let's talk bZ4X.

167.78 -> Well, it's Toyota.

169.57 -> And by that, I mean you should know exactly what you're

171.86 -> getting into.

172.61 -> All the controls are sensibly placed.

174.81 -> Everything's easy to find.

176.66 -> Just because it's an EV doesn't mean

178.58 -> it needs to be weird, or different, or out there.

182.57 -> bZ4X is essentially just like any other car,

185.39 -> and that's a very appealing prospect to a lot of people.

189.26 -> So if you're coming from a traditional gas car into an EV,

192.62 -> there's not much you need to learn about operating this car.

195.68 -> Just charging, which we'll cover later.

198.44 -> Pricing is similar to the ID.4.

200.48 -> Ranging from about $43,000 to $48000 for a new bZ4X.

205.14 -> Now that we know a little more about these three

207.14 -> EVs, let's dive inside.

208.91 -> [MUSIC PLAYING]

212.33 ->

214.77 -> I'm just going to let you know right now,

216.6 -> this isn't going to go well for the Volkswagen

219.06 -> ID.4 for one main reason.

221.73 -> We'll get to that later.

222.84 -> First, when you get into the ID.4

224.97 -> it is very easy to find a comfortable position

227.94 -> and have space to move around, which is really nice.

230.55 -> And check this out.

231.66 -> When you adjust the steering wheel,

234.54 -> the driver display moves with it.

238.23 -> Pretty neat.

239.46 -> Our car came with cloth seats, but I

241.59 -> find them really comfortable and supportive with a great shape.

245.52 -> The only thing is there's no ventilation option.

248.29 -> It's kind of a bummer.

249.3 -> There's also a lot of glass space around me

251.7 -> with the windshield and the windows,

253.35 -> which makes for excellent outward visibility.

255.75 -> Plus, this screen is really nicely

257.55 -> placed, big and vibrant, but that brings us to technology.

261.54 -> The control system for the ID.4 is just bad.

264.6 -> B-A-D, bad.

266.25 -> There's no way around it.

267.51 -> It's the same system Volkswagen is rolling

269.28 -> out in some other models, but especially

271.26 -> in the ID.4, which is supposed to be easy to use,

274.38 -> family friendly.

275.64 -> Having a frustrating feature like that just kind of ruins

278.85 -> the experience.

279.93 -> Sometimes pressing these buttons just doesn't work.

283.29 -> And even when it does, it doesn't really

285.34 -> give you the confidence that it's

286.71 -> doing what you want it to do.

288.3 -> I've been driving this car for over a week now

290.61 -> and you can slide the screen side to side slowly.

295.41 -> And then I didn't realize until just

297.18 -> now that there's more hidden buttons under here

299.41 -> that I didn't even know we're there.

301.59 -> Seems pretty important thing to know.

303.45 -> VW designers, see me after class.

306.24 -> As for space in the back seat, there

308.13 -> is plenty of room with excellent anchors for attaching car

311.76 -> seats for infants and children.

313.41 -> Cargo space comes to just over 30 cubic feet in total,

316.98 -> which falls in between the Mach-E and the bZ4X.

320.88 -> There is a hidden underfloor storage area in the trunk,

324 -> and the floor will drop down a space, too,

326.57 -> to give you a little extra room.

327.96 -> One downside of the ID.4 is there

330.18 -> is no front trunk, or frunk, which a lot of EV owners

333.96 -> love having.

335.22 -> Sadly, not this time.

336.9 ->

341.26 -> We're here now in the Mustang Mach-E.

343.33 -> And just like many other electric vehicles,

345.46 -> one of the hallmarks in here is how easy

347.62 -> it is to slide right inside and get comfortable.

350.89 -> Now, immediately upon getting in here, especially having just

353.86 -> come out of the ID.4, it's very apparent

356.23 -> that the interior has a lot more character and styling to it.

359.98 -> Flowing lines and different mixed materials.

363.28 -> It's got nice visibility, glass all the way around,

366.1 -> with pretty thin pillars.

367.6 -> The only thing that really hampers visibility

369.52 -> is the big, enlarged cowled hood up in front.

373.75 -> However, just keep in mind that even though that hood is big,

376.6 -> that's also the reason that it can fit a frunk inside.

379.63 -> The Mach-E is the only one of the three cars

381.52 -> in this video that has a frunk.

383.35 -> Coming around now to the seats, our Mach-E

385.42 -> has big comfortable leather seats.

387.79 -> And this is the sportiest car out of the three,

389.92 -> and it has the least side support.

392.41 -> So they're big and wide, but it's very easy to, like,

395.29 -> slide side to side in them.

396.85 -> Kind of a strange thing for a Mustang.

399.22 -> They are comfortable, though.

401.47 -> And then, finally, we come to the centerpiece, the 15.5 inch

405.85 -> center touchscreen right in front.

408.04 -> This is a really nice system.

409.81 -> Everything is big and clear, vibrant, easy

412.45 -> to see and use and move around.

415.27 -> It's run by Ford's Sync 4 Infotainment

417.76 -> system, which we think is one of the best out there.

420.46 -> And having it in the Mach-E is definitely

422.86 -> a big plus for this car.

424.51 -> There's also a slim driver display right in front

427.39 -> to display your speed and other information,

430.36 -> and it really rounds out the technology

432.4 -> in this car, which is one of its biggest strengths.

435.22 -> Moving into the back seat there is

436.69 -> good legroom for rear passengers,

438.58 -> and even better headroom.

440.05 -> We also like the space for child seats,

442.06 -> but the anchors are kind of hidden and a little bit

444.61 -> harder to get to.

445.51 -> Now, cargo space comes to over 34 cubic feet, which

448.96 -> is the best of this group.

450.22 -> Just keep in mind that that includes the frunk.

452.95 -> Man, I love saying frunk.

454.12 ->

457.23 -> Now, we are inside the Toyota bZ4X.

460.38 -> And the first thing I noticed upon getting in

462.69 -> is this car has a higher ride height than you might expect.

466.29 -> So you do notice that upon getting in,

468.06 -> the floor is just a little bit higher than the other models

470.52 -> that we have here.

471.27 -> Remember, it's come from a partnership with Subaru.

473.49 -> And I think as part of that, they

475.02 -> wanted to have a higher ground clearance.

476.97 -> This car has about eight inches, which is

479.58 -> a lot for an EV in this class.

482.24 -> Now, it's not a problem getting into the front, but in the rear

484.86 -> it's a little more pronounced because that roofline is lower.

487.98 -> One thing that is an issue you should know about

490.11 -> is the position of your seat, and the steering wheel,

493.95 -> and the driver display.

495.51 -> I'm finding it hard to describe exactly what you need to do,

498.63 -> but basically you have to get your seat height at a position

501.84 -> where you can see the road, but also where

504.36 -> you can see the driver display.

505.83 -> And it's not being blocked by the rim of the steering wheel.

508.86 -> It just takes a lot of constant adjusting.

511.89 -> See, that's too high, but this feels too low.

515.16 -> Maybe I lower my seat.

516.84 -> That doesn't feel right.

518.49 -> Another thing that doesn't feel like it should

520.56 -> be a problem in any car is there's

522.66 -> a lot of piano, glossy black plastic

525.24 -> right here on this console.

526.83 -> It makes it look a little bit classier in here,

528.81 -> I understand why they did it.

530.02 -> Problem is, because it curves at this angle,

532.65 -> if any sunlight hits it, it reflects it right back

535.23 -> into the face, in the eyes, of the driver.

537.88 -> Typically, you don't want to be blinded by sunlight

540 -> when you're driving.

541.32 -> That brings us to this center touch screen.

543.69 -> This is a nicely presented screen.

545.73 -> The maps are really clear and easy to use and move around on.

549.54 -> I think this new audio and multimedia

551.97 -> system that Toyota has been implementing

553.92 -> is really a home-run for the brand.

556.56 -> And it's a big plus in the bZ4X.

559.29 -> Now, let's move on to the seats.

560.82 -> Surprisingly, I think the bZ4X has the best seats of the three

564.69 -> cars that we have here today.

565.91 -> That's because they're comfortable

567.33 -> and this limited model comes with leather upholstery.

570.03 -> There's a lot more side support than in either of the other two

573.27 -> cars.

574.14 -> So as you're going side to side, you're

575.77 -> being held in place, which is very nice.

577.62 -> In the back seat of the bZ4X, there

579.78 -> is a spacious rear seat for passengers.

582.48 -> Although, it does require a bit of a step to get up to it.

585.93 -> Now, the bZ4X doesn't have the most impressive stats when

589.19 -> it comes to rear space, but we found that the room

591.27 -> is usable in all directions.

593.25 -> There's plenty for a bulky infancy, for example.

596.22 -> However, when it comes to cargo space,

597.96 -> the bZ4X is trailing this group with 27.7 cubic feet

603.21 -> of cargo space.

604.29 -> And if you get the upgraded JBL stereo system,

607.38 -> that falls to under 26 cubic feet.

610.53 -> But the trunk space is pretty wide

612.69 -> and the floor can be lowered.

614.04 -> As for a frunk, it's a no-go this time.

616.59 -> Just like the ID.4, the bZ4X does not have one.

620.28 -> Bummer.

620.78 -> [MUSIC PLAYING]

623.9 ->

625.78 -> Power comes reasonably quick in the ID.4.

628.45 -> There's just not a whole lot of it, especially

631.12 -> in the single motor version we have here.

633.16 -> It won't light your hair on fire, but that's OK.

635.83 -> This is a family SUV.

637.42 -> More important is the braking.

639.25 -> The ID.4 has strong regenerative brakes,

642.22 -> meaning that when you let off the throttle

644.17 -> it will automatically brake and you

645.88 -> can intensify the feeling by switching to the B drive mode.

649.3 -> But it's not full one pedal driving.

651.7 -> It won't take you all the way down to a stop.

654.01 -> It still gives you a nice EV feel, though.

656.68 -> The ID.4 likes to be driven leisurely.

659.41 -> Drive it that way and you'll be rewarded

661.15 -> with a smooth quiet ride.

662.98 -> The steering is actually more responsive

664.9 -> than you might think.

665.89 -> It feels easy and accurate at any speed.

668.68 -> Driving the ID.4 around town is a comfortable, composed

671.95 -> experience.

673.12 -> That's a big plus for families.

674.71 ->

677.43 -> The Mustang Mach-E is the most fun to drive of our three EVs

680.82 -> here.

681.54 -> The weight feels low to the ground and easy to control.

684.9 -> The Mach-E also has smooth, consistent braking.

687.66 -> And if you like one pedal driving, good news.

690.33 -> It will come all the way down to a stop on its own.

693.21 -> The only one that does that in this test.

695.7 -> Despite all that power, the steering

697.5 -> is more loose than I expected.

699.33 -> That makes it comfortable, but it's also awfully vague.

702.42 -> You can also feel the Mach-E shifting its weight from side

705.09 -> to side, even at slow speeds.

707.22 -> It's just more pronounced than the others.

709.38 -> Still, the ride is quite smooth.

711.45 -> This is an enjoyable EV to drive.

713.58 -> Perhaps, too eventful if you prefer mature and buttoned up,

717.9 -> but there is Mustang blood running

719.85 -> through these electric veins.

721.13 ->

724.2 -> Into the bZ4X, first you'll need to get

727.41 -> used to the driving position.

728.85 -> You sit up pretty high and there isn't much

731.34 -> adjustability in the seats.

732.93 -> Also, the steering wheel feels low and small in diameter.

736.83 -> This combination makes the bZ4X generally awkward

739.8 -> to drive, especially at first.

741.78 -> Thankfully, the steering feels direct and more

744.6 -> natural than the other two EVs.

746.7 -> Once moving, the bZ4X can provide bursts of power,

749.61 -> but it's much more interested in comfort.

752.61 -> Thankfully, the brakes are well-tuned and easy to work

755.49 -> in order to achieve a smooth, full stop.

758.43 -> However, there is no one pedal braking.

761.46 -> Drive the bZ4X like a docile family vehicle

764.4 -> and you'll find a willing and pleasant partner.

767.46 -> It just doesn't want to go above and beyond in any manner.

774.19 -> To sum it up, the Mach-E feels the most alive

776.8 -> of these three EVs.

778.12 -> It's fun to drive while still remaining easy and comfortable.

781.42 -> Meanwhile, the ID.4 and bZ4X are nice to drive,

784.6 -> but they're also somewhat bland and nondescript.

788.32 -> Kind of like their names.

790.09 -> Pick the Mach-E for excitement and the ID.4

793.03 -> for refinement and precision.

794.77 ->

799.51 -> We also put all three cars on our Edmunds EV range test.

803.44 -> Now, the Mach-E has the biggest battery.

806.11 -> So it stands to reason that it has the highest EPA

809.17 -> estimated range at 300 miles.

811.75 -> And it outperformed even that, logging

814.63 -> 341 miles on a single charge on our route.

818.47 -> The ID.4, it's got the second largest battery.

821.59 -> So no surprise, it has the second highest estimated range.

825.7 -> It also way overperformed.

827.86 -> That's big time.

829.69 -> Finally, the bZ4X.

831.73 -> It has the smallest battery, so we're not

834.04 -> shocked to see it has the lowest estimated range of 242 miles.

839.41 -> We are shocked, however, to see it underperform significantly,

843.49 -> finishing with 227 miles on a single charge.

846.88 -> That puts it way down the leaderboard.

850.21 -> Now, a word on charging.

851.92 -> We recommend using a level 2 home charger, which typically

855.19 -> costs in the ballpark of around $1,000

857.77 -> to install depending on where you live.

860.17 -> Charging regularly at home is the most convenient way

862.75 -> to make sure you have suitable range for the day.

865.09 -> There are also public stations for when you're out and about.

868.18 -> Some of these have level 3 fast chargers that

870.4 -> will help you juice up quickly.

872.05 -> Toyota even offers bZ4X owners with one year

875.41 -> of free charging at EV Go public stations.

878.08 -> Not bad.

879.55 -> The bZ4X showed the best electric efficiency

882.19 -> in our testing, but all three EVs here

884.77 -> are cheaper to fuel than their gas alternatives.

888.64 -> There's a lot more to know about electric vehicles and charging,

891.67 -> so check out our EV guide on edmunds.com

894.52 -> to get the full rundown.

895.6 ->

901.21 -> We set out to learn a lot today, and here's where I've ended up.

905.89 -> The Volkswagen ID.4 has the steepest learning curve out

909.25 -> of the group thanks to its aggressively bad touch

912.64 -> capacitive controls.

914.26 -> And the Ford Mustang Mach-E is the most expensive EV

917.89 -> here today, but it's also the most ambitious

920.95 -> and is at the top of the list in terms of fun.

924.01 -> That brings me back to my original question,

926.41 -> how does the bZ4X stack up in this class?

929.8 -> The bZ4X feels like it wasn't necessarily

932.74 -> made to compete with other electric vehicles,

936.4 -> it was made to be an electric Toyota.

940.12 -> This is the kind of car that you get because you

942.28 -> know exactly what to expect.

944.41 -> It's easy to get inside.

946.09 -> You know where all the controls are

947.56 -> and what they're going to do.

948.79 -> And it'll get you where you need to go.

951.31 -> You know, Toyota stuff.

953.29 -> As for whether you should give up your RAV4 to get one,

956.29 -> in my opinion, the answer is not really.

959.44 -> The gas RAV4 is more affordable and offers more space.

963.07 -> And you can get a hybrid version for great mileage.

965.98 -> Consider a bZ4X only if you really want to go electric.

970.78 -> What about the others?

971.89 -> For families on the EV hunt, I would rank them like this.

975.31 -> ID.4, then Mach-E, then bZ4X.

979.87 -> The ID.4 has annoying controls, but it's spacious, affordable,

984.28 -> and strong on range.

986.08 -> The Mach-E isn't currently available,

988.42 -> but our 2021 Edmunds top rated luxury EV is worth waiting for.

993.04 -> Thanks to its sportiness and space, including that frunk.

997.06 -> Finally, the bZ4X comes up short in too many places like range,

1001.65 -> ergonomics, and some unforced errors like that sunlight

1004.89 -> glare.

1005.79 -> It is spacious, though, and easy to use.

1008.73 -> You know, it's fine.

1011.04 -> Fine is great for some people.

1012.84 -> You're just going to have to ask yourself,

1015.24 -> are you one of those people?

1016.68 -> [MUSIC PLAYING]

1020.03 ->

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSSmIugOIBY