Compare the2024 Ford Mustang Mach-EVS 2024 Tesla Model 3

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Mustang Mach-E are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Model 3 doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Mustang Mach-E has a standard 360-Degree Camera to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Model 3 only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Mustang Mach-E’s standard Cross Traffic Alert uses sensors in the rear to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side and Cross Traffic Braking automatically engages the brakes to help avoid a collision. The Model 3 doesn’t offer a rear cross-path warning system.

The Mustang Mach-E has standard 911 Assist, which uses a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver and a cellular system to get turn-by-turn driving directions or send emergency personnel to the scene if any airbags deploy. The Model 3 doesn’t offer a GPS response system, only a navigation computer with no live response for emergencies, so if you’re involved in an accident and you’re incapacitated help may not come as quickly.

Both the Mustang Mach-E and the Model 3 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, post-collision automatic braking systems, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras and driver alert monitors.

The Ford Mustang Mach-E (built after August 2024) has achieved the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS) highest rating of “Top Safety Pick Plus” for the 2024 model year. This distinction is based on its exceptional performance in IIHS’ rigorous battery of safety tests. Specifically, it earned a “Good” rating in the latest, more stringent moderate overlap front crash test, a “Good” result in the updated side impact test, and a “Good” score in the revised pedestrian crash prevention test. The Model 3 has not yet been fully evaluated by the IIHS for 2024.

There are over 15 times as many Ford dealers as there are Tesla dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Mustang Mach-E’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Ford vehicles are better in initial quality than Tesla vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Ford above average in initial quality. With 87 more problems per 100 vehicles, Tesla is rated below average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Ford vehicles are more reliable than Tesla With 13 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Ford higher than Tesla.

The Mustang Mach-E has more powerful engines than the Model 3:

As tested in Motor Trend the Mustang Mach-E GT electric motors is faster than the Model 3 Long Range electric motors:

As tested in Motor Trend the Mustang Mach-E ER eAWD electric motors is faster than the Model 3 Rear-Wheel Drive electric motor:

The Mustang Mach-E ER RWD can travel longer on a full charge than the Model 3 Rear Wheel Drive (320 miles vs. 272 miles).

For better stopping power the Mustang Mach-E’s front brake rotors are larger than those on the Model 3:

The Mustang Mach-E stops much shorter than the Model 3:

For better traction, the Mustang Mach-E GT’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Model 3 (245/45R20 vs. 235/35R20).

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Mustang Mach-E has standard 19-inch wheels. Smaller 18-inch wheels are standard on the Model 3.

The Mustang Mach-E offers an available driver-adjustable suspension system. It allows the driver to choose between an extra-supple ride, reducing fatigue on long trips, or a sport setting, which allows maximum control for tricky roads or off-road. The Model 3’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Mustang Mach-E’s wheelbase is 4.3 inches longer than on the Model 3 (117.5 inches vs. 113.2 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Mustang Mach-E is 1.1 inches wider in the front and 1.3 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the Model 3.

The Mustang Mach-E GT handles at .86 G’s, while the Model 3 pulls only .84 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Mustang Mach-E has 4.1 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Model 3 (101.1 vs. 97).

The Mustang Mach-E has .6 inches more front legroom, 2.4 inches more front hip room, .9 inches more front shoulder room, .4 inches more rear headroom, 3.6 inches more rear legroom, .9 inches more rear hip room and 1.7 inches more rear shoulder room than the Model 3.

In case you lock your keys in your vehicle, or don’t have them with you, you can let yourself in using the Mustang Mach-E’s exterior PIN entry system. The Model 3 doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system.

The Mustang Mach-E’s power window, power lock, power mirror and cruise control switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The Model 3’s passenger power window switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Mustang Mach-E has a standard rear wiper. The Model 3 doesn’t offer a rear wiper.

The Mustang Mach-E’s standard side window demisters help clear frost or condensation from the side windows in the winter. The Model 3 doesn’t even offer side window demisters, so the driver may have to wipe the windows from the outside to gain side vision.

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the Mustang Mach-E has standard extendable sun visors. The Model 3 doesn’t offer extendable visors.

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Ford Mustang Mach-E and the Tesla Model 3, based on reliability, safety and performance.

A group of representative automotive journalists from North America selected the Mustang Mach-E as the 2021 North American Utility Vehicle of the Year. The Model 3 has never been chosen.