Ford has been busy making incremental updates to its popular Mustang Mach-E, unveiling the 2025 version to reporters this week. Here's what we saw:

Ford invited us to Monticello Speedway in New York to see the 2025 Mustang Mach-E and drive the Mach-E Rally Edition through the dirt (more on that later).

We didn't get to drive the 2025 Mustang Mach-E, but we did take a thorough tour.

Smaller frunk/heat pump

The biggest upgrade/downgrade here is that the Mach-E now has a heat pump instead of a resistance heater. Depending on how well this is integrated into the vehicle's heating and cooling systems, including batteries and passenger compartment, it should significantly improve the vehicle's range, especially in climates with extreme temperatures. Range wasn't available for the 2025s yet, but don't expect a big EPA increase here like last year.

Unfortunately, the heat pump system couldn't fit under the existing Mach-E hood without taking up some trunk space. You'll recall that Ford was proud to develop a 4.8-gallon/36-gallon trunk that also drained, allowing for a tailgate and other options. Compare the much larger previous Frunk:

Ford told us that the Frunk wouldn't be used as much as they had imagined, and that a significantly smaller Frunk wouldn't represent a major loss for the typical Mach-E customer.

I'm not sure if the ease of accessibility or the frunk in general was the problem with using it. I know that the Ford F-150 Frunk is one of its greatest attributes and that more practical Frunks like those from Rivian and Tesla are very popular with their owners.

I wonder if the heat pump packaging could have been designed more elegantly to allow the trunk to retain most of its size, or, better yet, allowed Ford to create a more easily accessible trunk that could carry groceries and expand the drain function like that something like cooling options.

Other exterior improvements include a slightly redesigned front fascia, which you can see above, and new color options including Grabber Yellow, previously only available on the Rally Edition. Other new colors include Velocity Blue, Desert Tan and Magenta.

Interior improvements:

Perhaps the biggest experience change is moving the shifter from the console to the steering column, freeing up some space in the console and eliminating the polarizing “select a gear” interface. This immediately seems like a big improvement.

In the premium models, Ford praised the continuous red stitching and the sports pedals, which definitely enhance the appearance. Ventilated seats will also be available in all premium models.

Ford has also made some improvements to the charging interface, which will also be available for earlier versions of the Mach-E via a software update.

New Ford Connectivity package

The new Ford Connectivity package includes:

• Wi-Fi® Hotspot: With 5G Wi-Fi, drivers and their families stay online and connected while on the move. This can be used for up to 10 personal devices and can be up to 50 feet away from the vehicle, ideal for camping or tailgating.
• Apps: Access apps from the in-vehicle screen to watch YouTube or sing along to in-vehicle karaoke while the vehicle is parked. Additionally, residents can stream their favorite audio entertainment apps via Alexa.
• Maps: Access connected navigation to get where you need to go, including features like EV Trip Planner, Predictive Destinations and route guidance.

Finally, BlueCruise 1.5 will be available for the 2025 Mustang Mach-Es, which features automatic lane changing. Ford said it will automate up to 50% of lane changing in the Blue Cruise.

The “one more thing” is the starting price, which will now be $36,495 for a base model. Further prices have yet to be published.

Electrek's take

I like every single update here (except the smaller trunk), but I wonder if Ford is iterating fast enough to keep up with the competition. Tesla's Model Y in particular appears to be quite competitive, even though the starting price is now $8,000 higher.