Ford Mustang Mach-E Select vs Kia EV5 GT-Line AWD

The Ford Mustang Mach-E Select lists at $73,394 driveaway, and the Kia EV5 GT-Line AWD at $75,990, so the Ford is $2,596 cheaper. The twist is which grade each is: the Mach-E Select is the entry point of the Ford range, while the EV5 GT-Line is the top of the Kia range. So the cheapest Mach-E undercuts the dearest EV5, which turns the usual price-band logic on its head. Both are September 2026 driveaway prices and move with state on-road costs and any dealer offers, so confirm the drive-away number for your postcode before you sign.

Both claim exactly 470km on the WLTP cycle, so on paper their range is identical. How they get there is not. The rear-drive Mach-E Select uses a 73kWh battery, while the dual-motor all-wheel-drive EV5 GT-Line carries a larger 88.1kWh pack and still lands on the same 470km, because the extra motor, the all-wheel drive and its 20-inch wheels cost it efficiency. In other words the Ford travels as far on 15kWh less battery. Both are laboratory figures, so expect real-world range below them for either car, more so in cold weather or at freeway speed.

The Mach-E Select peaks at 150kW on a DC fast charger and claims 10 to 80 per cent in 32 minutes. The EV5 GT-Line tops out at 141kW and takes about 38 minutes for the same fill, a consequence of Kia's 400-volt architecture, which Australian reviewers consistently flag as behind newer 800-volt rivals. On home AC both accept 11kW, so an overnight top-up is a wash. For a driver who leans on public fast charging on longer trips, the Ford is the quicker of the two to get back on the road, though neither is a charging standout in 2026.

The EV5 GT-Line runs two motors for a combined 230kW and drives all four wheels, and Kia claims 0 to 100km/h in 6.3 seconds. The rear-drive Mach-E Select makes 212kW but a stronger 525Nm of torque to the Kia's 480, and it weighs 129kg less. Ford does not publish a 0 to 100km/h time for the Mach-E, so treat the Kia as the quicker car off the line. On the road, Australian reviewers give the rear-drive Ford the nod for steering feel and engagement, so the choice is straight-line pace and all-weather traction against a more involving drive.

The Kia EV5 GT-Line holds 513 litres behind the rear seats to the Mach-E Select's 402, and 1,714 litres with them folded against the Ford's 1,420. The EV5 also has the larger front boot, at 67 litres to the Mach-E's 49. The Ford claws some of it back with a longer 2,984mm wheelbase against the Kia's 2,750mm, which helps rear legroom, but on outright luggage room the boxier EV5 is the more practical hauler. For a family weighing prams, sports gear and the weekly shop, the Kia has the clear edge here.

Both carry a five-star ANCAP rating. The full active-safety suite, including autonomous emergency braking, lane-keep assist, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert, is standard on each. They split the sub-scores. The Mach-E Select scores higher for adult occupant protection, at 92 per cent to the EV5's 88, while the EV5 leads on vulnerable road user protection, 74 per cent to 69. The Ford's rating rests on 2021 Euro NCAP testing and applies to the Select; the Kia's is from 2024 testing. Safety is not the deciding factor between them.

For family duty the EV5 GT-Line makes the stronger case. It has the bigger boot, at 513 litres to 402, heated rear seats and heated and cooled rear storage, and Kia's seven-year unlimited-kilometre warranty runs two years longer than Ford's five, with capped-price servicing near $400 a visit. The Mach-E Select answers with a longer wheelbase for rear legroom, cheaper entry and a bigger central screen, and it is the more efficient car to run. But on space and ownership cover, the two things a growing family tends to notice most, the Kia is the pick.

For regular long-distance driving the Mach-E Select is the better tool. It matches the EV5's 470km claimed range while using less energy, so it covers more real-world distance per charge, and it charges faster, at 150kW for a 32-minute 10 to 80 per cent stop against the Kia's 141kW and 38 minutes. Over a day of driving with two or three charging stops, those minutes and the efficiency edge add up. The EV5 GT-Line is a comfortable tourer with more standard kit, but the Ford is the quicker, leaner one between chargers.

This pairing sets the entry Mach-E Select against the flagship EV5 GT-Line at almost the same money, and neither is a wrong answer. The Mach-E is the cheaper of the two, more efficient, faster to charge and the better drive, and it is far from stripped out, with a panoramic roof, 360-degree camera and wireless charging standard. The EV5 GT-Line spends its price on kit and space: a head-up display, surround-view cameras, ventilated seats, a bigger boot and a longer warranty. Buy the Ford for how it drives and runs; buy the Kia for what it carries and includes.