Ford, Mercedes Set To Take on Subaru With New Vehicles

Two new, off-road friendly vehicles by two different automakers are set to take on Subaru. Not Jeep, Subaru.

The fresh additions to automaker lineups aren't promoting off-road capability in the traditional sense. One is an all-electric rally-ready racer. The other, a luxury station wagon primed for an estate's dirt pathways.

"Subaru has built its brand around capable, adventure-ready vehicles and has successfully increased market share over the past couple of decades. Over the past decade, there has been a notable shift in consumer attention to more rugged vehicles and styling, and automakers are capitalizing in various ways," Paul Waatti, manager of industry insights at AutoPacific told Newsweek.

New generations designed and engineers with an increased focus on electrification and digitization are helping to close the gap between the possible and aspirational for automakers. And buyers are responding.

"Like Subaru, brands like Jeep, Toyota, Ford, and Land Rover have long histories with off-road-capable vehicles but traditionally catered to more niche followings. Today, these vehicles are more popular than ever."

Ford Mustang Mach-E Rally

Ford's electrified crossover model lineup gets a new angle with this electric vehicle (EV). The Mustang Mach-E Rally is the first rally-inspired EV in Ford history, taking elements of the Ford Bronco Sport, Mustang Mach-E and Focus RS and combining them into a new package.

The automaker designed and created a new rally course at its Michigan Proving Grounds to help develop the model and benchmarked the Subaru WRX's capabilities against the Ford.

"Just a year ago, this was merely an idea, and what you see today is a testament to the passion and intense creativity of our Model E team," Donna Dickson, chief engineer of the Mustang Mach-E said in a press release.

Power for the the new Mustang Mach-E Rally comes from a lithium-ion battery with 91-kilowatt-hours of usable energy. It has the same powertrain as the Mustang Mach-E GT, but with tuning that targets 480 horsepower (hp) and 650 pound-feet (lb-ft) of torque.

Ford is targeting 250 miles of all-electric range for the model, and it will have the ability to charge from 10 to 80 percent in approximately 36 minutes in ideal charging conditions.

"Electrified powertrains can offer silent off-roading and functional off-road benefits through instantaneous torque and easily directed torque distribution. Ford's all-electric Mustang Mach-E Rally speaks to the environmentally friendly and the performance crowd. It's an exciting new offering for the Mustang Mach-E lineup. It shows how innovative thinking and product planning can stretch a vehicle line's bandwidth - from efficient to performance, on- and off-road," Waatti said.

The Mustang Mach-E Rally's ride height is increased 20 millimeters over the Mustang Mach-E GT and it comes with specially tuned springs, MagneRide shocks and 385-millimeter front brake rotors with red-painted Brembo calipers.

Its looks are aggressive, especially when paired with eye-catching paint colors. Ford history shows in the car's wheels where gloss white 19-inch rally-style alloys pay homage to racers of the past. The wheels are wrapped in Michelin CrossCliamte2 tires that offer more sidewall and loose surface grip than the rubber on the Mustang Mach-E GT.

Off-roading kicks up dirt and gravel. This Mustang Mach-E is protected by front and rear motor shielding, film on the door cladding and fender arches. Buyers can add on dealer-installed mud flaps.

Off-road prowess goes beyond physical bits and bobs and onto the electronics. Ford introduces its RallySport Drive Mode in the model. It was designed for off-road driving and allows for more yaw, resulting in bigger slides as well as a linear throttle response and more aggressing damping.

The Mustang Mach-E Rally also gets Ford's BlueCruise hands-free driving technology.

Ford will price the car at around $65,000 in the U.S. Exact pricing will be revealed closer to the model's early 2024 production start date.

Mercedes-Benz E-Class All Terrain

The elegance of the new Mercedes-Benz E-Class meets off-road capability with the new E-Class All-Terrain. It builds on the E-Class wagon with more ground clearance, an air suspension and most of the technology bells and whistles you get in a traditional E-Class.

It's wider than the last generation model and has a longer wheelbase. Wheels come in 18-, 19- or 20-inch measurements.

The new Mercedes is powered by mild-hybrid engine setup. The 3.0-liter six-cylinder power plant that delivers 375 hp on its own, and has another 23 hp provided by the electric boost. The car also has 369 lb-ft of torque that gets boosted with another 151 when necessary.

It has a top speed of 130 miles per hour (mph) and can move from zero to 62 mph in 4.6 seconds.

Mercedes' new E-Class All-Terrain comes standard with air suspension and adaptive dampers that work together to ensure that the wagon is level at most times, helping to ensure a smooth ride across rough roads.

For better fuel economy, when run in the Comfort drive mode at high speed, the wagon lowers by 0.6 inches.

Mercedes has installed up to 64.6 cubic-feet of cargo capacity in the new model. The car's second-row seats feature a 40/20/40 split folding configuration. Those seats are lowered using push buttons on the side of their backrests.

The power opening and closing tailgate can be operated three ways: via key fob, switch on the driver's door and unlocking the tailgate handle. A retractable luggage cover and two-piece dividing net come standard.

Mercedes developed the car to take on the Subaru Outback in America, which traditionally has affluent buyers looking for a vehicle that can comfortably and competently take them from their suburban or rural homes to the trails where they kick off their hike, to the stables where they ride their horses or up the muddy driveway to their weekend mountainside getaway.

"Subaru offers products directed at the mainstream, but there are opportunities upmarket for automakers like Mercedes-Benz to offer capable vehicles with a luxury twist, like the E-Class All-Terrain, that resonates with a different audience than the traditional luxury buyer," Waatti said.

"Electrification offers a whole new dimension to rugged capability, and AutoPacific's research suggests a real opportunity for automakers in this space. Many adventurous consumers looking to get off the beaten path are also interested in electrified powertrains - whether hybrid or fully electric, as the idea of a greener powertrain aligns with a desire for a cleaner future for the environment."