The 2026 Ford Mustang Mach-E Gets A New Feature That Nobody Is Talking About

• The 2026 Ford Mustang Mach-E is here, and it’s mostly unchanged compared to the outgoing model.
• However, one addition that should make life easier for rear passengers flew under the radar.
• There’s also a new California Special package that comes with 20-inch wheels, hood graphics and an illuminated pony emblem.

The 2026 Ford Mustang Mach-E went on sale late last month with little to no fanfare. That’s because there aren’t many changes compared to the outgoing model, but there is one addition that caught my attention while looking at the press photos of the newly introduced California Special package.

Ford didn’t say it out loud, but all 2026 Mustang Mach-E EVs now come with grab handles on the rear doors, not just on the front doors. Weirdly enough, the addition is visible in most of the official photos showing the California Special model, but not all, so I reached out for confirmation.

“All 2026 Mustang Mach-Es get the rear door handle as standard equipment,” a Ford representative told me over email. “This was a change as part of our always-on approach that we made due to feedback from our customers who wanted a physical handle on both front and rear. The rear door still uses the same electronic latch release with the button on the door, but now the door can be pulled open with the handle.”

That’s a welcome addition, but it still doesn’t address the issue of getting locked out of the car if the low-voltage battery is drained. The doors can be opened from the inside even if there’s no power, but to get access from the outside, owners need to manually open the hood from a little opening in the front bumper and provide power to the 12-volt battery to energize the system.

Besides adding little grab handles for rear passengers, the 2026 Ford Mustang Mach-E is now available with a new California Special package that goes on top of the GT trim, which comes with a dual-motor setup that makes 480 horsepower and up to 700 pound-feet of torque, while the range is rated at 280 miles on a full charge.

The California Special is purely an appearance package that harks back to the original version that was available in 1968 on the original two-door Mustang. It comes with unique 20-inch carbonized gray wheels with printed logos, an illuminated blue pony emblem on the grille and a special hood graphic. Inside, the new special edition includes Performance seats and blue and silver details scattered throughout.

Ford also removed some features from the 2026 Mustang Mach-E, though. The front trunk is now optional, as are the Rally version’s fun graphics and rear spoiler.

That being said, the 2026 electric crossover is slightly more affordable than the outgoing model. The base version starts from $37,795 (excluding destination), $200 less than before, while the GT trim goes for $53,395, down $1,100. Meanwhile, the California Special pack costs $2,495, bringing the final price to $55,890.

The 2026 Ford Mustang Mach-E order books are already open, with the first units expected to arrive at dealerships in the first quarter of next year.