- All 2026 Mach-E trims gain a design tweak owners asked for.
- California Special package returns with Rave Blue accents.
- Pricing drops slightly for 2026, with the GT starting at $53,395.
The 2026 Ford Mustang Mach-E has quietly introduced a change that’s small in size but significant in everyday use. Every trim level now comes with real rear door handles.
For owners who spent years pressing a tiny electric pad and awkwardly tugging at the door edge, this is a big quality-of-life upgrade. In fact, it might be even more noteworthy than the new California Special package.
Read: Electric Door Handles Face Global Scrutiny After Deadly EV Crashes
The Blue Oval brand has long faced criticism over its rear door handle situation. Until now, entering the rear seats required touching a small electric door popper on the C-pillar.
Once the door was popped open, a second mechanism would keep it from closing fully until someone opened it up to get into the car or put something in the second row. It was a complex system, now made slightly simpler.
A spokesperson from Ford confirmed the change for the 2026MY to InsideEVs saying:
“All 2026 Mustang Mach-Es get the rear door handle as standard equipment. 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.”
So, for clarification, the majority of the mechanism is unchanged. Users just don’t have to put their hand in the door jamb to open it. We’ve reached out for more information from Ford regarding whether or not this design change had anything to do with critiques over rear-door safety.
We also asked if it has any plans to make ingress easier should the 12-volt battery die. We’ll update this piece if we hear back.
In addition to the new door handles, Ford announced that the California Special package is coming back in a new way. While there aren’t any performance benefits over the GT trim it’s built on, the package features a lot of visual enhancements.
The star of the show is Rave Blue, a color-shifting blue/violet shade meant to echo the Pacific coastline. 20-inch wheels get unique GT/CS lettering and aero inserts. There are blue and silver interior accents and special Navy Pier ActiveX + Miko performance seats, too.
Pricing for 2026 also nudges downward. The Mach-E GT now starts at $53,395, about $1,100 less than last year, while the California Special package adds $2,495. The broader Mach-E lineup starts at $37,795, down $200.
