Ford Mustang

The Ford Mustang is a car designed and produced by the Ford Motor Company. It was originally released in April of 1964, and is currently in its fifth generation. It has undergone numerous transformations since 1964 but was responsible for creating the “pony class” of American automobiles (referring to sporty coupes with short-rear decks and long hoods). The Mustang received an 8.7 rating from U.S. News, and ranked 3^rd and 2^nd in the Affordable Sports Cars and Affordable Convertibles categories respectively.

Performance

U.S. News gives the Ford Mustang a performance rating of 8.0. It comes in a wide variety of trims, each offering different degrees of performance. The base model comes with a 3.7-liter V6 engine that creates 305 horsepower at 6500 rpm and 280 pound-feet of torque at 4260 rpm. The GT model produces an extra 8 horsepower from the previous year (up to 420), and comes with a 5.0-liter V8 engine that also creates 390 pound-feet of torque at 4250 rpm. The Shelby GT500 trim level is the best, offering a blistering performance with its supercharged V8 engine. It delivers 631-pound feet of torque and 650 horsepower. The Mustang also has three optional modes: comfort, sport, and standard. The system automatically adjusts the power assist for either more comfortable or sportier driving, while the standard mode splits the difference.

Interior

The Ford Mustang received a 7.3 interior rating from U.S. News, by far its lowest score. Despite the low score, reviewers like the four-passenger cabin, saying it provides comfortable seating for adults in the front and kids in the back. Reviewers also like the Recaro sport seats, which are now optional on all models, saying they are supportive and comfortable. Heated and leather front seats are also available on higher trims. The Mustang comes standard with a stereo that includes an auxiliary input and CD player, as well as Ford’s MyKey system, which allows parents to put limits on the stereo volume and top speed. Critics are impressed with the Mustang’s optional features, which include a backup camera, dual-zone automatic climate control, navigation, and Ford’s Synch infotainment system.

Pros/Cons

The Ford Mustang gets 19 mpg while city driving and 31 mpg while highway driving, which is a bit better than rivals like the Chevy Camaro and Dodge Challenger. Critics have also stated that the Mustang feels more agile and lighter than some competitors, although it lacks the athletic cornering ability of cars like the Subaru BRZ and Mazda Miata. The Mustang’s automatic transmission now offers a manual mode, but still does not offer paddle shifters, which is a common feature on sports coupes. The base model lacks the quality interior that higher trims have to offer, and even higher trims could be improved, as the doors are still made of hard, cheap plastics. Critics are impressed with the outward visibility from the driver’s seat, saying it is better than most sporty coupes.

Other Features

The Ford website lists the base price of the Ford Mustang at $22 200. According to U.S. News, however, buyers can expect to pay anywhere between $22 000 and $60 000, depending on the trim level and additional features they choose to add. Although sporty coupes don’t have an excellent safety track record, the Mustang has impressive safety scores, and received a 9.2 safety rating from U.S. News. It comes standard with stability control, anti-lock brakes, and front and side airbags, while buyers have the option of adding on rear parking sensors, a rearview camera, blind-sport monitors, and Bluetooth.