ford mustang english british
Channel: kamran sumqayitli
Date: 2023-04-12

Ford Mustang Expert Review
Alex Leanse
As one of America's best-known sports cars, the Ford Mustang brings power to the people. From its introduction in 1964, the Mustang has provided RWD thrills and available V-8 muscle at relatively affordable prices. When the current generation arrived in 2015, an independent rear suspension allowed it to become more refined and capable.

As always, it's available as a coupe or convertible, with high-performance Shelby variants at the top of the lineup. The Mustang GT Coupe is a 2021 IntelliChoice Best Overall Value winner. Recently the Mustang title was controversially applied to Ford's first electric performance vehicle, the Mustang Mach-E.
What We Think
chevron
Whether you're a sports car rookie or a track day veteran, there's a Mustang for everyone. Let's address its flaws first. Ride quality isn't great, and body control needs work. Handling is only decent on more entry-level models, and convertibles can feel a bit floppy. Materials aren't very upscale, which might be fine on basic Mustangs, but not so much on high-end models with MSRPs above $50,000.

Even so, the excellent engine choices counter those gripes to a certain extent. Even the entry-level turbo-four, once an unthinkable layout for a pony car, delivers excitement with its rev-happy attitude. In a comparison against the Toyota Supra 2.0, the EcoBoost 'Stang's charm and settled suspension gave it the win. The naturally aspirated V-8, an increasingly rare engine format, has gobs of power and a vicious roar. Then there's the GT500's incredible supercharged V-8, which transforms the humble Mustang into a legitimate supercar. It even managed a second-place finish at 2020 Best Driver's Car.

The Mustang carries on the legacy of its iconic forebears. Even though the terrific GT350 appears to be gone for 2021, the recently introduced Mach 1 is a confident, capable handler with one of the best manual transmissions on the market. Our road test editor Chris Walton called driving the Mach 1 "a very racy experience" with loads of grip, predictable brakes, sweet turn-in, and a limited-slip differential that works wonders in putting the power down. However, when compared against the field in our 2022 Performance Vehicle of the Year competition, we could only deem the Mach 1 as good, not great.


Performance
chevron
All Mustangs are RWD and (barring the GT500) fitted with a six-speed manual or 10-speed automatic transmission.

The entry-level engine is a 2.3-liter turbo-four, which makes 310 hp in EcoBoost spec or 330 hp with the High Performance package; both make 350 lb-ft of torque. In MotorTrend testing, a manual transmission Mustang EcoBoost accelerated from 0-60 mph in 6.3 seconds, while one with the automatic did the same in 5.3 seconds. With the High Performance package, the car should sprint to 60 in under 5.0 seconds, Ford says.

The "Coyote" 5.0-liter V-8 produces 460 hp in standard GT form, or 480 hp in the Bullitt and Mach 1; torque is 420 lb-ft in all. We tested an automatic Mustang GT convertible's 0-60 mph acceleration at 4.2 seconds, and a manual-equipped Bullitt's at 4.6 seconds. Testing a manual Mustang Mach 1, we reached 60 in 4.2 seconds. That Mach 1 was at least as impressive under braking, stopping from 60 mph in just 96 feet—a very short distance.

The GT500 gets a model-specific powertrain. It's a supercharged 5.2-liter V-8, churning out 760 hp and 625 lb-ft of torque, all sent through a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic. Our testing recorded a 3.7-second 0-60 mph time from the standard GT500, which fell to 3.6 seconds with the optional Carbon Fiber Track Pack.


Safety
chevron
From the NHTSA, the Mustang coupe scores the maximum of five stars in front crash, side crash, and rollover testing. From the IIHS, it gets Good scores, the highest, in all but one crashworthiness test (the small overlap front test on the driver's side, where it earned an Acceptable rating).

For 2021, Mustangs equipped with a 2.3-liter four-cylinder or 5.0-liter V-8 get more active safety and driver-assist features as standard. These include lane keep assist, blind-spot monitoring, forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking, automatic high beams, and rain-sensing windshield wipers. Adaptive cruise control remains an optional extra.


Cargo Space and Interior Room
chevron
The Mustang coupe's trunk has 13.5 cubic feet of cargo capacity, with a split-folding second-row seat that helps expand that space into the cabin. In the Mustang convertible, it's reduced to 11.4 cubic feet, and the second row doesn't fold down.