Ford Mustang
New suspension and automatic gearbox
DO YOU EVER get out of bed in the morning craving a bit more ‘yee-haw’ in your life? If the answer to that is a big 10-4, say howdy to the latest version of the Ford Mustang.
Although the scowling nose and fancy LED lights are new, this is only an update of the 2015 Mustang – the first to be offered with right-hand drive from British Ford dealers. As before, you can have four-cylinder Ecoboost or V8 engines. Both come as standard with a sixspeed manual gearbox, or there’s the option of a new 10-speed automatic. Also on the extras list are adaptive dampers (£1600) that promise to tighten up the car’s handling without ruining its long-distance cruising ability.
Although the price has risen a fair bit since 2015, a mountain of equipment comes as standard. This includes sensible stuff such as automatic emergency braking and more frivolous items such as Line Lock, a feature that allows you to brake the front wheels only so you can do big, smoky burnouts – not something to try in a Tesco car park.
Ford may describe the Mustang as the world’s best-selling sports car, but you’d be a couple of lassos short of a rodeo if you think it’ll shine on UK country roads. That’s not to say it handles badly; grip levels are exceedingly high, and once you get used to the heavy steering, you soon learn to read what the front tyres are up to. The adaptive dampers do a good job of stopping unwanted body movements while allowing a pretty comfortable ride.
Although the Ecoboost engine isn’t the natural choice in such an unashamed slice of Americana, it does help its handling. Turn-in is sharper than in the V8 model and there’s more front-end grip – no surprise, given that the weight difference is the equivalent of having a man sitting on the bonnet.
But while the Ecoboost is good for corners, you’ll still want the V8. Not only does it sound significantly better than the four-cylinder engine, but it’s also a lot faster. That said, the Ecoboost is actually more responsive at lower engine speeds and is a bit more efficient. If you want the Mustang for the looks alone, it’s worth considering.
Also worth your consideration is the 10-speed automatic gearbox – a big improvement on the previous six-speeder. It’s a smooth-shifting ’box that helps fuel economy and is pretty responsive in manual mode. Our only gripe is that it can take a couple of moments to shift down in normal mode and can ‘hunt’ for the right ratio at times. Therefore, we still prefer the old-fashioned manual.
The biggest change inside is the addition of a standard 12.0in configurable digital instrument cluster. The graphics are sharp and it does a good job of showing the info you want in each of the six driving modes. Elsewhere, interior plastics have been improved, although they’re still some way behind those of other similar-priced coupés.
Space up front is good, but you’ll only be able to fit a couple of kids or short adults in the back. Still, Isofix mountings are standard for the rear pews, making the Mustang a feasible second car for a family. The boot is shallow and has a small opening, though. So, although the Mustang is better than ever, it still remains an offbeat choice. Rivals handle with more aplomb, cost less to run and feel more luxurious, but it’s hard not to feel good when you’re driving a ’Stang.