Introduction

The Ford Mustang marks the end of a patient, 50-year wait for UK muscle-car fans – because the ‘Pony car’ is now  officially sold in Britain in right-hand drive format for the first time. This charismatic machine is available in Fastback or Convertible body styles, with a choice of two high-performance engines: a turbocharged four-cylinder EcoBoost motor, or a thumping great 5.0-litre V8. Not only that, but it’s incredible value, being priced way below European cars with competitive power outputs. Only its poor Euro NCAP safety rating lets it down.

Did you know? The 2.3-litre Mustang isn’t just modern downsizing – the oil crisis forced the then-new 1974 model to adopt four-cylinder power. 

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Verdict: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ (7.7/10)

The Ford Mustang has been a long time coming, but it was emphatically worth the wait. Nonetheless, it is by no means perfect. It's fun to drive, but various competitors are far more dynamically sorted. The Ford’s interior is appealing but it's not the last word in cabin quality. And its alarming EuroNCAP crash test results raise definite safety concerns – which Ford says it will address during 2017.

But the Mustang is tremendous value, possesses bags of character – especially as the rip-roaring V8 – and it looks absolutely magnificent. If you’re prepared to swallow the few compromises the Ford Mustang presents, then you’ll end up with one of the most enjoyable cars in its segment, or indeed on the road today.  

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Design & Exterior: ★★★★★★★★★★ (10/10)

Looks are subjective, but only the hardest of hearts could dislike the Ford Mustang’s style. It embodies all the classic lines of the original without coming across as a slavish, unthinking 21st-century copy. Subtle differences mark the V8 model out – it has a different grille with two vertical ‘Power Bars’, it wears a ‘5.0’ logo on its front wings, it comes with multi-spoke 19-inch alloys instead of the 5x2-spoke items of the 2.3, and the boot badge reads ‘GT’, instead of bearing the galloping Mustang iconography.

To suit the extrovert nature of the big Ford, it comes in a variety of eye-catching colours. Options include black or silver body stripes – or even a contrast black roof on the hard-topped cars – and the Ford can be specified as a Fastback or a Convertible.

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Interior & Comfort: ★★★★★★★☆☆ (7/10)

Less successful is the Mustang’s interior, although it's far from bad. It features a retro-flavoured twin-cowl dashboard with an attractive ‘Mustang Since 1964’ plaque on the passenger side and deeply recessed dials in the instrument cluster. Further, there’s a bank of rocker-like switches underneath the climate controls and comfortable, multi-way adjustable seats that allow for a great driving position. The quality of most materials is fine too, but the Mustang’s cabin doesn’t drip with that feeling of unimpeachable, expensive brilliance that you’d find in a German car's cockpit.

Practicality

It’s not hugely practical, because it’s a physically large car and yet back-seat space is cramped. Adults would not want to be sat in the rear chairs for long, if at all, headroom being at a real premium in the Fastback due to its sloping roof. Boot space is 408 litres on the Fastback, decreasing to 332 litres for the Convertible as a result of having to stow the hood.

Verdict | Design | Interior | Technology | Performance | Safety | Specs | Running Costs | Pricing

Technology & Connectivity: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ (8/10)

All Mustangs come with Ford's SYNC 3 eight-inch infotainment touchscreen, which is a huge improvement compared to the company’s fiddly older SYNC systems. Greasy fingerprints on the screen are its main problem, as in operation it works really well and marshals the on-board resources effectively. Bluetooth, DAB, Voice Control, a nine-speaker audio system, plus Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and Applink, are all supported across the range – which is handy, as navigation is not standard fit on any Mustang.

Instead, sat-nav is bundled up with the Shaker Pro 12-speaker sound system upgrade, which can either be bought alone or as part of the Custom Pack. It’s worth getting the latter, as it also brings climate-controlled seats, parking sensors, 19-inch Lustre Nickel alloys and – for the Fastback – chrome window surrounds, for less cash than all these items cost individually.

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Performance & Handling: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ (8/10)

The Ford Mustang 5.0 GT has a belting engine, full of brawn, torquey from idle to redline, and possessed of a thunderous soundtrack. It really is the making of the Mustang. While the 2.3-litre engine is impressive enough, the synthesised noises of its four-cylinder churnings are nothing like as appealing as the 5.0-litre’s rumbling voice.

With 416hp and 391lb ft, and despite the fact that any V8 model weighs in excess of 1700kg, performance is suitably brisk, too: 0-62mph takes just 4.8 seconds in a Fastback manual, with 155mph possible flat out. Don’t completely discount the 2.3, though. It actually has very healthy numbers of 317hp and 319lb ft, enough for the Fastback manual to do 0-62mph in 5.8 seconds and run on to 145mph. Given that roughly £37,000 would get you in a turbocharged, four-cylinder, circa-240hp Audi, BMW or Mercedes coupé, that puts the Mustang’s power into perspective.

The handling is good too, mainly because the Mustang is rear-wheel drive and it benefits from independent multilink rear suspension. It also comes with big brakes – four-piston items on the 2.3, six-piston Brembo stoppers on the V8 – and Ford’s hard-earned reputation for genius when it comes to chassis set-ups. And it works: this is no lazy, wallowing, hefty American, instead driving with a poise and grace that singularly eluded previous generations of the Mustang. But, in fairness, it’s still not as polished as the best coupés of this size from European competitors. The low-speed ride is particularly tough on the Ford, too, which doesn’t help portray an air of refinement.

Recommended engine: 5.0 V8 GT Fastback

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Safety Features: ★★★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆ (3/10)

Oh dear. It looks promising on paper – the Mustang comes with electronic stability control, Hill-Start Assist, Emergency Brake Assist, multiple airbags, Ford’s programmable MyKey, ISOFIX fittings in the rear seats and an active deployable bonnet for pedestrian safety.

But then it was tested by EuroNCAP and the Mustang polled just two stars, not because its structure is unsafe in a crash but because it received some shocking scores for the add-ons that form a large part of the current test. These include just 32 per cent for child occupant safety and 16 per cent for safety assist features, and the Mustang was castigated for lacking many of the electronic driver aids that are commonplace today. To be fair, Ford has already said that cars ordered after May 2017 will be fitted with Pre-Collision Assist (including Pedestrian Detection, Forward Collision Warning and Autonomous Emergency Braking) and Lane-Keeping Aid to rectify these safety issues.

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Specs and Trim Levels: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ (8/10)

Colours

There are 10 shades, half of which are made up by bright, bold colours. The standard two hues are both solid paints, Race Red and Grabber Blue. Oxford White is also a flat finish, but it’s classed as a Premium paint and is therefore a modest cost option. The rest of the Premium metallic colours are nearly £600 and constitute Lightning Blue, Ruby Red, Ingot Silver, Magnetic (it’s dark grey), and Shadow Black. Finally, for around £800, the Exclusive finishes are Triple Yellow or White Platinum.

Trim Levels

There aren’t any. Instead, the specification is dependent on which engine you’ve selected. In fact, the eight-strong Mustang line-up is easy to figure out: there are two body styles, two transmissions and two engines. Going for the auto over the manual is £1500, the Convertible over the Fastback £3500, and the V8 over the 2.3 £4000 – you then simply use these, starting from the 2.3 manual Fastback’s £32,000 figure, to logically work out the price of any other model.

The EcoBoost comes with a limited-slip differential, cruise control, auto lights and wipers, dual-zone climate control, and a rear-view camera. The 5.0 V8 GT adds the bigger brakes, styling upgrades, and Launch Control with an Electronic Line Lock function – allowing you to perform dramatic standing burn-outs if you’re on track. All Mustangs come with leather upholstery and sports seats as standard.

You should be buying a V8 manual. And although the Fastback is undoubtedly better looking, we’d say have the Convertible for the maximum feel-good factor. The five monochrome colours don’t do a lot for the Mustang’s lines (Magnetic is not too bad), so be brave and go for Triple Yellow with a load of black detailing.

Size and Dimensions

You’ll need a long and wide garage, as the lengthy Mustang is no compact coupé. Fold the mirrors in and it measures 1,956mm at its broadest.

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Running Costs & Fuel Economy: ★★★★★★☆☆☆☆ (6/10)

The Mustang isn’t great on this score. Despite the presence of the EcoBoost engine in the line-up, no model gets much beyond 35mpg average, with most variants only returning combined mpg economy figures in the 20s, while CO2 emissions will result in punitive first-year VED payments. Depreciation is also another factor, as is almost inevitable heavy rear tyre wear if you enjoy the Ford’s charms, so despite its competitive purchase price the Mustang will not be a particularly cheap car to own.

Quick note: the optional six-speed automatic transmission adversely affects emissions and economy on the 2.3-litre EcoBoost engine, but actually improves the returns of the V8 model.

Reliability and servicing

Ford servicing costs aren’t too pricey, although the 5.0-litre car has slightly higher maintenance fees than the 2.3. Ford offers a range of service and maintenance plans, which require a fixed one-off payment that then covers all servicing for three years, at a price less than the individual services would cost. As to reliability, the Mustang hasn’t been on our shores long enough to form an accurate picture. The previous generations were dependable cars over in their US homeland, though, so the new one should provide much the same reliability.

Verdict | Design | Interior | Technology | Performance | Safety | Specs | Running Costs | Pricing

Pricing ★★★★★★★★★★(10/10)

To get anything like the same performance as the V8 Mustang from the three main German brands, you’d need the Audi S5, the BMW 440i Coupe or the Mercedes-AMG C 43 Coupe, all of which are comfortably in the ballpark of £45,000. Ford’s pricing of the Mustang is incredibly aggressive, and perhaps the only criticism we can level at the strategy is that there isn’t enough of a gap in value between the 2.3 and the 5.0, making the V8 the no-brainer.

Verdict | Design | Interior | Technology | Performance | Safety | Specs | Running Costs | Pricing

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