2020 Ford Mustang Review

The 2020 Ford Mustang pushes the limits of what modern-day muscle cars can achieve. In fact, this year’s Mustang is the Blue Oval’s most powerful street-legal vehicle ever. It also might be the most well-equipped Mustang ever, thanks to Ford’s many available luxury and technology features. Even the entry model delivers a rewarding combination of value and velocity.

Shoppers can get the 2020 Ford Mustang in coupe and convertible body styles. Both seat four. They can also choose from EcoBoost, EcoBoost Premium, GT, GT Premium, Bullitt, Shelby GT350, Shelby GT350R and GT 500 trim levels. A turbocharged four-cylinder engine is standard with a six-speed manual transmission and rear-wheel drive. Ford offers powertrain options such as two naturally aspirated V8 engines, a supercharged V8 and six- and seven-speed automatic transmissions. Top rivals include the Chevrolet Camaro and Dodge Challenger.

The Mustang adds a standard mobile Wi-Fi hotspot for 2020. The Shelby GT500 also rejoins the stable after last being on sale as a new car for the 2014 model year. A 2.3L High-Performance package is new as well. It brings go-fast upgrades for the turbocharged four-cylinder Mustangs.

Exterior

The 2020 Ford Mustang looks less like a pony car and more like a panther that’s ready to pounce. With the fastback, a long tapering roof complements the Mustang’s muscular body. The convertible packs a power-retractable soft top. Of course, both body styles offer old-school design cues such as triple vertical taillights.

Ford supplies standard equipment such as LED headlights, LED signature lighting, sequential LED taillights, daytime running lights, a vented hood, power-adjustable mirrors with built-in blind-spot mirrors and 17-inch aluminum-alloy wheels. Options include LED fog lamps, mirror-mounted turn signals, heated mirrors, aerodynamic body kits, multiple graphic packages and 18- through 20-inch aluminum-alloy wheels. The Shelby trims carry standard high-intensity-discharge headlights to go with their high-performance bodywork. Shelby options are highlighted by a Carbon Fiber Track package that brings distinctive aero pieces and 20-inch wheels.

Interior

A symmetrical dash highlights the 2020 Ford Mustang’s sporty cabin. The upper dash is split and arched so that the two sides look like the long wings of a bird of prey. The low-profile dash emphasizes the instrument panel and center stack for a function-first vibe. In the coupe, the trunk capacity is 13.5 cubic feet. The convertible has 11.4 cubic feet of trunk space.

Standard features include cloth upholstery, a six-way manually adjustable driver’s seat, a two-way manually adjustable front passenger seat, manual climate control and a leather-wrapped multifunction steering wheel with a tilt-and-telescoping column. The Mustang is available with leather upholstery, climate-controlled six-way power-adjustable front seats, Recaro sport front seats, dual-zone automatic climate control, a heated steering wheel and carbon-fiber instrument panel trim.

Performance

A turbocharged 2.3-liter four-cylinder engine is standard for the 2020 Ford Mustang. It makes 310 horsepower and 350 pound-feet of torque. Opting for the High Performance package boosts output to about 330 horsepower. For the Mustang GT trims, a  5.0-liter V8 is standard with 460 horsepower and 420 pound-feet of torque. A six-speed manual transmission and rear-wheel drive are standard, and a six-speed automatic transmission is optional. The Bullitt model honors a 1968 Mustang that starred in a movie of the same name. The 2020 trim gets a show-stopping 480 horses from that engine. The Shelby GT350 and GT350R trims are equipped with a 5.2-liter V8 that leverages a special high-performance crankshaft. As a result, this engine cranks out more than 525 horsepower and 429 pound-feet of torque. A six-speed manual is the only transmission for these three Mustangs. Ford supercharges the Shelby engine for 765 horsepower and 625 pound-feet in the GT500. Here, a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic is the sole transmission.

EPA ratings for the Mustang coupe start at 21/30 mpg city/highway with the standard powertrain. Switching to the available automatic transmission pushes the highway rating to 32 mpg.

Whether it’s for the road, the racetrack or the dragstrip, Ford offers a Mustang that can meet your needs. The automaker helps meet your budget, too. Even the Mustang base model is available with performance and handling packages. At the other end of the spectrum, the range-topping GT500 is expected to run from 0 to 60 mph in the 3.5-second range. There’s no official word yet on top speed, but remember, the less powerful 2013 GT500 could break 200 mph.

2020 Ford Mustang: Carfax Expert Review

• Trim Tested: Mustang Bullitt
• Price as Tested: $52,595 (including destination charge)
• Likes: Commanding exhaust note; strong acceleration; many customizable performance features; fun manual transmission with cueball shifter
• Dislikes: Cheap interior with lots of hard black plastic; $12,000 premium over base Mustang GT and only 20 hp more

The Mustang Bullitt is an expensive upgrade, especially for the 20-horsepower bump. However, it has some fun styling flourishes that may make it worth the extra money, and that’s on top of the Mustang GT’s already-strong acceleration and handling.

We tested the Mustang Bullitt for a week, and these are our impressions.

How It Drives

With 460 horsepower, the base Ford Mustang GT is already a quick car. The Mustang Bullitt is even more so, with 480 horsepower and a beefier exhaust. When you’re heading up a steep onramp – which you will dispatch quickly – that exhaust roars, alerting everyone in a 12-block radius to your presence.

One of the great things about the performance of the Mustang is how customizable it is. If you DON’T want to wake up the neighborhood with your rumbling exhaust, you can put it in Quiet Mode.

Other customizable settings include steering, throttle response, and transmission shift speed (on versions with an automatic transmission; the one we tested had a manual). If you get the optional MagneRide electronically adjustable suspension, you can also stiffen the ride for sharper handling. Drivers can choose between Normal, Snow/Wet, Sport, Track, Drag Strip, and MyMode, which is even more customizable. Be aware that the Track and Drag Strip modes turn off the traction control and shouldn’t be used on public roads. When you start it, the Mustang defaults to Normal mode, which should be plenty sporty for driving around town.

Ever since the Mustang upgraded to an independent rear suspension, its handling has been solid. Even in Normal Mode, the vehicle feels glued to the road. In the stiffest setting, the Mustang’s ride isn’t harsh, and the suspension’s firmness provides a reassuring sense of control during cornering.

The V8 Mustang is powerful enough that you can start to fishtail if you accelerate too quickly coming out of a turn – in fact, the back end will even wiggle a little bit when you upshift. However, the traction control quickly brings it into line.

Interior Comfort & Quality

The interior of the Mustang Bullitt has too many cheap materials for a $50,000 car, with hard black plastic apparent on many surfaces. It feels chintzier than $50,000 sports coupes such as the BMW M240i and Audi S5. Even cheaper American rivals like the Dodge Challenger Scat Pack have nicer interiors.

The Bullitt does have a few fun styling touches, however, like the shiny white cueball shifter and the green stitching on the leather seats, which matches the exterior color. I thought the crosshair Bullitt logos Ford put everywhere were a bit much, but they do announce the car’s exclusivity.

The front seats are comfortable and include power adjustments. They offered plenty of space for my 6-foot frame, and the steering wheel telescopes to a comfortable position. That’s pretty rare for me, since I have short arms and long legs. The back seats are basically unusable for anything but small kids or grocery bags.

Technology & Usability

Ford’s optional SYNC 3 remains one of the easier-to-use infotainment systems on the market, displaying a bright interface with big, simple buttons. Android Auto and Apple CarPlay come with the optional SYNC 3 system.

The buttons surrounding the touchscreen are less user-friendly; they are similar looking, small, and hard black plastic. The big volume and tuning knobs are the exceptions.

In addition to the aforementioned performance mode settings, the Mustang has track apps, like a stopwatch, that are nicely integrated into the large digital gauge cluster. That cluster has myriad appearance settings, including customizable colors and a huge digital tachometer.

Carfax vehicle overviews let shoppers compare a vehicle’s specs against its competitors. However, some aspects of a vehicle – performance, comfort, usability – can only be evaluated through actual driving. That’s why we evaluate as many vehicles as we can, so you’ll know what to expect.

—Carter MacLeod

Technology

The 2020 Mustang comes with a Sync infotainment system that combines a 4.2-inch display screen, six-speaker AM/FM stereo, Bluetooth and two smart-charging USB ports. Ford provides infotainment options such as a 12-inch digital instrument panel, an 8-inch touchscreen, nine-speaker or 12-speaker sound systems, HD Radio, satellite radio, Sync 3 technology, mobile Wi-Fi, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay capability, and a navigation system.

All Mustangs come with a rearview camera. Also available are adaptive cruise control, automatic forward emergency braking, automatic high beams, blind-spot monitoring, forward collision warning, lane departure warning, lane-keeping assistance and rear parking sensors.