Ford Mustang review

It’s quite tidy in here, to be fair. The headline act is the new fully digital dual display, complete with 12.4-inch instrument cluster (which replaces the old analogue unit) and a 13.2-inch infotainment display. Yeah, hard to miss.

The new digital instrument cluster utilises the Unreal Engine 3D creation tool used in modern video games, and it shows with all sorts of animated graphics, particularly as you cycle through the different drive modes. Suitably performative, don't you think? Ford has rather thoughtfully included Classic ’67-’68, Fox Body ’87-’93 and SVT Cobra ’99-’01 themes too, all of which give you a simple two clock setup and retro graphics. There’s also Normal, Sport and Track themes, of course.

Meanwhile we’re told that the main display in this Mustang, running Ford’s latest SYNC 4 operating system, has double the computing power of the old one. So why is it slow to load? Once up and running it’s snappy, looks smart and is refreshingly easy to use, but such heavy use of screenage has led to the demise of most of the physical switchgear.

Including climate controls, which are now permanently displayed at the bottom of (you guessed it) the screen. We've used worse, but a Mustang should be far more tactile than this. Sigh, such is the way these days.

Ugh. Keep going...

Below the screen itself there's a row of proper knobs and shortcut buttons, but Ford seems somewhat lost in the middle ground of trying to modernise the Mustang while retaining its old school roots.

This is a muscle car, so involvement matters, but by digitising so much the sense of connection has suffered. And that's what made it great before.

One more complaint and then we're done (promise): the RHD Mustang is still set up like a left-hand drive car, with the Engine Start button on the left and the volume knob on the right of the switchgear panel. Come on Ford, do better.

Is there any good news here?

The fit and finish is a big step up on its slightly cheap-feeling predecessor: there’s far less plastic and chrome trim for starters, and there’s plenty of ergonomic sense too.

The steering wheel is a good size (and you get plenty of physical buttons on it), while the figure-hugging standard seats are lovely and comfortable too. Recaros are an (expensive) option, but we don’t think you need them.

The rear seats are very cramped for both head and legroom in the coupe, and slightly less so in the convertible for obvious reasons. Either way, your companions won't want to spend too long back there.

How big is the trunk? Sorry, boot.

Boot space measures 408 litres in the coupe and 332 in the convertible, which, says Ford, is big enough to accommodate two golf bags. Failing that you can always fold down the rear seats. Chances are you won’t be using them anyway.

Meanwhile the hardtop roof can be raised or lowered in exactly eight seconds, which is pretty speedy. Not so much an issue in sunny California, but handy in Blighty where you're never more than 10 feet away from a sudden downpour.