Two long term engines, the 2.3L turbo four and a normally-aspirated V8, continue in the Mustang. Two transmissions, a six-speed manual and a 10-speed automatic are offered with the V8 but the turbo is now automatic only. The turbo is rated at 315 horsepower and the V8 produces 486 in standard form and 500 horsepower in the Dark Horse trim. Ford notes that the six-speed manual in the Dark Horse is a unique to that model. Normal, Sport, Slippery and Drag drive modes are available.

Like Volkswagen with the Golf, Ford is essentially boxed-in regarding the styling themes of the Mustang and the model is more evergreen than fresh or contemporary. Ford has taken a bolder path regarding the cabin of the Mustang. The driver faces the shallow and wide computer tablet that is quickly becoming a universal feature is the cabins or current cars. The driver faces a vehicle-operation readout, with infotainment features located over the centre console. Infotainment functions are operated by touch surfaces but the climate is controlled by physical buttons and toggles. The rest of the cabin is attractive. There are attractive faux alloy accents throughout the cabin and there are several visually-compelling two-tone colour schemes offered.

Ford Co-Pilot 360, with a forward collision alert, autonomous emergency braking, blind spot, rear cross traffic and lane departure warnings.

The Mustang base turbo comes nicely equipped, including a comprehensive active safety suite. Moving up to the Premium trims adds active cruise control, a power driver’s seat and wireless cellphone charging. Opting for the convertible on the 2.3L turbo cost from $5300 to $6900. Picking V8 power on the coupe costs around $14,000, a huge premium. The Dark Horse coupe is priced a massive $15,120 higher than the V8-powered GT equivalent.

The turbo fours from Ford seem to lack durability but the V8 appears to be reliable. The traditional rear-wheel drive layout of this car has been reliable in the past.