Gone are the Saturday mornings when the cartoon with the pink little pony can cause me to wake from a peaceful slumber. Move over ‘My Little Pony’™ there’s a new “Pony” that has stolen my heart. Now that I think about it, I have always loved a Mustang, it was the car that took me off to college in Virginia. I think I found the curviest route to drive each morning on the way to class.
Fast forward a few years….I still get that ridiculous smile on my face when a mustang shows up in my driveway. That’s when you know it’s going to be a good week. A 2018 Mustang in ‘Orange Fury’ however, makes for an excellent week!
My favorite thing about the Mustang? The growl. That low rumble that you feel, whether you are passing other vehicles or simply taking off at a red light. The Ford Mustang is a combination of cool and classic, modern and retro.
You will find dual exhausts with quad tips at the rear of a Mustang GT. You can now hear that throaty growl when you want to hear it. Thanks to a new optional active valve performance, you have the ability to control when your Mustang rumbles. It’s a win-win. Both to you and your neighbor. You can thank Ford exhaust development engineers for this “Good neighbor mode.”
Since performance is at the heart of each Mustang, the Mustang’s V8 is irresistible. Oh go ahead, just spend a few extra bucks and get the GT you’ve been eyeing. The Performance Package is a must, and that exterior color, ‘Orange Fury’…… might as well, you won’t regret it.
The trims available on the 2018 Ford Mustang are the EcoBoost, EcoBoost Premium, GT and GT Premium. The EcoBoost is the entry-level vehicle powered by a 2.3-liter four-cylinder engine with 310 hp and 350 lb-ft of torque. The six-speed manual transmission is standard with a 10-speed automatic as an option. Also standard: 17-inch wheels, cloth seats, Bluetooth and two USB ports on a 4.2-inch display screen, complete with a six-speaker sound system.
The Performance Package is THE package to purchase (IMO). This package includes: 19-inch wheels, larger brakes, bigger radiator, a larger rear stabilizer bar and the new MagneRide adaptive suspension dampers.
The EcoBoost Premium has 18-inch wheels, leather interior, power front seats, a nine-speaker audio system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
GT models comes with a 5.0-liter V8. The GT Premium will spoil you with creature comforts that you might not expect from a sports car. Either one is pretty powerful when accelerating.
Other options include: heated steering wheel, navigation system, a digital gauge cluster, Recaro front seats, a 12-speaker sound system, bling-spot monitoring, adaptive cruise control and forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking.
Performance is key with a Ford Mustang. The 2018 Mustang is quick, responsive and can corner unlike other sports cars. Road noise is surprisingly minimal, a quiet road trip is actually a possibility.
The interior is tight. While the front seats fit most any body shape/size, sitting in the rear is a little awkward. As with any sports car, entering and exiting the rear is just plain cumbersome.
Lots of safety features on the 2018 Ford Mustang means that it earns five stars from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) crash testing.
As for gas mileage, the Mustang I drove for the week received 21 mpg/city and 32 mpg/hwy for a combined 25 mpg.
Lots of options on this vehicle. The base model pricing begins at $23,675 and continues on up to the Shelby GT model which begins around $65,735.
The Mustang continues to be a classic that impresses us with its leading-day technology and safety features. For any sports car enthusiast, the 2018 Ford Mustang isn’t one you will soon forget, it will be the most unforgettable pony you’ve ever owned, AND, you won’t mind waking from that peaceful slumber to go grab breakfast.
