2019 Ford Mustang

The 2019 Mustang has revived the famous Bullitt edition and has also introduced a limited-run California Special Package. Other new additions include the B&O premium sound system and three new exterior color choices. The regular Mustang will be offered in two trims and will come with a 310 hp, 2.3-liter EcoBoost engine. The prices for the 2019 Mustang will be starting at $26,395. The 2019 Ford Mustang just like yesteryears still sees a tough fight coming in from the likes of the Chevrolet Camaro, Dodge Challenger, and BMW 2-Series.

The 2019 Ford Mustang Coupe comes available in four main trims, EcoBoost, EcoBoost Premium, GT, and GT Premium. The Mustang GT and Mustang GT Premium are the performance version of the regular Mustang thus we will cover them separately, so don’t forget to check them out. As for the regular Mustang, it comes in the EcoBoost and EcoBoost Premium trims, the former starts at $26,395, and the latter starts at $31,410. The standard Mustang is powered by the 2.3-liter EcoBoost inline-4 engine and if you want a bigger engine then you have to look at the GT or the Bullitt trims.

The base engine in the Mustang is pretty adequate for daily needs and so are the standard features. Speaking of standard features you get 17-inch alloy wheels, limited-slip differential, SYNC infotainment system, fabric-trimmed and manually-adjustable front seats, rearview camera, keyless entry and push-button start, etc. While noteworthy optional features include Recaro leather-trimmed seats, a 12-speaker B&O sound system, SYNC 3, selectable drive modes, remote start, performance exhaust, MagneRide damping system, voice-activated navigation, and a few more.

A few of the noteworthy optional packages available on both the trims include Premium Plus Package that adds a 12-inch LCD instrument cluster, heated steering wheel, FordPass connect with 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot, blind-spot monitor, rear cross-traffic alert, etc. The EcoBoost Performance Package adds upgraded front springs, updated chassis, bigger brakes, bigger rear sway bar, larger radiator, rear wing spoiler, Torsen limited-slip differential, 19-inch black-painted alloys, etc.

We Recommend

Between the two trims, we suggest going for the EcoBoost Premium trim as for the five grand premium you get a lot of creature comfort features and unlock more optional package options. Speaking of package options in case you frequent the tracks we recommend adding the EcoBoost Performance Package in your Mustang to give you an extra edge even if you are driving the least powerful Mustang.

While there is a more powerful V8 monster available, the standard Mustang has to make do with a turbocharged four-cylinder engine, which Ford names the EcoBoost engine. This engine might be short on the cylinder count, but the 2.3-liter four-cylinder turbocharged engine produces much more power than the Mustangs of the past and even more power than the base variants of some of the rivals of the day. This 2.3-liter four-banger puts out a healthy 310-horsepower and 350 pound-feet of torque.

Ford keeps the old-school feel of the Mustang alive with the standard six-speed manual transmission, but if you are not someone who likes stick shifters and prefers an automatic instead then Ford has thrown in a ten-speed automatic transmission which makes driving the Mustang effortless. The Mustang goes from 0-60 MPH in just 5.1 seconds and covers the quarter-mile in 13.7 seconds. The engine of the Mustang is well-tuned and coupled with a 10-speed automatic you have a pony car that can double up as a daily driver and a track car.

With the new EcoBoost engine, the Ford Mustang is the most powerful and torquey muscle car in this comparison. Not only this it maintains its supremacy with the lowest MSRP and quickest 0-60 mph and quarter-mile timings. Except for the Dodge Challenger that comes with a 3.6-liter V6 the other three coupes get a turbo-four under their hood. The Challenger even with its V6 that puts out 305 hp and 268 lb-ft of torque is not able to match the figures of the Mustang. 

Among the rivals, the Chevrolet Camaro is the only one that can match the 0-60 mph timing of the Mustang. As for quarter-mile, the Camaro took one-tenth of a second more than the Mustang to cover the distance. Next comes the BMW 2-Series that is 0.5 seconds slower than the Mustang in the 0-60 mph run followed by the Challenger that took a complete second more than the Mustang to hit the 60 mph mark.

Ride and Handling:

Keeping the heritage alive Mustang still comes as standard with a rear-wheel-drive setup. Even then Ford manages to keep the fun factor alive, while other manufacturers have started opting for more grippy and stable all-wheel-drive setups for their cars. The Mustang remains composed with less weight at the front and when pushing it to the limits on the track but you will notice the rear popping out frequently. Although the car never goes out of control and it's up to you whether you want to increase the drift angle or control it to have an even faster lap time. 

As a daily driver you have various driving modes to choose from that are Snow/Wet, Sport+, and MagneRide and there is also a separate mode for drag strips and one mode for track attacks. The above modes are standard on the top trim and available as a part of the package on the base trim. The steering wheel, like most other cars, comes with an electronic assist, but Ford has calibrated it well to make it light in comfort mode, and weigh well in Normal and Sport modes. The independent rear suspension, along with the optional MagneRide mode helps the car deliver a comfortable ride and unmatched handling prowess.

Braking Performance:

The brake pedal feel of the Mustang takes a while getting used to in different driving conditions and especially at parking speeds. The brake bite feels more focused on being performance-oriented as they work well at high speeds and kicks in smoothly to stop this beast and on the tracks, this does help in keeping the car under control, but at slow speeds, and in traffic the brakes feel a bit over-sensitive with firmness in the pedal and you might get a jerky halt at times. That said, both the front and rear rotors offered on the Mustang are 12.6-inch, and in case you need more braking power optional Brembo brake calipers are also available. The standard setup took 97 feet to brake from 60 mph.

Among the rivals, the Mustang comes with the biggest rotor sets at the front and the rear but the heavier curb weight plays a spoilsport here. The BMW 2-Series with 12.3-inch and 11.4-inches front and rear rotors stopped in the shortest 80 feet from 60 mph. The next was the Camaro with a 12.6-inches and 12.4-inches rotor at the front and rear respectively and it took 93 feet to brake from 60-0 mph.

There is an ongoing debate on how fuel-efficient the 2.3-liter Ecoboost four-cylinder engine is, as what the government body i.e. EPA estimates show, and what one might get in the real world differs but still the figures are not something to feel disappointed about. Ford has tried to squeeze out a lot of performance from a small four-banger and we feel this is the main culprit here as the V8 powered Mustang’s EPA estimates are close to the real world fuel economy figures. That said, the EPA estimates suggest that the 2019 Mustang powered by the Ecoboost engine would return 21 mpg in the city, 31 mpg on the highway, and 25 mpg combined. The Mustang comes with a 15.5-gallon fuel tank and this allows it to have 380 miles plus combined range from a tankful of gas. 

Among the rivals, the BMW 2-Series strikes a fine balance between fuel economy and performance. The 2-Series manages to return a class-leading 24/35/28 mpg in city/highway/combined respectively. Compared to that the Ford Mustang returns 3-4 mpg less in all three parameters. While on the other end of the spectrum is the Dodge Challenger that is the least efficient with 19/30/23 mpg of fuel economy from its thirsty V6. That said, the Camaro with the biggest 19-gallon fuel tank returns the highest range even though it has the second-lowest fuel economy figures.

The interior of the 2019 Ford Mustang Coupe takes hints from the classic Mustang design and beautifully merges the classic with the contemporary. This gets you a modern-looking, fairly practical, and comfortable cabin with a touch of retro design. There are aluminum trim pieces around the car, alongside toggle switches are well thought out details. The steering wheel comes wrapped in leather which makes it nice to hold, it has a lot of buttons on it that perform various functions and while this is not a full-on race car, the buttons and switches help to make it easy and convenient to operate function while on the move and gives you a feeling of an easy-going daily driver rather than a beefed-up sports car.

The seat upfront is quite comfortable and comes with heating and power adjustment, there is an option for Sports Recaro seats which however are less convenient than the standard seats. In the rear, toddlers and small kids would be only comfortable as they are completely not meant for an average adult. Thus on the practicality and usability front, the rear seats feel more like a showpiece and offer less functionality, something which is common in the segment.

The front cabin is undoubtedly the most spacious in the Mustang. But get to the rear and things change with the Dodge Challenger and BMW 2-Series offering much more inhabitable and adult-friendly rear seats. As for the trunk space, the Dodge Challenger offers the biggest trunk of 16..2 cubic feet in size. While the BMW 2-Series offers 13.8 cubic feet and Mustang offers 13.5 cubic feet of trunk space. The Camaro comes with the smallest 9.1 cubic feet of trunk space. Thus to conclude from a practicality and daily usability point of view the BMW 2-Series and the Dodge Challenger score way higher than the other two ponies.

Key highlights of interior features are:

• Fabric-trimmed seats
• Push-button start
• Manually-adjustable front seats
• Power-adjustable front seats (available)
• Dual-zone automatic climate control (available)
• Ambient lighting (available)
• Recaro sports seats (available)
• Heated and ventilated front seats (available)
• Leather-trimmed seats w/ Alcantara inserts (available)

How intuitive is the car’s infotainment unit?

The infotainment system that comes in the base trim of the Mustang is a 4.2-inch display that runs on Ford’s SYNC infotainment system. The higher trim gets a bigger 8-inch touchscreen display and this unit runs on a bit more sophisticated SYNC3 infotainment system. The SYNC3 infotainment system is slightly more practical and allows for a better view and more practical operation compared to the smaller unit on the base trim. The audio inside the cabin plays via a 6-speaker sound system, however, a premium 12-speaker Bang & Olufsen sound system is available, and if you are someone who likes more thump, then a bassy Shaker system is also available. The standard features that come with the system include:

• 4.2-inch and 8-inch touchscreen
• 6-speaker sound system
• AM/FM
• Dual USB-ports
• HD Satellite radio
• SiriusXM
• Bluetooth connectivity
• Android Auto and Apple CarPlay (available)
• B&O premium sound system (available)
• SYNC3 system (available)

The design of the 2019 Ford Mustang Coupe stays true to its original and iconic design language. Just like we saw in the interior, the exterior also strikes a perfect balance between classic and contemporary. The design was updated for the 2018 model and thus Ford didn’t bother to make new changes for this year. The headlights and tail lights are LED fittings with the signature three-strip LED daytime running lights. The hood scoop enhances the sporty look of the muscle car and with a choice of wheel size between 18- and 19- inches, you can give your Mustang a look that remains individual to your car. 

Dimension-wise there is no match to the sheer size and heavy curb weight of the Dodge Challenger from the other competitors. The Ford Mustang measures 9.4-inches smaller, 3.2-inches shorter, and has a 9.1-inches smaller wheelbase compared to the Challenger. That said, Mustang and Challenger are wider that makes up for a wider body, something to look after when parking in tight spaces. Challenger on the other hand has the smallest ground clearance and if not careful it can easily scrape its belly when passing over high bumps or big potholes.

Key highlights of interior features are:

• 18-inch and 19-inch alloy wheels
• Rear spoiler
• Dual-exhaust tip
• LED headlights and taillights
• LED foglights (available)
• Heated sideview mirrors w/ integrated turn signal (available)

A fast car like the Mustang needs a set of reliable and advanced safety tech, which it incorporates. Not only does it come packed with lots of safety features and tech, but it also scores pretty well in the crash tests conducted by the government safety institutions. NHTSA gave the Mustang a full five out of five stars whereas IIHS gave it the highest possible rating of ‘Good’ in all the tests except the small overlap front test, wherein it scored the second-best rating of ‘Acceptable’. That said, the standard safety features include six airbags, traction control, stability control EBD, and ABS, and a few more.

Key highlights of safety features are:

• Rearview camera
• Rear cross-traffic alert (available)
• Blind Spot Monitoring (available)
• Pre-collision assist with automatic braking (available)
• Lane departure warning and lane-keep assist (available)
• Adaptive cruise control (available)
• Automatic high-beam headlights (available)

2019 Ford Mustang Coupe vs 2019 Dodge Challenger

While the Challenger looks like an old-school muscle car, it sure isn’t one. It has all the modern amenities and tech inside and comes with a bigger engine than the Mustang. The bigger V6 engine sounds more lively and it also offers better power delivery than the Inline-4 Ecoboost in the Mustang. Ford, however, with the independent rear suspension wins over Dodge in terms of handling and ride comfort. Also, the Mustang is a lot more frugal and is quicker than the Challenger. Piloting the Mustang is easy due to its smaller footprint compared to the Challenger. So as a daily driver we favor the Mustang over the Challenger until you drive solo for the majority of the time.

2019 Ford Mustang Coupe vs 2019 BMW 2-Series

The BMW 2-Series being from a luxury brand is quite expensive and is short on power when compared with the Ford Mustang. However, the BMW is more fuel-efficient and also has a comfortable and upscale interior, but the Mustang is more fun to drive, costs less, offers better performance, and handles slightly better than the BMW. While the BMW 2-Series has a far spacious cabin and is well-suited for someone who regularly has a couple of people on board. So as an all-rounder the BMW 2-Series fairs better than the Mustang unless there is a budget constraint.

2019 Ford Mustang Coupe vs 2019 Chevrolet Camaro

The Camaro is the age-old rival of the Mustang. It feels slightly more refined and agile to drive over the Mustang, this is because the chassis is more balanced than the Mustang. The Camaro is also equally fun to drive as the Mustang and is more comfortable, however, the infotainment system inside the Camaro is a bit more complicated to use than Ford’s Sync system. The practicality and usability of both the ponies are in the same league although the Mustang does offer a bigger trunk. So choosing one between these two remains more of a personal preference we believe.

Ford might not be good at making the most luxurious cars, but they know very well how to make a muscle car, and they knew it way back when they first introduced the Mustang in 1960. The 2019 Ford Mustang Coupe is no different; it follows the same old-design language inside out yet looks modern and equally competent even in 2019. In modern times, Mustang has become powerful and practical yet still retains the classic car genes that incorporate all the modern amenities and features yet manage to comes at a price that will not burn a hole in your pocket.