2015 FORD MUSTANG ECOBOOST

FRONT VIEW FORD MUSTANG ECOBOOST

  

BACKSIDE VIEW FORD MUSTANG ECOBOOST

That space produces a consistent response from people who've just said, "Hey, is that the new Mustang?" Their next comment: "A four-banger?" Perhaps the EcoBoost's greatest downfall is that it demands explanation every time you pop the hood. If you're buying one, here's a cheat sheet: lower weight, better fuel economy, and 320 lb-ft of torque

One thing of note: That dip in power around 5700 rpm appeared on all dyno runs. We're curious to find out what it is. During testing of this turbo-four we noticed a strong mid-range but a soggy top end. The dyno chart confirms this sensation. Note that power builds immediately; torque arrives solidly at 3200 rpm and hovers in the high 280 lb-ft range until 5200 rpm. This means the engine feels responsive and rather powerful around the city, where it spends most of its operating range in that sweet, meaty torque range.

INTERIOR DASHBOARD MUSTANG ECO BOOST

The interior design matches the sharp exterior. You can sense the Mustang traces in the layout, but controls and screens feel modernized -- amusingly, the speedometer is labeled Ground Speed. The driver's seat offers great forward visibility, and you can use the hood's visible creases as reference markers. The shifter falls easily under your hand, as do all the steering wheel-mounted controls.There are quite a few of those controls. Our EcoBoost was fully loaded, with heated and cooled seats, adaptive cruise control, dual zone climate control, and so on. Though the Premium trim started at $29,996 and totaled $37,660 after options, dropping items such the adaptive cruise control ($1195), that automatic ($1195), and a few others makes sense for enthusiasts. But if you're going down that route, the non-Premium EcoBoost starts at $25,995, cutting out satellite radio and the options mentioned above.

FRONT SEAT INTERIOR 

The Mustang posted a 25.5-second lap time around the figure eight, tying the WRX but trailing the GTI by 0.4 second. At an average 0.96 g laterally, the Mustang tied what we recorded from the GTI. Considering the lack of weight on the nose, we expected a bit more nimbleness than this Mustang offered. It stops authoritatively and allows aggressive corner entry. Exits are fun, too; the car digs out of corners with a nice amount of stability. But mid-corner behavior is disappointing -- the car's attitude feels somewhat soft and soggy, offering a mild understeer that's difficult to adjust. Where the GT likes being adjusted with the throttle -- the instant-on V-8 torque allows you to counter the chassis' tendency to push -- the turbo doesn't allow this option.

POWERFUL ENGINE MUSTANG ECOBOOST

Stretch the tach upward, though, and once peak horsepower arrives at 5300, it's all downhill after. The last thousand rpm feel soft, and as a result, wringing it out during limit-handling tests or straight-line acceleration can feel a little unsatisfying. Short-shifting is an entirely viable option. Surprised by the lack of high rpm grunt? You shouldn't be. Look at power/torque graphs of the Focus and Fiesta ST and you'll see a very similar shape, though at lower numbers. Clearly, this engine was developed with a similar mindset. And, well, look at how much we love that Fiesta ST. Overall, the EcoBoost makes a very pleasant non-V-8 entrant in the Mustang lineup, matching the performance of similarly priced enthusiast cars, provided you option it reasonably. It's by no means a replacement for the V-8, but nor is it the penalty box the V-6 used to be. Its higher fuel economy rating and strong low-rpm power delivery make it a compelling choice as a fun, sporty daily driver.

BACK VIEW FORD MUSTANG ECOBOOST

2015 Mustang GT

While the Mustang GT might not have lived up to our high expectations on the track, it more than makes up for it on the street. On the road, the new Mustang GT is perhaps the most livable yet. For starters, it rides worlds better than its immediate predecessor. While the last Mustang was easily upset by pavement imperfections and pitched fore and aft a lot on poor pavement, the new Mustang just eats up the road. And unlike our limit-handling tests showed, the Mustang GT appears to handle pretty well too. Turn-in is sharp, and steering feedback is good especially with the steering in Sport mode. The Mustang's tendency to want to be driven around corners with the throttle only appears while hustling through corners. Speaking of throttle, the Coyote V-8 remains one of our favorite V-8s in the business with gobs of usable power and a willingness to rev. If only Ford would open it up a bit more and let it sing -- I'm willing to bet that an aftermarket exhaust system will be the first modification 2015 Mustang buyers make. The gearbox is pretty wonderful too, though I found myself missing fourth gear somehow on multiple occasions while moving quickly. The Brembo brakes also proved themselves worthy of slowing the Mustang's mass, though their grabby-ness takes some getting used to.

FRONT VIEW

Pricewise, our 2015 Mustang GT Premium tester's $46,380 sticker represents what would happen if you rolled into your local Ford dealer and ticked every option box. Some of the more notable options include the new-for-2015 Adaptive Cruise Control with Collision Mitigation package, which retails for $1195, and the imaginatively named Rapid Spec Equipment Group 401A, which includes blind spot warning with rear cross-traffic alerts and a premium audio system, for $1795. If it were our money, we'd skip just about every option, instead going for the $1595 Recaro seats, and the GT Performance Package, which is a bargain at $2495 given it includes six-piston Brembo front brakes, different chassis and stability control tuning, a Torsen rear differential with 3.73s, and web spoke wheels. We can live without some of the luxury and tech goodies, but those performance options aren't to be missed. The new 2015 Ford Mustang GT may not fully live up to the high expectations many had, given its similarities to the old Boss 302, but it represents a marked improvement over the last-generation Mustang GT and shows us the ponycar's bright potential in its 50th year of consecutive production, especially considering a hot new Mustang GT350 is just around the corner. Even more important, the new 2015 Mustang GT proves itself the perfect rebound from a broken heart, and for that I'm forever grateful.

INTERIOR DASHBOARD

ENGINE COVER