Ford Mustang, test drive (Exterior design, interior and finishes)

Jaime Arruz 9 December 2013 7 min.

We continue with the test drive of the Ford Mustang, this American ‘muscle car’ sports car with rear-wheel drive. In the first part of the test we covered all the details of its engine, its dynamic response and its consumption. In this second part we are going to analyse the design of both the bodywork and the cabin, as well as the quality of its finishes and the materials it is made from.

Exterior design

The Ford Mustang has a design in which its long front end stands out, larger than its rear, and the large wheel arches and low profile are notable. It is a wide sports coupé that conveys an image of power.

One of its most distinctive features is the set of rear lights, made up of three groups of LEDs that act as position lights, brake lights and turn indicators. In low light, the rear of the Mustang is clearly recognisable and does not go unnoticed. In my opinion, moreover, it is very attractive, especially when the indicators or hazard lights are activated, as the three LED groups then light up progressively until all three are fully lit.

The rear section is completed with a boot lid that includes a large ‘Pony’ badge, which has distinguished the Mustang for 50 years. This emblem is also present on the alloy wheels and the grille. Adding to all this is the twin exhaust outlet at the ends of the bumper.

The front headlights also include LEDs, in this case for daytime running lights. There are two strips beside the main optics, which are xenon. As this is a model aimed at the American market and approved for use on its roads, it has two sets of reflectors, one next to the front wheel arches and another on the rear quarter panels.

The overall design of the Mustang may or may not appeal, depending on the individual, although no one can deny that it is one of those models that turns heads wherever it goes. Perhaps in the United States this is less the case because people are more used to seeing it on the street, but in Europe, or for the European visitor in America, the Mustang’s presence is certainly striking.

Interior design, space and finishes

The general impression when you climb into the driver’s seat of the Mustang is that this is a sports car in which other things matter more than design or ergonomics. What takes priority is the driving sensations and the capability of the engine.

Even so, the Mustang’s cabin does far more than the minimum required in terms of material quality, finishes and fit. There are no luxurious trims, but the quality is more than acceptable. It conveys a slightly lower sense of quality than the latest products from Ford in Europe, but this may be the result of it being a model developed several years ago and of the fact that, in general, the American public values perceived quality less than Europeans do. Traditionally, American-brand models built in the United States and sold in Europe gave a poorer sense of quality than Japanese or European products.

The Mustang is approved for four occupants, although two adults will not be very comfortable in the rear seats, as the legroom is not very generous with a driver and passenger of average height, and there is little headroom. The width, as is logical for a two-seater, is sufficient.

In addition, access to the rear of the cabin is not very convenient because the handle for folding the front seatbacks is poorly placed: it is behind the seat rather than on the side next to the door. Furthermore, the front seats do not move automatically but must be adjusted manually using the lever that regulates their position, located at the front of the seat. At least the clear opening left by the doors is large thanks to their generous size and the wide angle they open to. This, admittedly, can be a problem in tight parallel parking spaces.

As befits a sports car, the Mustang lets the driver sit quite low, close to the floor. The handle for pulling the door shut is well positioned; otherwise, it would sit rather low. The sports car from the oval-badged brand has comfortable seats that hold the body well. To make it easier to fasten the seat belt, a long plastic piece brings it closer to the front seats.

The Mustang’s centre console is made up of numerous buttons, most of them belonging to the sound system. This has somewhat outdated graphics; in the better-equipped versions, an eight-inch screen replaces it, showing navigation directions and graphics as well as other information. The instrument cluster is clear and complete. Between the two main gauges there is a 4.2-inch LCD screen that displays trip computer data, the sound system and other vehicle information, as well as allowing access to data such as acceleration and braking times or G-force. It is a feature that Ford calls ‘Track APPS’.

All the controls in the Mustang’s cabin have a good feel and are within easy reach of the driver. It is welcome that the electric windows are one-touch, on both the driver’s and passenger’s sides. Curiously, the two reading lights beside the interior rear-view mirror are not switched by pressing them or via a nearby button, but through a control located next to the wheel that switches the exterior lights on and off.

Storage and boot

The Mustang has enough space to hold everything people usually carry, from a mobile phone to keys, passing through a wallet or a glasses case. The storage in the doors and the glovebox is rather small and narrow, but they can serve their purpose well enough with small items. Between the front seats there are two cup holders and behind them a large compartment inside the central armrest, with a USB port and a 12V socket. Rear passengers have a pocket on the back of each front seat.

The Mustang’s boot, with a capacity of 380 litres, can take several medium-sized suitcases, although their placement is partly restricted by the generous wheel arches, which narrow the space closest to the rear seatbacks. To open the boot, press the button on the remote key fob for this purpose or the one beside the gear lever.

One less refined detail is that the bodywork between the rear seatbacks and the boot opening has no fabric trim. In addition, some storage spaces, such as a drawer-type compartment or a netted area, are missing for storing a tool kit or a torch, for example. The only space that can be used for this is the one around the spare wheel, which is smaller than the other four. The warning triangles are located beside it.

It is possible to increase the load capacity and carry long objects by folding down the rear seatbacks, in a 50/50 split.