I figured the 2010 Ford Mustang would be a fun car to drive, but this muscle car exceeded my expectations. With its redesign, the Mustang looks more modern than its predecessor, and I appreciated all of the fun details packed into the hefty sports coupe.
What makes a muscle car is its engine, and the Mustang didn’t disappoint. My test car, a GT Premium, had a V-8 engine and cost $34,420; a base Mustang with a V-6 engine starts at a much lower $21,395 MSRP.
The V-8 engine provided the perfect amount of rumble as my kids and I rolled through our neighborhood, letting everyone know when we were home or getting close. The Mustang felt solid and sporty, which means it cornered with a little tilting and tons of ready-to-go power. To back up all those full-throttle horsies, braking in the Mustang was quick and strong.
The only thing that stopped me from hitting the road with complete confidence was the driver’s seat position. While I found the seat to be supportive and comfy, I had a hard time adjusting it to fit my driving needs. The challenges were twofold: The steering wheel could tilt but didn’t telescope, so I couldn’t bring it closer to me, and the head restraints pushed my head forward so much that it felt awkward. Basically, I looked like a zombie with my arms outstretched and my head tilted slightly downward. Not hot!
By the end of my test week, I had adjusted the seat several times and did get more comfortable as time progressed, but I never found a perfect position.
EXTERIOR
The Mustang’s redesign stands out with its strong lines and wicked styling. Large fog lights placed within the black grille draw the eye inward. From the side, three different sheet metal contours met directly below the tiny peek a boo second-row window.
Beneath the sheet metal sat a 315-horsepower, 4.6-liter V-8 engine with a five-speed manual transmission. The Mustang takes regular gas and gets an EPA-estimated 16/24 mpg city/highway.
Really, the Mustang was a convenient size for trips with my boys. We were able to climb in easily, and the doors weren’t too heavy or cumbersome. The lack of backseat legroom won’t make most adults happy, but my kids fit fine back there. I liked that they were close to me if I needed to hand them something.
The trunk wasn’t huge, but it held my groceries just fine. Bulky strollers and other baby gear may pose a tougher challenge, though.
SENSE AND STYLE
Family Friendly (Not Really, Fair, Great, Excellent): Fair
Fun-Factor (None, Some, Good Times, Groove On): Groove On
INTERIOR
From the sporty aluminum gearshift knob to the fiery red ambient lighting in the cupholders and door bins, the Mustang dazzled me. The stylish interior included Brick Led leather upholstery with a white stripe running down each seat and small Mustang logos that added shimmer to the interior door panels.
The stereo controls were easy to reach and use, with no waffling over buttons to find a radio station. I had a hard time getting the fan to operate how I wanted, though. At first it wasn’t blowing hard enough, but then I realized I had selected the wrong mode, a pretty easy mistake due to the non-descript button for fan settings.
The visibility was good from every angle. There were no bulky accessories or pillars to block my view, and the rear window was big enough to get a good look through via the rearview mirror.
The backseat, which seats two, had no frills. There weren’t any cupholders or window buttons for the kids to them. As a parent, this was nice since fewer distractions result in fewer time-outs and fewer glares from mommy.
IT’S THE LITTLE THINGS THAT COUNT
Storage Compartments (Puny, Fair, Ample, Galore): Fair
Cargo/Trunk Space (Puny, Fair, Ample, Galore): Fair
SAFETY
When it comes to child-safety seats, the Mustang falls a bit short. The Latch connectors were buried under the luscious leather; it was difficult for my fingers to find them, but easier for the rigid Latch hooks on my boys’ booster seats to grab onto them. These were the only child-safety seats that fit well back there. Even with the backseat’s bolstering, my boys’ booster seats fit snugly. A buxom bump between their seats actually raised the seat belt receptors up and out making them easy to reach.
When installing a rear-facing convertible seat or infant-safety seat, there just wasn’t enough room in the backseat for these space hogs. The front passenger would have to scoot the seat forward a lot to accommodate a rear-facing seat in the back.
I was able to install a forward-facing convertible seat in the backseat without any problems, but the lack of second-row legroom was a concern. This would cause lots of problems for anyone riding in front of this car seat.
The Mustang has standard antilock brakes with brake assist, stability control, traction control and six airbags.
Find more safety information on the 2010 Ford Mustang here.
