Hearing that the entry-level 2024 Ford Mustang EcoBoost would only be available with the 10-speed automatic transmission broke my heart. How could the most attainable version of the last-remaining pony car drop the stick? A presumably low take rate is the obvious answer, but you’d think the Mustang, of all cars, would have three pedals available no matter the trim. After driving it, though, it’s clear that the change is a sign of a bigger shift in Ford’s intended audience.
Pure enjoyment has taken a back seat in the EcoBoost, making room for the car’s usability and fancy customizable cabin. The brand thinks of the four- and eight-cylinder Mustangs as totally different cars, with different use cases for different people. With the EcoBoost, it’s obvious that Ford is aiming more at normal consumers than gearheads. But that’s not a bad thing.
It becomes clear as soon as you step inside. In place of the iconic dual gauge cluster shroud you’ll find a 12.4-inch digital display. It’s paired to an even bigger 13.2-inch touchscreen for the infotainment. All of the HVAC and radio controls have been moved into the screen, cleaning up the center stack and simplifying everything (in terms of design, anyway). The cabin looks great and feels like a nice place to be, so long as you don’t reach for the hard plastic trim too often. But we’d love to have a set of physical buttons for climate control, as it’s a pain to adjust through the screen while on the move.
Ford
The outside hasn’t changed nearly as much. Rather than shake things up and go for a clean-sheet approach, it seems as if designers added a polygon effect in Photoshop to the last-gen Mustang and called it a day. All of the lines are sharper and more pronounced than before, but everyone will immediately recognize this S650 as a modern Mustang. The long nose, snarly grille, and wide rear haunches scream muscle and speed, while the rear end’s new concave shape harkens back to the 1967 Mustang fastback. In a world of bland EV crossovers, it’s a refreshing retro-inspired anomaly.
Ford says it spent a lot of time on the 2024 Mustang’s software and interfacing, and it shows. SYNC 4.0 is snappy, easy to navigate, and quick to respond to inputs. It also comes with a bunch of Mustang-specific customization features that allow drivers to make their Mustang their own, at least from the inside. Switchable mood lighting offers a wide range of colors, and there are a number of different gauge cluster designs to choose from. Options include a track mode that prioritizes the tachometer and a vintage gauge cluster design inspired by the Fox Body Mustang. There’s even a “calm” gauge cluster mode that shows only the most vital information, allowing your eyes to take a break from the light.
Ford
That customization extends to the driving experience, too. The 2024 Mustang EcoBoost has no less than six drive modes to choose from, selected by a rocker switch on the steering wheel and confirmed via a set of wonderfully detailed animations shown in the gauge cluster. Ranging from Slippery to Track, there’s a mode for every scenario. Among them is an individual setting that allows the driver to adjust things like steering, throttle response, transmission mapping, and, if you have Magneride optioned, suspension stiffness.
No matter which mode you choose, you’ll have a car that’s more suited to cruising than canyon carving. The suspension is calm and unbothered by most bumps, and there’s plenty of visibility out front. Connecting to Apple CarPlay is seamless, and the optional 12-speaker B&O sound system fared well with my usual test playlist, at least for this price range. None of the cars I drove had the base speaker set, so we’ll have to wait a bit longer to see how it stacks up.
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While the Mustang EcoBoost doesn’t exactly feel at home on tight twisty roads, it’s not a sloppy mess, either. The electronically assisted steering is lacking feel but a quicker ratio over the last-gen car means hand-shuffling happens far less. The chassis is set up for safety, so the front wheels will always give up before the rear. You can make it rotate with enough patience, but just under 3600 pounds to lug around means cars like the Mazda MX-5 Miata or Toyota GR86 are far better choices if your commute has a bunch of fun corners. The payoff is, of course, a set of semi-usable back seats and a decently-sized trunk. If twisties are your thing and you absolutely must have a four-cylinder Mustang, we recommend opting for the Performance Package, as it gets you a Torsen limited-slip differential, 19-inch wheels with summer tires, bigger Brembo brakes, and a strut tower brace.
Check the right option boxes and you’ll end up with what looks like a traditional lever-operated hand brake on the center console in place of the electronic button-operated e-brake. That’s actually what Ford calls the “drift brake.” Developed in conjunction with pro drifter Vaughn Gittin Jr., it emulates a real hydraulic brake like you’d find in any high-level drift car. Yank it while on the move, and it’ll grab the rear brakes while disconnecting power going to the rear axle, allowing you to pull off big, smokey slides without fear of straining the drivetrain. It works well in practice, though we fear most owners won’t adhere to Ford’s “for track use only” edict, striking fear into the hearts of Cars & Coffee-goers nationwide.
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Speeding away from C&C events should be simple, as the EcoBoost now offers 315 hp and 350 lb-ft of torque from the 2.3-liter four-pot thanks to dual fuel injection and a new twin-scroll turbocharger with an electronic wastegate. While the power plant’s numbers have gone up only slightly, character has increased far more. There’s a unique, poppy soundtrack coming from the dual-exhaust tips, topped off by a prominent blow-off valve whistle whenever you lift off the throttle. No, it doesn’t sound anything like what some might think a Mustang “should” sound like. Instead, the EcoBoost embraces its own fun, silly demeanor. And that’s worth respecting.
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I also respect the engineers who worked on the Mustang EcoBoost’s 10-speed. Response is a massive step up over the sleepy auto ‘box in the outgoing car, and depending on the drive mode, the gearbox will react quickly to give you the gear you need. Shifts aren’t as quick as a well-tuned ZF eight-speed, but they’re close. For the first time, I wouldn’t be mad if I got one of these as a rental, simply because the transmission is so well-behaved.
That doesn’t really matter to people like me or you, of course, because the 2024 Ford Mustang EcoBoost is not for us. The enthusiasts reading this will always gravitate towards the GT, with its gigantic V-8 and available manual transmission. The EcoBoost’s safe chassis setup and lackluster steering are a far cry from the Miata and GR86, titans of affordable fun. But it’s hard not to love the Mustang EcoBoost simply because it exists. I can count on one finger how many beginner-level performance cars are still on sale today. I’m just grateful the Mustang is one of them, rather than just another emotionless electric box. For those who aren’t tapped into the wonderful world of cars, it’s one of the last bastions of hope, offering a way in for a reasonable amount of money. In a world where cars like the Camaro and Challenger will soon cease to exist in their current forms, that’s as much as we can ask for.
Brian Silvestro
Road & Track staff writer with a taste for high-mileage, rusted-out projects and amateur endurance racing.
Keyword: The 2024 Ford Mustang EcoBoost Is America’s Everyday Sports Car