The Ford Mustang has been a popular car since it was first introduced. It’s helped define the American muscle car around the world.
However, does that mean it’s a good car to own?
The Ford Mustang is a relatively reliable, safe, and fun sports car, but they have poor handling on wet and icy roads, are expensive to maintain, and are less efficient and safe than most sedans. If you’re looking for a fun weekend vehicle, a Mustang is a great choice.
But if you’re looking for a safe and efficient family vehicle for your daily drive, a Mustang is one of the worst options out there.
Let’s take a look to learn more about each so that you can make this decision for yourself!
How Much Does it Cost to Maintain a Mustang?
One of the most important things to consider when car shopping is maintenance costs. You might be able to afford the monthly payment on a car, but maintaining it is something else.
RepairPal lists how much it costs an average driver to maintain their Mustang. According to their data, it’s about twice as expensive to maintain one compared to a Civic.
You’ll have to spend nearly $700 a year to properly maintain a Mustang. It only costs $360 a year to maintain a Honda Civic, for comparison.
There is good news, though. RepairPal states the Mustang doesn’t have to visit the repair shop all that often.
So, you won’t have to repair them more than other cars most of the time.
Plus, most of the repairs aren’t too serious, either. An average driver has to take their Mustang to the shop about 0.2 times per year.
That’s less often than most other vehicles, at 0.4 times per year.
On the other hand, your repairs might cost more when they’re needed. 14% of repair visits by Mustangs are for serious issues.
Only 12% of all cars visit the repair shop for something serious each year.
So, you might not visit the shop as often in a Mustang. But, when you do, it’s more likely to be serious.
How Reliable is the Mustang?
A vehicle’s reliability tells us how often it’ll have problems. The more reliable it is, the less you’ll be visiting the repair shop.
Generally, the Ford Mustang is more reliable than other sports cars. They’re less reliable than most sedans, though.
RepairPal gave the Mustang a 3.5 out of 5 on their reliability test. That means it ranks near the bottom of all midsize cars.
Consumer Reports has also given the Mustang mixed reviews for reliability. The 2017 model received a 4 out of 5 rating. However, several model years got a 1 out of 5 rating.
Most other cars don’t have as much variability in their scores. For example, the Civic never scored lower than 4.5 in the last 10 years.
That means you’ll probably deal with more issues if you’re driving a Mustang. They’re not the least reliable vehicles out there.
But, you can find ones that are much more reliable than a Mustang.
Ford has issued a few recalls on modern models for software issues. J.D. Power gave the Mustang a 4 out of 5 for reliability in 2020.
That’s the best score they’ve given them in years.
How Efficient is the Mustang?
Another thing you’ve got to consider when buying a car is its gas mileage. If you’re driving one that’s got great gas mileage, you won’t spend much at the pump.
Driving the Mustang costs more than most vehicles because they’re not very efficient. You can expect to see about 19 miles per gallon on average if you’re driving one.
Your Mustang may get up to 39 MPG if it’s on the highway. However, it can go as low as 14 MPG when you’re in the city.
A new Civic gets up to 76 MPG in the city, and 81 on the highway. So, you’ll have to spend way more filling up a Mustang than you’d spend on one of them.
How Safe is the Mustang?
Safety is another top concern if you’re buying a new car. We’ve all seen accidents happen at one time or another.
How safe is driving a Mustang, though?
The Mustang is one of the most dangerous vehicles on the market.
If you’re driving one of them, your likelihood of getting into an accident is 4 times higher than average.
You’ve got to remember, sports cars tend to score poorly on safety measures. The Mustang is actually one of the safer sports cars.
However, it’s still not as safe as other midsize cars.
What Does it Cost to Insure a Mustang?
Don’t forget to calculate how much you’ll spend insuring a sports car. This usually costs a lot more if you’re driving a Mustang, too.
The amount you’ll spend insuring one depends on your age and driving history. A 40-year-old might only have to pay $2,000 a year to insure one.
Getting insurance on the same car might cost $5,000 a year if you’re 18.
Insurance companies look at a vehicle’s history to determine how much they’ll charge. On average, Mustangs get into more accidents than other cars. So, they charge more to insure them if you’ve got one.
Does the Mustang Handle Poor Road Conditions Well?
Not everyone lives somewhere that’s sunny the whole year. How does the Mustang drive when it’s snowy?
Driving the Mustang on snowy roads isn’t the best idea, since they’re so low. It doesn’t take much snow cover to prevent them from touching the ground.
Also, the Mustang is a rear-wheel-drive car. That makes it way easier to lose traction if you’re on something slippery.
You can improve the Mustang’s snow handling by getting snow tires. However, it’s still going to be more dangerous in the snow if you’re in one.
An AWD car would be the safest way to travel if you live somewhere snowy.
Is the Mustang a Good Daily Driver?
Everyone has their own opinion about what makes a good daily driver. For us, we’d like a car that’s not expensive to drive and doesn’t have a ton of issues.
Driving the Mustang every day is going to cost more in gas. Plus, it’ll even run you more for insurance as well.
That’s why we’d suggest using another car as your daily driver. The Mustang is great if you’re a fan of muscle cars.
But, they’re more expensive to own than most midsize vehicles, making them impractical.
