The Ford Mustang is a classic American car with a rich history, but you may be wondering how family-friendly it is and if it can seat 5 people. Whether you’re looking to own a Mustang or just have fun in a rental, this is a serious question to dig into!
Aside from some of their high-performance models, Ford Mustang’s have a maximum seating capacity of 4. However, if there is a fifth person over the age of 16, then they technically could sit on the hump bench between the two rear seats without a seatbelt.
While this may not be the most comfortable seat in the house, the hump bench can certainly be an option in a time of need. However, note that because the hump bench is not an actual seat it does not have a seatbelt.
In order to make this scenario “legal”, the individual would need to be over the age of 16 to qualify for sitting in a rear seat without a seat belt.
While this stipulation is true in most of the United States, make sure to check with your local laws in case they differ!
For safety and for comfort reasons, you will be best served by finding a different vehicle if you need to fit five people in it frequently or for long drives.
How much room is in the backseat of a Mustang?
Now that we’ve already reviewed the technical restrictions around fitting 5 people in a Mustang, it’s worth pointing out the obvious physical limitations of doing so.
Cramming 5 average-sized adults into a Mustang is not going to make for a comfortable ride! At least for those in the backseat…
While our front seat friends are able to stretch their legs and enjoy the comfort of their bucket seats, the backseat is an entirely different setup.
In case you’re not familiar with the Mustang, I should point out that they are coupés i.e. only have 2 doors. Meaning that your rear passengers will need to fold the front seats forward and crawl back to their destination!
Once arriving in the back there are two official seats (with seatbelts), separated by a bench hump.
Every Mustang model varies and while some have a more substantial hump than others, most modern ones will look like the one pictured below.
Without breaking out the tape measure, you can see that it’s not a lot of room.
Unless the individuals sitting in the actual seats to either side of you are smaller in stature, then you’re not going to have much room! In a side-to-side sense, it’s not likely that you’ll have much space around the hips and shoulders for a comfortable ride.
Also, taking note of the slope of the vehicle’s roof, there is not a tremendous amount of headroom either. Shorter individuals will get some relief in this area, but for many, headroom will be an issue.
Referencing Ford’s 2020 Mustang lineup, the rear headroom is limited to 34.8 inches. However, that measurement is from the bottom of the actual seats!
You’ll want to subtract several inches from that measurement to account for the raised bench hump.
Before you get down, this is where the Mustang convertible shines! Assuming you’re out for a spin on a nice day, do your backseat friends a favor and put the top down.
Doing so will give them some much-needed room to breathe – LITERALLY.
Now while it is physically possible to get 5 people into a Mustang, there is the obvious safety issue. While the back seats provide some degree of containment, there’s still the obvious lack of a fifth seat belt.
In the event of an accident, there is nothing restraining the person sitting in the middle. This presents a very dangerous scenario and something that needs to be taken into consideration. Especially if you’re out riding in a convertible!
Do Mustangs have 4 seats?
Virtually all Mustangs have 4 seats. These lineups are often referred to as a “2+2” or “2-plus-2” due to having two full-sized seats up front and two smaller seats in the rear.
However, it’s also worth pointing out that some of the high-end performance Mustang models only have two front seats. The removal of these seats allows for weight savings and the addition of extra safety features for these more “track-ready” vehicles.
Looking at Ford’s 2020 lineup for the Mustang, here’s a breakdown of the official seating capacity for each.
| Model | Seats |
| Fastback | 4 |
| Convertible | 4 |
| BULLITT | 4 |
| Shelby GT350 | 4 |
| Shelby GT350R | 2 |
| Shelby GT500 | 4 |
The front seats are comfortable bucket seats, but the backseats have far less room! For average-sized adults, the backseats will probably feel cramped for longer drives.
If you’re prone to motion sickness, I should also point out that the enclosed feeling of the backseat may make people uncomfortable.
Weather permitting, rolling down the windows to provide them with plenty of fresh air can do them wonders!
Can I put car seats in the back of a Mustang?
Yes, you can absolutely install car seats in the back seat of a Mustang. In fact, you can put one on each side making it capable of holding two car seats.
Please don’t try to fit a third car seat in the back though…While the middle is the safest placement in other vehicles, it’s not a viable option for car seat installation in Mustangs.
Installation, however, is going to take some finesse!
Remember that because you don’t have dedicated rear doors, you’ll need to squeeze past the folded-down seat to hook up the car seats. While finding the space to maneuver and install them in the backseat will be tricky, it is 100% doable.
Rear-facing infant car seats will provide the most difficulty getting installed but there are some tricks you can use. If your particular model comes with a detachable base, make sure to get that installed independently first as it’s much smaller and easier to maneuver.
From there you can click in the rest of the car seat to secure it.
Things will get much easier once your child is large enough for a forward-facing car seat as they generally take up less room. Your kid may also be mobile enough to climb into the back seat on their own and spare you from the hassle.
Just make sure to take your time and ensure that the car seats are properly secured. Take a break if frustration kicks in or call for a second set of hands to help!
Conclusion on the Ford Mustang Seating Capacity
While the Ford Mustang clearly isn’t winning any carpool awards, it’s one heck of a fun car!
Whether it’s taking the family out for a spin on a beautiful sunny weekend, or cruising around on vacation, you’re sure to enjoy your ride.
Just be sensible about how many you try to cram into them knowing that compromises are being made with safety and comfort. For everyone’s sake, keep rides short when loading the vehicle to the max.
Sometimes you just need to pick between practicality and maximizing the fun!
