After years of rumors and grainy spy shots, Ford has finally pulled back the cover on the 2024 Mustang. The seventh-generation muscle car isn’t getting the hybrid or all-wheel-drive variants many had predicted but picks up refreshed engines, updated tech, and a sleek new look. Ford took cues from fighter jets for the car’s interior and implemented motorsports-oriented features using feedback from its pro drivers.
Ford will continue offering the Mustang in EcoBoost (turbocharged 4-cylinder) and GT (naturally aspirated V8) variants. The classic coupe returns with a fresh face, and the convertible has a cleaner look. Mustang fans won’t be shocked by a radical transformation or wild features, but the car looks to be a meaningful evolution of previous models.
Ford notes several upgrades and changes to the Mustang’s exterior, but the new car is immediately recognizable as The Blue Oval’s pony car. The front end is cleaner now, with a sharp horizontal line defining the grille and headlights. The Mustang GT features more aggressive styling than the EcoBoost version, but both are more modern and sharply styled than before.
Chiseled sides and muscular fenders beef up the profile, and the roofline sweeps almost like classic fastback Mustang models. Ford offers 11 colors for the car, and 17-inch wheels are standard. The GT comes with 19-inch wheels that buyers can upgrade to 20-inch alloys. A new Mustang Design Series appearance package is available for both Mustang variants, which brings bronze alloy wheels and badges.
Ford rebuilt the Mustang’s interior with a more driver-centric design and fighter-jet touches. Cloth upholstery comes standard, and Ford offers microsuede/vinyl inserts. Synthetic leather and genuine leather are available, depending on the trim level. Top trims add a leather-wrapped steering wheel and offer a choice of accent stitching. Upgraded seats, including Recaro sport buckets, are available.
The 2024 Mustang retains its 4- and 8-cylinder engine choices, but Ford says both are all-new for the car. The Mustang GT gets a 5.0-liter Coyote V8 that Ford says makes the most naturally aspirated horsepower of any GT to date. It uses a new dual air-intake box and dual throttle-body design that the automaker says reduces induction loss with higher airflow rates. The EcoBoost’s turbocharged 2.3-liter 4-cylinder is also new.
Ford continues offering a manual transmission for the Mustang in 2024, and a 10-speed automatic is available. The Mustang GT offers standard rev-matching for more precise downshifts and control when equipped with a manual.
Five available drive modes change transmission, throttle, and steering behavior. They include Normal, Sport, Slippery, Drag, and Track. An available Performance Pack adds a front tower brace, a Torsen limited-slip differential, larger brakes, wider rear wheels, and better engine cooling. MagneRide suspension, Recaro seats, and an active exhaust are available with the package.
Ford gave the new Mustang a mechanical handbrake, which for some people means the car is drift-able. To help get the car sideways, Ford includes a unique parking brake with the Performance Pack that the automaker says enables easier vehicle rotation.
Ford gives the 2024 Mustang a surprisingly complete list of standard driver aids and assistance systems. Every Mustang comes with Ford Co-Pilot360, and cars equipped with the Performance Pack add a new pothole mitigation system. The FordPass app and functions are standard, which enable vehicle status checks and other features.
A 12.4-inch digital gauge cluster comes standard and offers neat futuristic features, including 3D animations built using a tool popular with video game developers. Ford says the gauges and lighting now have a copper appearance similar to the Mustang Mach-E. An available 13.2-inch touchscreen brings a single integrated glass panel with the gauge cluster.
The system runs on Ford’s Sync 4 infotainment software, which offers over-the-air updates, wireless smartphone connectivity, and more.
The volume and frequency of electrification rumors surrounding the new Mustang are a good indication of the way the industry is heading. General Motors will discontinue the Mustang’s most direct competitor, the Chevrolet Camaro, in 2024. The automaker has so far avoided announcing a successor. More rumors point to the car going electric for its next generation, but nothing is confirmed.
Then there’s Dodge. The domestic performance car brand announced that it would discontinue the Challenger and Charger following the 2023 model year. Earlier this year, it also showed an electric Challenger concept that looked suspiciously close to production-ready. That said, there’s no official word on when or if it will enter production.
Ford is the source of information in this article. It was accurate as of September 14, 2022, but it may have changed since that date. Always confirm product details and availability with the automaker’s website or your local dealership.
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© 2022 J.D.Power. All rights reserved.
© 2019 J.D.Power. All rights reserved.