The Ford Mustang arguably holds a more special place in American culture now than it has at any point in its history. It’s the only example of a proper American muscle car still rolling off the production lines in the mid 2020s.
In mid-2025 I went on a bit of a quest to find the ultimate “third car.” A vehicle you own just for fun. The Mustang is a very strong contender, and spending a week blasting one through the mountains did little to convince me otherwise.
The exact model I chose was the Ford Mustang GT, which is a bit of a sweet spot. It’s cheaper than the “Dark Horse” and the lack of a performance focus is actually a bit of a plus. If you prefer leather to carbon fiber, and don’t want to ditch comfort features like electric seats to “save weight” then you should make the same choice. As for why you should choose a Mustang in the first place? It’s pretty obvious.
Ford didn’t fall into a common trap
The Ford Mustang became the last real “muscle car” on the market a few years ago, when Chevrolet decided to dump both the Charger and Challenger in order to fully embrace the EV market. Dodge has since realized its (significant) mistake and will be bringing an ICE Charger back. But that’s going to have a V6 up front, and for many it’s a V8 Hemi or nothing.
Ford did, of course, release its own electric take on the Mustang. The Mach-E can be fun, especially with the Rally pack, but it’s totally a different beast to the “real” Mustang. Ford recognized this, made it its own thing, and preserved a legacy that goes back decades.
It’s still an American icon
If you have to name a truly “American” vehicle you basically have two choices. The pickup truck, or the muscle car. Yes, there are many vehicle types that originated in (and are only really practical) in the US. The stretch limousine and SUV being two examples. But they’re either very niche or too generic.
Both the pickup and the muscle car have a level of folklore about them. They’re ingrained into the American identity. No one fantasizes about ripping down Route 66 in a Ford Explorer.
That V8 is something else
“What makes a muscle car” is a question we’ve debated for decades. The consensus is slapping a huge, naturally aspirated, V8 up front isn’t strictly necessary but it certainly helps. Ford is your only option here, and the V8 isn’t in every version of the ‘Stang. But if you don’t opt for it you’ve done yourself a huge disservice.
It’s not even the power, which feels plentiful. It’s the sound, and the vibration, it’s just this weird portal to the past. It’s not a sensible choice in this day and age, but it’s fun and it feels right. A four cylinder just isn’t proper and as good as Ford’s other engines are the word “EcoBoost” shouldn’t be allowed within 500 yards of that beautiful galloping pony.
Honestly, listening to the roar of that Coyote engine as I drunk in the scenery was a bigger sensory boost than raw speed, precise handling, or many of the other things you look for in a modern performance vehicle. The Mustang is arguably better engineered than it has ever been, but it still retains a touch of that raw, primal, edge. It still has a dash of soul.
It has near no practical use
Does it have back seats? Yes. Does it have a trunk? Yes. Are either of those very useful? Not in the slightest. The Ford Mustang is not a practical vehicle. You can only use the back to store small, long, Amazon parcels — or maybe transport friends that don’t have any legs. The wheelchair won’t fit in the trunk though, so they may have to be content with scooting around on a skateboard.
This isn’t uncommon, lots of coups wither don’t have a back seat at all, like the Miata, or have one that’s so small it’s basically there for decoration. And this is fine, in fact it’s a feature? Hate being the person who has to cart your friend group around? Buy a Mustang, they may suffer through it once and learn their lesson.
The last of a dying breed
The Mustang doesn’t actually need to be practical. It’s a fun mobile, something that you drive for pleasure. A claimant to the throne of the “third car” kingdom. You buy one because it looks sexy and it’s fun to drive. You pull the Kia Telluride, Volvo XC-90, or Chrysler Pacifica out for the school run, or when you’re picking up groceries. The ‘Stang rolls out of the garage on a sunny public holiday when you want to rip through the mountains with the top down.
You can get a Ford Mustang GT, the trim that’s long been the sweet spot for the line, for under $50,000. I mentioned earlier how it’s the last “muscle car” in production. Its species isn’t just on the verge of extinction. The entire genus of “fun, yet affordable” is in a lot of danger.
The last few years have seen manufacturers move away from the fun and less than $50k market. Toyota killed the Supra, the Mitsubishi Evo is a distant memory, There’s only really the Mini and Miata left, and neither hits the same way as Ford’s famous pony. To be fair to Ford, the Mustang doesn’t seem to be going anywhere. Which is good news for the automotive industry in general.
