It's not the GT, but this Mustang still cooks

A menu of Mark Glover’s AutoGlo reviews of the latest motor vehicle models also can be seen on The Sacramento Bee’s website at www.sacbee.com/news/business/article4005306.html
 

This review first appeared in the November 2018 edition of the Northern & Central California Cruisin’ News published out of Folsom, California – mg

Sacramento, California – A recent week in the 2018 Ford Mustang EcoBoost Coupe Premium gave me a deeper appreciation for the subtle differences in engine muscle.

OK, this is not the Mustang GT, recently enjoyed and reviewed with its 460 horses roaring through a 5-liter V-8 power plant.  The EcoBoost dishes up 310 horsepower through a 2.3-liter turbo-4.  And yet, the rush from the EcoBoost thrills with more spirited sound and fury off the line.

Simply put: The Mustang EcoBoost was just as enjoyable at the Mustang GT in the adrenaline-rush department.  Power in the tester was laid down via a 10-speed automatic transmission, a complex piece of technology to say the least.  And seamless in the tester.

The EcoBoost was a quick and agile ride in all conditions, particularly on dicey freeways.  It could maneuver out of harm's way in a flash, providing a strong dose of security to the driver, thank you very much.  For the record, motorists tend to get out of the way of a fast closing Mustang.

Even with the robust performance, fuel mileage came in at a respectable 21 miles per gallon in the city and 32 mpg on the highway.

And my tester was an eye-catcher, wearing blinding "Triple Yellow" exterior paint and dual exhausts spread wide at the back end.

Interior comfort was excellent from the cockpit, with good vision all the way around and easy-to-understand controls within easy reach.  Two people in the front works.  Mashing two folks into the very tight back seats might cause harm.  You've been warned.

Given the EcoBoost's Premium's reasonable starting price of $30,600, I can see how it would be a popular choice among folks who want a daily driver with some flash and performance.

Alas, my ride was dressed up with extras that pushed the bottom line to nearly $43,000, a price that might make some think long and hard about getting the dressed-up EcoBoost or the more horsepower-laden GT.

I guess it's a matter of personal preference. But then, isn't everything?

Rest assured, however, that the EcoBoost offers the full Mustang experience, with a look that still retains some of that good old-timey DNA from the 1964 original.

Yes, there is up-to-date technology, good safety features, LED lighting and more in the mix, but the EcoBoost is all Mustang.  It has more than enough to give you a nostalgia fix and a skin-tingling sports car rush.