Best Year Ford Mustang

‍2014 Ford Mustang

The 2014 Mustang brings back many memories and associations for American sports car lovers. It borrows a few design features from its previous generation ancestors and gives them a modern tout in hopes of carrying the legacy forward.

However, the 2014 Mustang is definitively designed for the present. The powerful V8 engine, super-fast quarter-mile sprints, and wide range of engines remain a significant part of the vehicle's identity. However, the 2014 Mustang features a comfortable cabin, razor-sharp handling, and engine power that can impress even the pickiest enthusiasts.

Design Features

Look at the 2014 Mustang from a distance, and it will remind you of the past. But as you come closer, it begins to show off its modern and advanced features that are definitely designed for the present. We love how Ford has transformed a vintage design into something suitable and flashy in the modern world.

You cannot mistake the Mustang for any other car, no matter what angle you look at it from. Thanks to its unique side profile and the coupe design, it is easily recognizable. The basics of this design can be traced back to 2005, yet this shape was launched in 2010.

There are many retro design cues on the car, and for those who think they are not enough, there are plenty more available options in the aftermarket. You can easily reshape the Mustang to look like something from the early 2000s.

The unique forward-tilted grille gives the car a more muscle-car-like look and takes away attention from many other features on the front of the car, especially the thin lower air dam. The headlights seem small in comparison yet are well suited to the fascia.

The headlights come with xenon HID lamps across the trim lineup and have LED lamps running in two strips from the edges. These LED strips serve as DRLs for the Mustang and give the vehicle a nice and distinctive look.

The taillights flaunt a modern smoked look with LEDs running around the lights. All lights comprise LED lamps and give the car a modern, sports car style look from the rear. The blacked-out panel between the taillights blends well with the rear end, matching the dark colors and providing healthy contrast for bright colors.

On the sides, the Mustang is equipped with body-colored rocker panels. A projector light in the doors also beams the Mustang's signature pony emblem on the road adjacent to the doors.

Step inside, and you find an upright and big dashboard with gauges located deep inside. There is plenty of metallic trim all around, and the lighting changes colors for improved ambiance. Even though there is plenty of technology inside, something about the cabin reminds us of the past. The materials used are of high-quality, and soft-touch material covers most surfaces. We prefer a dual-color tone instead of a single monotonous look.

Performance Features

The 2014 Ford Mustang lives up to the pony car legacy in performance, just like it does with appearance. It is equipped with a V6 or a V8 engine, comes standard with rear-wheel drive, and runs on a solid-axle layout. That's just about where the old-school comparisons come to a halt.

The Mustang comes in two flavors, the V6 and the V8. Both engines are impressively responsive and come equipped with modern technologies like overhead cams and variable valve timing. We feel that the V8 sounds more muscle-car-like than its smaller sibling.

The V6 engine has a capacity of 3.7 liters and produces up to 305 hp and 280 lb-ft torque. It makes the Mustang feel responsive and provides enough power for an average thriller. Some experts claim that the performance of this V6 engine matches the 4.6-liter V8 found in previous models.

For real enthusiasts is the 5.0-liter V8, available in the Mustang GT. It is truly built for those who crave power and performance. The engine can produce 420 horsepower and 390 pound-feet torque. It has a unique, throaty sound that resembles some exotics.

Both engines make maximum torque at a high rpm of around 4,250. Real enthusiasts prefer using manual transmission over automatic as it gives them better control of power and performance. However, even the automatic transmission comes with a manual shifting option. A button beside the shifter lets you go up and down between the gears without any forced shifts.

The 2014 Mustang comes with three variable driving modes, Comfort, Standard, and Sport. Each of these modes alters the vehicle's throttle response, suspension, and steering response.

In terms of drivability, there is not much difference between the V6 and the V8, and both are fun to drive. Ford has put in a lot of advanced engineering to make the Mustang a real driver's car. The handling is crisp, and the car does not shy away from tight corners or twisty roads, even on slippery surfaces. The car also fares well on uneven patches.

For those who want to extract the real juice out of the Mustang, there is the Mustang Shelby GT500. This variant is equipped with a turbocharged 5.8-liter V8 that can churn out a whopping 662 horsepower and 631 pound-feet torque. It is coupled with a six-speed manual transmission to deliver all that power to the rear wheels.

Comfort Features

For decades, the Mustang has not grown in the same size. It remains a compact car with a snug cabin. However, the interior décor and comfort are very good, and the seats are very comfortable. We wish we could say the same for the rear seats, which are quite tight for adults.

So as long as you are riding in the front seats, you should be comfortable and cozy. We definitely prefer the driver's seat in such a car rather than riding as a passenger. The cabin is equipped with many features, and with its usability, layout, and comfort, it puts many of the rivals to shame.  

The front seats are supportive and well-bolstered. They offer a lot of support for the thighs, lower back, and sides. However, we are not fans of the rear seats as even small adults have a tough time getting into them and then sitting there for too long.

The Mustang is designed to be a sports car with utility and everyday drivability. It features a spacious trunk, which can hold more than a few large suitcases. The convertible comes with a soft-top, which compromises a little on the trunk space for stowing the soft top. The top is power-operated, but two latches over the windshield must be fastened manually.

Even with the soft top raised, the convertibles are noisier than the hardtop variants. Wind buffeting can be a little issue for those sitting on the back seat with the top down.

Due to the big engines, you can expect the vehicle to give more vibration and feel a little rougher than traditional sedans. However, the vehicle comes with excellent insulation to keep noise out. If you are like us, you can rake the windows down a little to enjoy the roar of the V8.

Safety Features

Pony cars, muscle cars, and budget-oriented sports cars usually do not have impressive safety records. But this has more to do with the drivers they attract rather than the vehicle's specs.

The 2014 Ford Mustang is a good safety choice if you drive responsibly. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) grants the vehicle four stars for overall safety. The Mustang gets four stars for frontal crash and side-impact. However, it achieves five stars for the rollover resistance test.

The IIHS (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety) awards the 2014 Mustang Good score for most crashworthiness. It achieves the second-best "Acceptable" score for the Side impact test.

The 2014 Mustang is equipped with many standard and optional safety features. These include:

• Frontal and side airbags save the occupants from severe injuries during frontal and side impacts.
• Antilock brakes prevent the wheels from locking up during hard brakes, helping the vehicle maintain traction throughout the braking process.
• Rearview camera with rear parking sensors.
• Optional blind-spot monitors alert the driver of vehicles in the adjacent lane when attempting to make lane changes.

One feature that is not a direct safety issue, but we find the outside visibility a little compromised, and anticipating corners can be difficult.

Variant Features

As a Mustang enthusiast, you already have an idea about the 2014's pony-car look, tire-burning performance, and loads of customization you can do to the car. Many car enthusiasts spend a lot of time and money customizing their Mustang to their liking. This means you can find a highly dubbed Mustang and add to it even further.

Many features and equipment come standard across all variants of the 2014 Mustang. These include:

• Keyless entry
• Power mirrors, door locks, and windows
• Cruise control
• Ford's MyKey system lets parents define audio system volume limits, upper-speed limits, and other warnings.

The following optional features are also available for the Mustang, so you are likely to find some of them on one model or the other:

• Leather upholstery
• Ambient lighting
• 500-watt Shaker audio system
• Dual-zone climate control
• Reverse parking sensors
• Blindspot monitor
• Panoramic glass roof
• Universal garage door opener

For performance lovers, there is a big treat. The following performance parts are available as Brembo brakes with finely tuned sports suspension, and improved stability control, as well as a GT Track package for those who like to run on tracks. This package adds:

• 3.73 axle
• Performance brake pads and larger front discs
• Torsen differential
• Upgraded radiator
• 19-inch alloy wheels

Fuel Economy Features

Hardly any Mustang owner pays attention to the fuel economy. However, the 2014 Mustang can be quite economical regarding fuel numbers, but only when running a V6 with a light foot. The EPA ratings for the various engines are as follows:  

Price Range of 2014 Ford Mustang

With stark differences in the engine and features, the 2014 Mustang prices start at around $15,000 for the V6 variant and can go upwards of $45,000 for the Shelby GT500 variant. The prices depend and vary according to location, mileage, optional features installed, and vehicle condition.

Reliability of 2014 Ford Mustang

Most vehicles stand at three stars with J.D Power, which is considered the average for the industry. The Mustang outshines many in terms of reliability. J.D Power ranks the 2014 Mustang as "Better than Most" by giving it four out of five stars.