Is there anything more iconic or all-American than the Ford Mustang? Born in the 1960s and still one of the most popular Ford models on the market today, the 2018 Ford Mustang invigorates the brand with the most powerful engine ever to grace the inside of the muscle machine. If the time is right for you to step up your car game and you’re on the fence about buying a 2018 Ford Mustang in Cincinnati, Ohio, read on to see why the time is right to get yourself behind the wheel of the new 2018 Ford Mustang.
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When it comes down to it, no matter which car you end up buying all that really matters, in the end, is if it is safe and if it is reliable. Fortunately, with the 2018 Ford Mustang, you get both safety, reliability and a whole lot more, all wrapped up in one sleek and sexy speedster of a vehicle.
The brand-new 2018 Ford Mustang has yet to undergo extensive crash testing, but it has so far received a perfect five-star score from the National Highway Traffic Administration when it was subjected to the rollover test. It is also reasonable to assume that the 2018 model would perform similarly to the 2017 model – which means drivers can expect the 2018 Ford Mustang to receive a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA and the highest rating of Good from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
The 2018 Mustangs also come with fantastic available safety tech features such as lane departure warning, the Pre-Collision Assist/emergency braking system, distance alert and pedestrian detection. Ford has also equipped the 2018 Mustangs with its MyKey technology so that you can set limits on the car, depending who is driving it (think: your newly licensed teenager). Use MyKey to govern the maximum speeds your Mustang can go, limit the maximum volume the stereo can be blasted to and to ensure any driver remembers to use his or her seatbelt – basically, use MyKey to enjoy the peace of mind that even though you can’t always be sitting shotgun with your new driver, at least you can provide some rules and guidance along the way.
While teenagers may not be the most reliable, luckily the 2018 Ford Mustang is. According to JD Power and Associate, the 2018 Ford Mustang gets a four out of five rating for reliability, a strong score for the sports car class.
Not everyone is wowed by simply by high-octane power though, and although the impressive force driving the 2018 Ford Mustang is certainly brag-worthy, the interiors also deserve praise. However, Ford doesn’t limit its customers to a finite set of trims: rather, you’re better off choosing your engine first and building out your car around it. For instance, you may decide that the EcoBoost engine is all the power you need, which opens you up to trims such as the 2018 Ford Mustang EcoBoost Premium Fastback, which will load your vehicle up with features such as a rearview camera, two USB ports, leather upholstery, heated and cooled front seats, satellite radio, a push-button start, Ford’s SYNC infotainment system, a six-speaker sound system, Bluetooth connectivity, dual-zone automatic climate control, rear parking sensors, and Ford’s MyKey safety technology. The 2018 Ford Mustang EcoBoost Premium Fastback starts at $30,600, although buyers who are not concerned with having all the bells and whistle of the Premium trim may opt for the still-well appointed 2018 Ford Mustang EcoBoost Fastback, which has a starting MSRP of $25,585. And for those drivers who have always envisioned cruising down the coast with the wind in their hair and the sun on their shoulders, there are the 2018 Mustang EcoBoost Convertible and the 2018 Mustang EcoBoost Premium Convertible options, which have starting MSRPs of $31,085 and $36,100, respectively. The interiors are almost identical to their non-convertible brethren, but once you put that top down, the car takes on a whole different feel.
If you want power and pizzaz, then you need to start your search by considering the 2018 Ford Mustang GT, which comes in Fastback, Premium Fastback and Premium Convertible trims. The interiors amenities closely mirror those found in the EcoBoost models; the primary difference between the EcoBoost and GT is actually the engine – the GTs run off of the 5.0-liter V8 rather than the 2.3-liter EcoBoost four cylinders. A 2018 Ford Mustang GT Fastback has a starting MSRP of $35,095 while the GT Premium Fastback starts at $39,095 and the GT Premium Convertible starts at $44,595.
When you want to go all in on your muscle car – we’re talking serious performance and style – then there is no other choice than to buy a Shelby. The 2018 Ford Mustang Shelby GT350 and the 2018 Ford Mustang Shelby GT350R are the ultimate in the Mustang family when it comes down to peak performance. They are both powered by the explosive 5.2-liter, 526 horsepower engine found only in the Shelby models and they are both bolstered by Brembo brakes, the MagneRide damping system, a six-speed manual transmission and Recaro sport seats. With a starting MSRP of 57,145 for the GT350 and $64,645 for the GT350R, the Shelby models are for serious speed and sports-tuning enthusiasts.
There’s no two ways about it: with three phenomenal engine options ready to power your 2018 Ford Mustang, you simply cannot go wrong with this model. The base engine is a turbocharged 2.3-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder that gets an impressive 310 horses galloping out from under the sleek hood of the vehicle – not to mention the 350 pound-feet or torque that tags along. The base 2.3-liter is coupled with a six-speed manual transmission, but there’s a new-for-2018 ten-speed automatic transmission available as well.
As impressive as the base model is, it pales in comparison to the newly-released, ultra-powerful 5.0-liter V8 that gets the GT models flying with 460 horses and 420-pound-feet of torque. Again, the six-speed manual transmission is standard, although the ten-speed automatic is available. The GT’s V8 has been tweaked by Ford for maximum power and efficiency thanks to the “new dual fuel, high-pressure direction injection and low-pressure port fuel injection” that Ford released into the Mustang this year. If you want to take your commute to the next level, the GT’s V8 offers an unbeatable whirlwind of speed and power to get your adrenaline pumping.
Or, if you really want to fly – you can always explore the 5.2-liter V8 engine found tucked away in the two sports-performance-tuned Mustang Shelby models. It might be hard to spot a Shelby on the highway, thanks to the absolutely staggering 526 horses that churn out of the coupe.
You wouldn’t be blamed for thinking that all of that impressive power would surely have to lead directly to disappointing fuel economy estimates, but fortunately, the 2018 Ford Mustang is able to hold its own against other class competitors. Don’t get us wrong, it’s a Mustang, not a Prius, but you could certainly do worse than 21 miles to the gallon in the city and 31 mpg on the highway for the 2.3-liter EcoBoost engine. Even more, praise-worthy are the fuel estimates for the ultra-performing GT’s, which get an estimated 15 mpg in the city and 25 mpg on the highway. Like we said, not exactly hybrid-level estimates, but for the muscle-car class? Pretty darn impressive.