2024 Ford Mustang Kicks Off a New Generation With Old Tricks

• Similar powertrains and chassis to the last-generation Mustang
• New interior with larger screens and a more modern layout
• Updated exterior styling with all-new body panels except the roof and front pillars
• Kicks off the seventh Mustang generation in 2024

This will be a disappointment for some, as initial rumors had hinted at additions like electrified powertrains (hybrid or even an EV) and all-wheel drive. But those sorts of revolutionary updates have been left aside for some good old-fashioned gas-powered hijinks, giving the Mustang a final generation of full internal combustion before it eventually turns electric.

Ford says that all of the 2024 Mustang's bodywork is new, save for the front pillars and roof, but the overall impression is one of many slight tweaks to the Mustang's current formula. The familiar long hood/short decklid proportions are still here, though the grille is now more squared and the rear fenders look curiously familiar to those from the Chevrolet Camaro (blasphemous, I know).

Currently, the Mustang's primary competitors are the other American muscle cars, the Dodge Challenger and the Chevrolet Camaro. But we know that the Challenger will be discontinued after the 2023 model year to make way for an electric replacement, and the Camaro is likely to fall soon as well. And that will leave the Mustang as the only gas-powered muscle car you can buy in short order. It's that calculus that makes the limited changes this generation of Mustang receives make a lot of sense — without any true competitors, the Mustang's grip on American muscle will only get tighter.

What's under the Mustang's hood?

The Mustang sticks to its front-engine, rear-wheel-drive setup and uses the same engines as the last-generation Mustang with a few tweaks. That means a turbocharged 2.3-liter inline-four for EcoBoost models, while the GT gets the 5.0-liter Coyote V8. Ford wouldn't highlight the exact changes for the EcoBoost engine, only saying that it is now more efficient. The Coyote V8 adds a dual air intake box and dual-throttle body design, which Ford says will make it the most powerful naturally aspirated V8 ever found in the GT. How much more power it makes over last year's 450 horsepower and 410 lb-ft of torque remains to be seen; Ford didn't provide power estimates for either engine as of this writing.

There will be two available transmissions: a 10-speed automatic and a six-speed manual with standard rev matching. EcoBoost models will be automatic-only, while the GT will offer both transmissions. And once more, a Performance Pack will be offered for both EcoBoost and GT models that adds a limited-slip differential, MagneRide adaptive suspension, wider rear wheels and tires, and larger brakes. On the GT it also adds a unique rear wing and brake ducts in the front fascia for increased cooling.

Two new features have also been added for 2024. GT models with the automatic transmission and EcoBoost models with the upgraded exhaust system get a new Remote Rev feature that allows you to rev the engine via a sequence of button presses on the Mustang's remote key fob. The second is a Performance Electronic Parking Brake, which comes on both Mustang models with the Performance Pack equipped. It looks like a traditional handbrake from inside the vehicle, but it's electronically controlled and can be used while the car is in Track mode to help get the Mustang into sustained slides more easily. Fun idea? Certainly. Good idea? We'll see.

How's the Mustang's interior?

The biggest changes are found inside, arguably where they were the most needed, as many of the complaints about our long-term Mustang Shelby GT500 center around its interior. New screens and a changed dashboard layout make the Mustang feel more modern, though it does swap out some physical controls that we like in the current model.

Behind the wheel, a large 12.4-inch instrument cluster display is now mounted side by side with a 13.2-inch touchscreen that now sits up high, rather than below a pair of air vents as it did in the outgoing car. Thankfully, a volume knob remains but the climate controls have now been integrated into the screen and that will make them a bit harder to use from behind the wheel. The new screen is large and bright, though it is placed a bit far away from the driver. I had to lean forward and stretch a bit to reach the bottom of the screen from a regular driving position.

Interior size feels about the same, not surprising given that the platform is being reused. Ford's Recaro seats have inspired mixed opinions from our staff and that won't change — they have large side bolsters that draw an equal measure of consternation and appreciation. And the back seat remains mostly for show, more suited for carrying backpacks or groceries than humans.

How's the Mustang's tech?

The center touchscreen is powered by Ford's Sync 4 system, not the new Android-based operating system that was rumored. Ford says that system will debut on a different, new model in the near future. It's slightly tweaked but will feel similar to what is seen on the Mustang Mach-E, just in a landscape layout instead of the Mach-E's portrait screen.

One of the few physical controls remaining below the screen is a button with the Mustang's pony icon that opens up the car's performance pages. This gives the driver quick access to various performance settings, including exhaust loudness, launch control, and the Performance Electronic Parking Brake if equipped.

The Mustang's safety technology also gets an upgrade, now offering reverse automatic braking in addition to adaptive cruise control and lane centering assistance. The 2024 model also introduces a feature that Ford calls active pothole mitigation; it's optional on models equipped with the Performance package and comes standard in the new track-oriented Dark Horse variants. In Ford's words, "the system continually monitors the suspension and relies on shock movement to detect potholes and changes shock behavior to prevent the wheel from falling into potholes." No word yet on which safety features will come standard or be optional across the Mustang lineup.

Edmunds says

The seventh-generation Mustang puts the pony car's eventual electric conversion on hold for one more turn as good old-fashioned gas-powered American muscle refuses to go gently into that good night.