Ford Mustang (S650) buying guide

The 2.3L EcoBoost makes 315 hp and 350 lb-ft, and in the US it comes only with the 10-speed automatic. The GT's 5.0L Coyote Gen 4 makes 480 hp, or 486 hp with the active valve exhaust, and takes either the 6-speed MT-82D4 manual or the 10-speed automatic. Every Coyote uses a dual-throttle-body intake, replacing the single-throttle-body S550 design. We track the GT Coupe, the GT Premium Coupe, the EcoBoost Coupe and the EcoBoost Premium Coupe separately.

The Dark Horse has a modified 5.0 making 500 hp and 418 lb-ft, with forged connecting rods where the GT uses cast ones, revised cams and a 7,500-rpm redline against 7,000. Its Tremec TR-3160 manual is seen as a significant upgrade over the GT's MT82 by CarScout, Squeezed and What-Breaks. CarScout prefers the manual for track use because the automatic's cooling circuit adds heat. See every Dark Horse for sale.

For daily use, Squeezed calls the GT Premium with the 10-speed automatic the best daily driver and the GT the better value. The 2025 60th Anniversary Package was limited to 1,965 GT coupes and convertibles. For 2026 the automatic became standard on the Dark Horse with the manual optional, and a 795 hp supercharged Dark Horse SC joined the range. The GTD is a separate low-volume car.

Cowl water leaks

Recall 25V546 covers roughly 105,000 2024-2025 cars where water gets past the cowl and windshield seams onto the body control module. It causes flickering or dead exterior lights and wet carpet, and the fix is free. The repair rolled out slowly, with the full fix pushed into early 2026.

Rear knuckle casting

Early 2024 builds were recalled (24V593000) for a defective rear suspension knuckle casting that can cause loss of handling and steering control. About 4,600 cars were affected.

Manual clutch line

On some 2024 manual cars the clutch hydraulic line can sit too close to the exhaust and melt. The clutch then fails to disengage, and brake fluid can leak with a fire risk. NHTSA's campaign 24V394000 describes the melted line and fluid leak.

Wiring harness grounds

Engine-bay harness ground connections on about 148,663 2024-2026 cars may fracture under recall 26V547, risking loss of drive power, headlights, washers, A/C or the cooling fan. Ford estimates only about 1% of those cars actually have the defect.

Digital cluster blanking

A software error can blank the digital instrument cluster while driving, covered by recall 24C35 on about 6,200 2024 cars. Some owners told Auto Reliability Index the updates did not cure it. SYNC 4 can also freeze or restart, and the rear-view camera can freeze until a software update.

10-speed shift quality

The 10R80 automatic can clunk on downshifts, especially when cold. Dealer software updates have improved many cars, and a batch of 2025 cars had a valve-body recall, 25V164.

Manual gearbox stiffness

The GT's MT-82D4 is stiff when cold, resists second gear and raises synchronizer wear concerns. Higher-rpm shift problems persist, according to the sources.

EcoBoost engine failures

A few 2.3 owners reported a misfire followed by sudden power loss, with a replacement engine as the cure, somewhere between 4,700 and 6,000 miles. CarScout saw no pattern of valve deposits on the engine, which uses port plus direct injection.

CarScout recommends an early MT-82D4 fluid change at 5,000 to 10,000 miles, at $100 to $150 for parts and labor. It puts spark plugs on the 8-plug V8 at $100 to $150 for parts and the same again for labor.

A pair of catalytic converters costs $2,500 to $3,500 by CarScout's figures, which matters on a hard-driven car. CarCaseFile notes the 5.0 takes about 10 quarts of synthetic oil per change and wears rear tires quickly when driven hard. CarScout also says stock DOT 4 brake fluid can boil on a road course and fade the pedal.

Buy a 2025 or 2026 car if you can, or a 2024 with printed proof that every recall was done. The GT Premium with the automatic suits daily use, and if you want a manual, the Dark Horse's Tremec is the better gearbox than the GT's MT82.

Consumer Reports rates the 2024 Mustang less reliable than other cars of its year, with 12 recalls. On a track-used Dark Horse, insist on spark plug records and a look at the catalytic converters.