Ford Mustang 2.3 Ecoboost automatic 2018 first drive

Put plainly, it’s the low fat, skimmed-milk version of the Ford Mustang; a car that’s as synonymous with V8 engines as Donald Trump is with ridiculous haircuts and Oompa Loompa-inspired fake tans. 

However, the key role the V8 plays in forming the Mustang’s identity hasn’t stopped Ford from offering its iconic pony car with a 2.3-litre, four-cylinder Ecoboost engine. It’s the same power plant that was available when the sixth-generation Ford Mustang first came on sale back in 2015, and despite the fact that it’s closely related to the engine found in the ballistic Focus RS, at the time it never really won us over on the charm front.

Now, we’re sampling it in the new 2018 Mustang, paired here with Ford’s new 10-speed automatic gearbox. Along with that newly-available transmission, the facelift brings with it a number of subtle tweaks intended to broaden the ‘Stangs appeal. 

There’s a greater focus on safety, with features such as pre-collision assist, pedestrian detection and lane-departure warning all being fitted to help boost the 2015 car’s two-star Euro NCAP safety rating, while a digital instrument cluster adds a more modern twist to the interior.

The chassis has been fettled, too, with revised dampers improving the Mustang’s surefootedness, while the rear suspension has been stiffened up courtesy of a new cross-axis joint. Those willing to part with £1600 can also spec an adaptive MagneRide damping system for the first time.

Having hopped straight out of the Mustang GT 5.0 V8 and straight in the Ecoboost model, the latter was always going to feel like it was playing second fiddle to an extent. That said, while it may not be able to match the V8’s 4.3sec 0-62mph sprint time, the four-cylinder Mustang still doesn’t feel particularly slow.

That engine now produces less power than it did in the 2015 Mustang. In the older car, it developed 313bhp at 5500rpm, while 319lb ft of torque was available from 2500rpm. Now, it churns out 286bhp at 5400rpm - although torque has been increased to 325lb ft from 3000rpm. When paired with the new 10-speed auto ‘box, this results in a 0-62mph time of 5.5 seconds - an improvement of three-tenths of a second over its predecessor.

Where it quite obviously loses out next to its V8-powered stablemate, though, is in the soundtrack department. That ‘Coyote’ V8 is one of few remaining naturally-aspirated V8s still available, and the breadth of noises it expels from its quad tailpipes is one of the Mustang GT 5.0’s most endearing features. It’s deep, bassy and menacing at low-revs, and approaching volcanic when you really put your foot down and rev it out. The Ecoboost, meanwhile, makes a largely forgettable noise. There’s a noticeable level of synthetic aural trickery being piped into the cabin to help improve things, but this can only ever go so far.