2009 Ford Mustang Vehicle Overview-Car Blog

Saturday, June 12, 2010

2009 Ford Mustang Vehicle Overview

All Ford Mustangs are rear-wheel drive and come standard with a five-speed manual transmission. A five-speed automatic is optional on all versions except the manual-only Bullitt. The Mustang V6 is powered by a 4.0-liter V6 that produces 210 hp and 240 pound-feet of torque. Given this output, fuel economy is disappointing at 16 mpg city/24 mpg highway and 19 mpg combined -- the same as Ford's 262-hp Flex SUV. The Mustang GT features a 4.6-liter V8 with 300 hp and 320-lb-ft output worthy of its muscle-car looks and heritage. With a manual transmission, the GT goes from zero to 60 mph in 5.7 seconds and clears the quarter-mile in 14.3 seconds. Its fuel economy is 15 mpg city/23 mpg highway and 18 mpg combined.
Safety
Four-wheel disc brakes and front-seat side airbags are standard on all Mustangs. Antilock brakes and traction control are optional on the V6 models and standard on the GT. Neither stability control nor full-length head curtain airbags are available.
In National Highway Traffic Safety Administration crash tests, the 2009 Ford Mustang earned a perfect five stars for front-impact protection and side-impact protection of front passengers. The convertible got a five-star rating for rear side protection, while the coupe got four stars. In Insurance Institute for Highway Safety testing, the Mustang scored "Acceptable" (the second highest of four ratings) in frontal-offset tests and "Good" (the highest rating) for side-impact tests.
Interior Design and Special Features
With its dual-hooded dash, three-spoke steering wheel and old-school gauges, the cabin of the 2009 Mustang gives more than a nod to the past. Yet this is not an outdated ergonomic mess – the controls are simple and the seats are comfortable, though they could use more lateral support for enthusiastic drivers. Both the Mustang coupe and the convertible offer seating for four, and average-size adults can sit in back with little problem. Trunk capacity is pretty good, with 12.3 cubic feet in the coupe and 9.7 in the convertible.