2025 Ford Mustang Ecoboost: You will never guess how fast this four-cylinder Mustang is. Go on, test your mates

What is it:

In a major upset to fans, the Ford Mustang has been available with turbo four-cylinder power since 2015 – and this option continues with the latest model.

Here’s why the Ford Mustang Ecoboost deserves the famous Mustang badge – and why its performance will shock V8 diehards.

As previously reported, the new Ford Mustang is finally on sale in Australia about six months later than planned after right-hand-drive production was delayed because the Baltimore Bridge collapse blocked the Ford Mustang’s export shipping lane earlier this year.

US production of Australia-bound Ford Mustangs did not start until July (rather than January as originally planned).

This review relates to the Ford Mustang Ecoboost. Our review of the Ford Mustang GT can be found here. And our review of the Ford Mustang Dark Horse can be found here.

Price:

There are three models in the 2025 Ford Mustang range in Australia available from launch.

• Ford Mustang Ecoboost four-cylinder (coupe bodystyle only)
• Ford Mustang GT V8 (coupe and convertible bodystyles)
• Ford Mustang Dark Horse V8 (coupe bodystyle only)

The four-cylinder Ecoboost is an automatic-only proposition but the V8 is available with automatic or manual transmissions.

Here’s the new Ford Mustang line-up as it stands today.

• Mustang EcoBoost Coupe (232kW/475Nm 2.3-litre turbo four-cylinder, 10-speed auto) – $66,990
• Mustang GT Coupe V8 manual (347kW/550Nm 5.0-litre V8, six-speed manual) – $78,990
• Mustang GT Coupe V8 auto (347kW/550Nm 5.0-litre V8, 10-speed auto) – $81,990
• Mustang GT Convertible V8 auto (347kW/550Nm 5.0-litre V8, 10-speed auto) – $87,667
• Mustang Dark Horse Coupe V8 manual (347kW/550Nm 5.0-litre V8, six-speed manual) – $99,102
• Mustang Dark Horse Coupe V8 auto (347kW/550Nm 5.0-litre V8, 10-speed auto) – $103,002
• Bronze appearance package – $1500 (4-cyl), $1950 (V8)
• Magnetically controlled suspension, red brake calipers – $2950 (4-cyl), $3835 (V8)
• Recaro seats – $2950 (4-cyl), $3835 (V8)
• Premium paint – $700 (4-cyl), $910 (V8)

Above prices exclude on-road costs such as registration, stamp duty and any arbitrary dealer charges.

ANCAP safety rating:

There is no ANCAP safety rating for the new Ford Mustang and it is unclear if it will be assessed.

However, given it is Australia’s top-selling sports car it may fall under the spotlight.

The previous generation Ford Mustang initially scored a poor two-star crash safety rating and then was re-tested following some technical changes and was awarded a below average three-star crash safety rating.

Standard safety equipment includes autonomous emergency braking, seven airbags (including one for the front passenger’s knee), radar cruise control, speed sign recognition, tyre pressure monitors, blind zone warning, rear cross-traffic alert, automatic 000 emergency assistance call capability.

Engine:

Under the bonnet is a perky turbocharged 2.3-litre four-cylinder engine (232kW/475Nm) paired to a 10-speed automatic transmission driving the rear wheels.

This is the same engine fitted to the Ford Focus ST and the Ford Ranger-based Volkswagen Amarok Aventura – and it impressed in both those vehicles as well.

It might not sound like a V8 but it’s a beauty of an engine.

0 to 100km/h (as tested):

Ok, are you sitting down?

Before you read on, pick a number between 5 and 8 seconds and have a guess at the 0 to 100kmh time for the 2025 Ford Mustang Ecoboost.

Ok, drumroll please.

It did the 0 to 100kmh dash in a repeatable 5.6 seconds using our VBox timing equipment.

That’s faster than a hot hatch and almost as fast as the V8. For real.

Another media outlet on the day also recorded a couple of 5.6 second times using the same car on the same test surface but using their equipment.

As with the Mustang V8 models, the trick to a good time in the Ecoboost is not lighting up the tyres with full throttle on take-off (they spin up quite readily, so you need to squeeze on the throttle to get the balance right).

Meantime here is a recap of the other models we tested on the day.

As you can see, the 5.6 second time for the Ford Mustang Ecoboost is by no means sluggish.

In fact, it’s just 0.1 second slower than the Ford Mustang GT V8 manual. Game on!

• Ford Mustang Ecoboost four-cylinder automatic: 5.60 seconds (5.6 seconds)
• Ford Mustang GT V8 automatic:  4.98 (5.0 seconds)
• Ford Mustang GT V8 manual: 5.48 (5.5 seconds)
• Ford Mustang Dark Horse V8 manual 5.21 (5.2 seconds)

Another media outlet recorded a 4.99 (5.0-second) time for the Dark Horse manual after several more attempts.

Ford says you can flat-shift the V8 from first to second but we wanted to demonstrate some mechanical sympathy.

Emergency braking from 100km/h (as tested):

To come in a follow-up road test. We did not test this on the day.

Good points:

I prefer the overall balance of the Ford Mustang Ecoboost compared to the nose-heavy V8.

It cuts through corners without raising a sweat. And it feels lighter on its ‘feet’.

It’s also light and easy to drive in city and suburban roads.

It’s awesome that Ford has optioned the Mustang Ecoboost with the same massive brake package (six-piston front, four-piston rear) as the V8 models sold in Australia. These brakes are an option in the US but standard here.

The turbo four-cylinder engine performance is perky and accessible throughout the rev range.

Impressive fuel economy (given the grunt). We dipped into the 8.0L/100km range on a real-world test.

Mustang V8 looks without the Mustang V8 fuel bills.

No wonder the Ford Mustang Ecoboost accounts for about 12 per cent of Mustang sales in Australia.

Bad points:

As we’ve mentioned in other reviews of the 2025 Ford Mustang range, it would be nice if Ford added some physical shortcut buttons to go with the infotainment touchscreen.

As with the Mustang V8 variants, the four-cylinder Ecoboost requires 98-octane premium unleaded.

It sounds mute compared to the V8 and Ford is yet to master an appealing exhaust note for the four-cylinder Mustang.

We’re thinking a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution exhaust note would be nice.

But let’s face it, if you’re confident enough to buy a four-cylinder Mustang, the silence won’t bother you.

What the haters say:

All Mustangs should be V8s.

What the haters don’t understand:

As our tests showed, the four-cylinder has plenty of street cred when it comes to acceleration, chassis balance and fuel economy.

Should you buy one?

Absolutely. If you don’t want V8 fuel bills – but still want strong performance and awesome Mustang looks – then the Ecoboost could be for you.

After all, not every AMG Mercedes is the super-fast variety, and not every BMW with an M badge is the top of the performance tree.

Hand on heart, I would happily buy one of these. If you’re sitting on the fence, just do it.

Sure it doesn’t have a V8 sound, but in every other respect this is a brilliant car.

Also consider:

A similarly-priced BMW or Mercedes-Benz coupe? They’re four-cylinder too.

All of a sudden a four-cylinder Mustang doesn’t seem like a bad idea after all.

I’m not in the market, but I would own one of these.

Block your ears and forget the (absence of) sound, but this is the sweet spot in the new Mustang range when it comes to performance, chassis balance and price.

There. I said it.

If you’re looking for me, I will be on social media in the comments section dealing with feedback on this review for a while.