Used Ford Mustang Convertible 2015-present review

There are times when only a convertible car will do, and days when it has to something loud, brash and preferably American. Enter, stage left, the Ford Mustang Convertible.

This sixth-generation Ford Mustang Convertible promised to be the most UK-ready pony to trot out of the vast Ford factory since the car first rolled off the production line in 1964. You see it was engineered from the outset with right-hand drive, but to look at and to drive this is still in every detail the all-American, wind-in-the-hair muscle car we’ve come to know and even, occasionally, love.

Its scale is still unmistakenly American, though. You can have it with a 2.3-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine or a 5.0-litre V8 one. You can have it in its standard form, which includes keyless entry and start, a selectable drive mode switch, LED headlights,19in alloy wheels, adaptive cruise control, dual-zone climate control, a rear parking camera and a limited-slip differential, or with a variety of Custom option packs which include an upgraded B and O audio systems, climate-controlled seats and a sat-nav.

On the road, the Mustang Convertible is brawny and butch and feels the heavy-ish car it is. Its steering requires more heft than most similar performance cars do these days, so if it doesn’t turn in to corners as quickly as the best rivals it still grips well and can be provoked into some interesting angles if wanted. The V8 car is fast, after an initial pause when you move off, while the lighter four-cylinder version has a respectable turn of speed without ever feeling terribly exciting. The optional 10-speed automatic 'box is rather snappy and can flick through multiple gears in one go. An occasional habit of switching between ratios indecisively is the only slight annoyance.

The driving position is all-American cool, and for the most part hard to fault. It has a huge range of adjustment to the steering wheel and seat, meaning even the tallest of drivers should have no problem getting comfortable. That said, some might wish the seat could be a little lower.

The 12.0in digital instrument cluster is impressive, although the graphics on the standard 8.0in touchscreen look a little old-fashioned. They respond with reasonable speed, though.

There’s plenty of room up front, although space in the rear is a little limited for such a large car. There’s a good-sized boot, too, although the high loading lip and narrow opening limit its usefulness.

About £26,000 seems the bottom line for a Mustang Convertible of 2015/16 vintage. This buys either 2.3 or 5.0-litre versions, with an average mileage for the year. Expect to spend between £28,000 and £30,000 on a 2017 car, and around £30,000 to £35,000 on a newish 2018 or 2019 car, bought from a franchised dealer.

According to the older NEDC official figures, the 2.3 achieves 31mpg on the combined cycle, with corresponding CO2 emissions of 200g/km. The V8 is thirstier, not surprisingly, at 22.1mpg and 285g/km.

Cars registered before the tax changes of April 2017 came into force will pay an annual car tax (VED) based on CO2 emissions, while those registered after will pay a flat rate, currently £140 a year. Cars costing over £40,000 new will also pay a supplementary luxury car tax, currently £310 a year.

Insurance groups are relatively high, of course, and servicing costs won’t be as cheap as you might expect a Ford to be.

Although the 2.3 is the more sensible car to choose, we feel if you were going the whole hog and purchasing a used Mustang Convertible that the V8 version would better live up to the expectations you may have for the model. It will cost you a little more to buy, and more to run, but it is the more enjoyable. To cut down on costs, we’d look for a standard car, but if you were to find one with one of the four Custom packs attached and it was sensibly priced why not go for it?

Our favourite Ford Mustang Convertible: 5.0 V8

Well, the Mercedes-AMG C63 Cabriolet is a hairy-chested muscle car in the old-school tradition, being awesome fun to drive, and if you find an S model even more powerful than the Mustang Convertible. It sounds epic, too, and is as easy to drive as any old C-Class. It’s much more expensive than the Mustang, though.

Likewise the BMW M4 Convertible is much more expensive. It’s a great car, though, with a terrific engine and superb performance. It can corner at high speeds, too. Find a good used one and you’ll save some money, but it won’t be as cheap to buy as our Ford ‘pony’ car.

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