2005 Ford Mustang Reviews, Pricing & Specs

While Ford's other retromobile, the 2002 Thunderbird, didn't catch critical acclaim like the Volkswagen New Beetle, the 2005 Ford Mustang is careful not to dip too deep into the high-school yearbook. Ford designers took inspiration from early Mustangs like the 1967 Fastback and the 1970 Mach 1. The round headlights, deeply inset grille, another set of big round lights in that grille, vertical three-bar taillights, and a roofline with that familiar rear-quarter glass all mark this a Mustang. Retro touches like the chrome-plated circular emblem out back (no Ford logo in sight) and multi-spoke wheels look just as good today. Sure, it's a streamlined modern car without chrome bumpers. But no other car looks this unique.

The interior really goes hard on the old-style cues with super-thin typefaces for the red-needled gauges, again deeply inset like the grille (they can glow in dozens of colours the driver can select). A T-bar grip for the automatic transmission or a short, polished chrome ball for the manual are both straight out of a Jimi Hendrix concert. Four circular air vents, a wide strip of aluminum running across the cowled dash, and a gorgeous three-spoke steering wheel has silver accents and big gaps between the spokes. Is the material quality great? Not really—but then again, this is a car that starts just below 25 grand. What befits a modern Mustang are big speakers in the doors that can output up to 1,000 watts of power. Else, it's classic rock and roll, either as a coupe or convertible.

Two engines deliver more power than the 2004 Mustang's powerplants. The base 4.0-litre single overhead camshaft (SOHC) V6, shared with the Explorer, makes 210 horsepower and 240 pound-feet of torque. It's now passable as a sporty car, only the tires don't grip well. If you have the choice, choose to rent a V6 Mustang and buy the GT, which comes with a proper 4.6-litre V8 good for power specs of 300 hp and 320 lb-ft. A five-speed manual transmission is standard on all trims, while a five-speed automatic transmission is available. As one would expect, rear-wheel drive (RWD) is the only drivetrain offered.

The new Mustang may be wider and enjoy a longer wheelbase for more stability, but this is the only sports car sitting on a live rear axle meant for trucks. Even the Explorer, an actual truck, uses an independent rear suspension for better control and more secure handling. The Mustang's rear end is defiantly old school. Off the line, this can result in axle hop when really mashing the throttle and it also exacerbates the Mustang's stiff ride. Yet, handling is so improved with the new car, as are the larger brakes, that it feels nimbler and sharper than ever before. Only the previous-generation Mustang Cobra will out-handle the new GT.

The 2005 Mustang comes with dual front airbags and four-wheel disc brakes. Traction control and anti-lock brakes are equipped on the V8. Stability control and head curtain airbags are not offered. Side airbags are optional on all models.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has not tested a 2005 Mustang. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) rated the 2005 Mustang five out of five stars for the driver and front passenger in a frontal crash, and four stars for the driver in a side crash.

Pricing starts at $23,795 for the 2005 Ford Mustang V6 coupe and runs up to $36,795 for the 2005 Ford Mustang GT convertible. Fuel economy is rated at 12.3 to 12.4 litres per 100 kilometres in city driving and 7.6 to 8.5 on the highway with the V6 powertrains, depending on the transmission selected. With the V8, those figures go up to 13.3 to 14.0 L/100 km city and 8.8 to 9.2 on the highway. While lacking in safety equipment and technology, the Mustang succeeds in being a modern take on an old-fashioned theme, and no other car in its segment can claim its lineage.

Note: Images show a US model.