Ford Mustang High Performance 2.3L Fastback 2020 Review

One of the challenges when it comes to compiling a road test of the Ford Mustang High Performance is coming up with a list of possible and probable competitors.

Let’s see, what have we got here? A two-door coupe powered by a 2.3-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder engine that makes a really meaty 236kW and 448Nm - the V8 offers 339kW and 550Nm - and drives its rear wheels via a 10-speed auto.

The price is set at $53,990 plus on-road costs for the auto, although you can get the six-speed manual for $50,990. Of course, you can also get the Ford Mustang High Performance as an auto-only convertible. That’s priced from $60,490 plus on-roads.

Rivals then? The outgoing BMW 220i is a price-competitive four-cylinder rear-drive coupe, but it’s also smaller and less powerful. The Lexus RC 300 is closer on size but lacks grunt and is substantially more expensive. And that is just about it for four-cylinder coupes. The MX-5 RF sorta qualifies although it’s actually a hard-top convertible.

How about the Kia Stinger hatchback then? Yep, not a coupe, but at least its price range from entry-level $47,190 four-cylinder to top-spec $60,790 V6 makes it relevant. Plus it’s fun and rear-wheel drive.

OK, enough of that. Let’s get back to the Ford Mustang High Performance and what sort of equipment it gets.

The exterior is highlighted by a unique grille with the pony logo on the right-hand side rather than smack-bang in the centre as per the V8. The V8 does donate its front splitter, however. There are also LED headlights, pony projection lights that beam onto the ground when a door is opened, quad exhausts and machine-finished 19-inch alloys shod in excellent Pirelli PZero rubber. All up, it looks just like a Mustang should.

Inside there’s dual-zone climate control, Ford’s Sync3 infotainment system including an eight-inch touchscreen with sat-nav, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connection, a customisable 12-inch instrument panel, personalisable ambient colours, six-way power adjustable leather-trimmed front seats with heating and cooling, a B&O sound system and keyless entry with push button start.

That’s pretty much the same gear as the Mustang V8 Fastback gets for an additional $13,000 or so … except for the V8 engine of course.

The HP comes with a five-year/unlimited km warranty. For the first four years/60,000km (whichever comes first), eligible owners will be able to service their cars for a maximum recommended price of $299 per A or B logbook service (big items cost more) at participating dealerships.

Safety ratings are a big and bad deal here, as the Ford Mustang only comes with three ANCAP stars. That’s a December 2017 score updated from the original two stars ANCAP handed out in 2015.

The key issues in 2015 were the behaviour of the Mustang’s safety cell and its airbag deployment. While ANCAP was still unhappy with those factors two years later, the addition of autonomous emergency braking and lane keep assist did provide the impetus for a one star jump.

Those ratings have generated plenty of publicity over the last few years, but Mustang has remained Australia’s top selling sports car … by a country mile.

In addition to AEB with pedestrian detection and LKA, other driver assist systems the HP comes with include lane departure warning and adaptive cruise control. Eight airbags are also standard, including knee airbags for front passengers.

The 2.3-litre in the Mustang HP is a development of the Ecoboost four-cylinder that’s been part of the Mustang family here since its 2015 launch. It’s also been seen in other Ford models such as the Focus RS and the new ST.

A larger 63mm twin-scroll turbocharger sourced from the RS helps boost power by 12kW and torque by a mere 7Nm, although Ford argues pulling power is now delivered across a wider spread of revs.

There is an anomaly here though. When it first launched in Australia back in 2015 the Ecoboost had 233kW and 432Nm. In 2018 that was revised to 224kW and 441Nm. Ford says it was a paperwork change that didn’t impact real outputs. So that means the HP’s boost is pretty miniscule.

The automatic transmission (manual as well) now has shorter gearing that aids acceleration. Ford claims the old Ecoboost achieved the 0-100km/h sprint in 5.8 sec, so all things considered the new car might be able to shave a frag off that. Still, not bad for a four-potter that weighs in at 1716kg.

By the way, our fuel consumption on test finished at 10.4L1/00km versus the 8.8L/100km claim. It does steeple higher as the driving gets more enthusiastic.

To aid that enthusiasm, Ford’s tweaked the HP’s chassis as well as the engine. There are thicker front and rear stabiliser bars and slightly wider wheels. Compared to the V8, the HP runs smaller discs and callipers in its front braking system and mono-tube rather than twin-tube dampers in its rear suspension.

Our test car came fitted with $2750 optional Magneride adaptive dampers.

Same but different: that’s the fundamental verdict on the Ford Mustang HP 2.3L.

First off, this is a familiar cockpit. The multi-mode digital dash introduced for 2018 sits incongruously beside the retro centre-stack and its toggle adjusters.

Rear-seat space is limited to smaller people and then only if those sitting up front are willing to slide forward. The boot is quite generous for this type of vehicle (there’s no spare tyre) and there’s even a rear-seat split-fold. There’s limited storage up-front and eff-all in the rear.

The driver still sits deep down in the cockpit - supported by optional $3000 Recaro tombstone sports seats in our test car. You still look out over an expansive bonnet and still grasp a big, steering wheel (none of this flat-bottomed BS for the HP!).

And when you twirl that steering wheel the four-cylinder Mustang behaves fundamentally the same as the V8. Combining its kerb weight with a 4.78m length and 1.916m width means this is a car better at flowing curves than a series of hairpins.

It’s got good steering feel, a flat ride and excellent tyres, so all that helps. It turns in that little better than the V8 because there’s less bulk over the nose, but it’s not night and day stuff.

The ride is old-school firm – something accentuated by creaks from the seat and dashboard of the test car - even with the adjustable suspension set at its most relaxed. To be honest, swapping through different modes didn’t actually seem to do much to ride and body control.

So it’s down to the drivetrain to deliver a different experience. And it does. This is a worthy, enthusiastic engine, revving ultra-smoothly from the teens past 6000rpm with no hitches, ramps or obvious lag. It has a thrummy rather than bellowing soundtrack that evolves to a bit of a snarl depending on where the active exhaust and throttle are set.

Yes, it’s slower than the V8, but the lack of drama and theatrics is more noticeable.

The 10-speed auto is the engine’s busy accompaniment. Pulling up at stoplights or accelerating away from them you can sense it working away through the gears. It’s a bit boggling to be in fourth gear and know you have six to go!

While the auto works mostly in the background it can be provoked with stabs of the throttle to get jumpy and even offer some shift shock. In Race Track mode it becomes enjoyably aggressive, snapping up and down through multiple gears.

Swift manual changes are available via flappy paddles on the steering wheel.

Examined in isolation the Ford Mustang HP 2.3L is an affordable, enjoyable and good-looking two-door sports coupe. From that perspective, it’s just about the only show left in town.

But things get more complicated when the Mustang GT Fastback is introduced to the picture. It’s a substantial but not impossible financial stretch to the V8. The reality is its aural and performance treats simply force the four-cylinder model into the shade.

If you’re after the Mustang look; sure, go for the HP. But for the full-fat experience, the steak and sizzle as well as the sauce, the V8 Mustang remains the better way to go.

How much does the 2020 Ford Mustang High Performance 2.3L Fastback cost?
Price: $53,990 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Engine: 2.3-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 236kW/448Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Fuel: 9.6L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 222g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: 3-star (ANCAP 2017)