Owner Review: 2018 Ford Mustang Coupe
Calgarian finds ideal, albeit unlikely, 'dancing partner' for his job hauling building material samples
As a building materials salesman hauling samples, Darcy Kraus doesn’t drive what many would consider to be a typical salesman’s vehicle. Instead of an SUV or minivan, late in 2019, the Calgarian bought himself a brand new base model 2018 Mustang equipped with EcoBoost four-cylinder engine and manual transmission.
“I work by this philosophy: What’s the least amount of car I can get away with? If it’s something smaller and fun, I’ll always go for that,” Kraus reasons. “And I’m always concerned about road safety. I prefer a car with a trunk where I can securely carry samples rather than loose in an SUV – in a collision, those would be projectiles.”
Kraus had been driving a 2015 Ford Taurus SHO, but when it passed out of warranty and problems began appearing, he decided to be rid of it. He’d driven a 2017 Camaro SS as a rental car in Palm Springs, and he’d borrowed his sister’s 2013 Boss 302 Mustang. He has two children, ages nine and four, and they no longer require car seats. They’re big enough to clamber into the back seat of a two-door vehicle and sit in their booster seats.
“Now was the time,” Kraus says. “I decided to take the plunge and buy a Mustang.”
He didn’t like the Camaro and preferred the interior of the Mustang. It felt snugger, he says, and the Mustang, to him, handled better. He visited Maclin Ford in October 2019, and there he found two new base model 2018 Mustang Coupes on the lot. He test drove a blue one with 19-inch rims and 10-speed automatic transmission. It wasn’t as responsive as he’d like. So, he got in a red Mustang with six-speed manual transmission.
“In the manual, I thought this is my dancing partner, and the standard transmission sold me on the car,” he explains.
Released in 2015 as the sixth generation Mustang, the iconic car was given a refresh for the 2018 model year. Notably, the V6 engine was dropped, and the base powerplant became the 2.3-litre EcoBoost four-cylinder. Tuned to give increased performance, the EcoBoost engine delivers 310 horsepower and 350 lb.-ft. of torque. The 10-speed automatic featured a sport mode, while the six-speed manual transmission was revised to provide better shifter throws. In addition. Ford gave the manual Mustang a lighter feel at the clutch pedal. A total of nine Mustang models were available in 2018, from the base EcoBoost Coupe, which is what Kraus bought, to the V8-powered GT Coupe and the king of the heap, the Shelby GT350R Coupe. Both the EcoBoost powered Mustang and the GT could be had in coupe or convertible format.
“It’s a very basic interior,” Kraus says of his Mustang. “The seating surfaces are black cloth, and the entertainment and infotainment systems are basic, too. It’s got a backup camera, and that’s about it.”
He continues, “The dash is really well laid out and the climate controls are easy to use – it’s all buttons and knobs and there’s no touchscreen. You can feel where everything is. You don’t have to take your eyes off of the road to look at a screen to find where you have to aim your finger to hit the control you want.”
Front seats are manually adjustable, and Kraus, who is six-feet tall, says the driver’s seat is well bolstered.: I fit right into the car, and the seat is great for driving long distances.”
Storage space in the cabin is good, with plenty of room in the centre console and the glove box. One pet peeve about the Mustang is the lack of a secure tray to store his cell phone; he places it in a cup holder. With those two big doors, he is selective about where he parks the car to avoid opening them and dinging another vehicle. His kids are easily able to clamber into the back after releasing the front seat backs and folding them forward.
“It might not be the most convenient, but it’s not impossible,” Kraus says, and adds, “If you grew up in the Seventies or the Eighties, it seemed everybody’s dad had a two-door car and it was just a part of life.”
As for the EcoBoost four, Kraus says, “It’s a fantastic motor, and with the manual transmission you can engine brake or really have some fun with it. There’s more than enough power and it builds gradually, but 3,200 rpm is when it really comes on. The six-speed is geared really well, and the shift between second and third is a hoot. The clutch is nice and light and engages sweetly.”
When he bought the Mustang, it came equipped with 17-inch rims. Kraus just bought a set of used aftermarket 20-inch rims with Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires to run during the summer. He was looking for factory 19-inch rims but couldn’t find any within his budget.
“These do improve the look of the car, there were no clearance issues, and the car sticks when you throw it around a bit and it launches hard now,” Kraus says of his upgrade. “The stock suspension is well set up and offers a decent ride. I drive in a lot of industrial parks and am always crossing tracks – it’s not a luxury ride, it’s a sporty car, but it works well.”
He has no problem running the car in the snow and says with winter tires it handles admirably in rough conditions. There are no heated seats or steering wheel, but it comes up to operating temperature very quickly. The trunk offers a low lift over height, and the decklid opens to a 90-degree angle so Kraus can easily access his samples. The trunk floor is flat, too, and it’s easier for Kraus to carry his sales samples in the Mustang than it was in his Taurus.
“I plan to keep this car for its life, (he’s added 42,000 km since the purchase) and it’ll eventually most likely go to my daughter,” Kraus says. “It’s well designed and thought out.”
He concludes, “It’s my rolling office, if I have to be out on the road as part of my job and I was in a minivan, there’d be no joy in that. For work or for pleasure, I’m happy to get in it and drive it.”
Other Owners’ Opinions
The car looks great, is a blast to drive...
Other owners of the EcoBoost-powered and six-speed manual equipped 2018 Mustang feel much the same as Kraus. With seven reviews of that particular model found on Edmunds.com, the car has a 4.6 star rating, with 57 per cent of owners giving it five stars, and 43 per cent four stars.
On August 3, 2018, a buyer gave the base-model Mustang a five star rating and said, “I bought the 2018 Ford Mustang EcoBoost with six-speed manual transmission. It comes well equipped even in the basic options (without the premium package). It handles exceedingly well and provides a comfortable ride. The four-cylinder has get up and go when you need it. The exterior styling is fabulous. Sometimes I come into the garage at night just to look at the car. The trunk is spacious.”
Another five star review, posted on December 6, 2018, said, “There is plenty of power for passing, and it seems even faster than my mildly modded 2014. The cloth seats are comfortable, with good bolstering, and the useable trunk space is awesome; my wife and I took a road trip to Vegas, and were able to load a weekend suitcase, two medium duffle bags, several boxes of food and beverages, and still enjoyed the round trip. The backup camera is great, but the new Mustang does not suffer visibility issues found in the Camaro and Challenger. The car looks great, is a blast to drive, gives all of the performance you want in a Mustang.”