Ford Mustang review – MPG and running costs
Low running costs were never going to be the Mustang's strong point, but they are at least trying with the EcoBoost model. Comparative fuel and tax bills might make that BMW 430i look a little more enticing though
Fuel economy is the 2.3 EcoBoost’s raison d'être. Whether you’ll consider the official 31mpg combined figure (and accompanying 199g/km of CO2) a worthwhile trade-off to eschew the character of the larger V8 will be up to you and your bank manager, but it’s hardly a spectacular number.
The V8, by way of comparison, manages 23.7mpg combined and 277g/km of CO2. Fuel costs will therefore be higher, though experience with both engines leads us to believe there’s little difference in the real world. One upside to the new automatic is a gentle rise in MPG figures for both engines, thanks to the incredibly long tenth gear, which will sit the Mustang at pretty much idle at 70mph.
Driven hard, both will guzzle fuel at an impressive rate (we've seen single figures on track in the V8), but even the V8 can be persuaded into parsimony with a light foot – a gentle 70mph motorway run should see numbers around the 25mpg mark.
Tyres are likely to be the most regular expense. In standard specification you’ll be looking for 225/40 R19 rubber at the front and 275/40 R19 at the rear, making a pair of replacement Pirelli P Zeros £145 each on the front wheels and £188 each at the rear (both before fitting, from blackcircles.com).
