The Ford Mustang S550 – the sixth generation of the pony car – made its debut in 2014 with a selection of three engines – a 3.7-liter V6, a 2.3-liter turbocharged four-pot, and a 5.0-liter V8. Ford decided to discontinue the Cyclone V6 for the 2018 model, leaving the sports coupe with just two engine options. For many, the V6 has many compromises compared to the more powerful V8, but others find it to be the sweet spot between the base unit and the thirsty Coyote 5.0.
One Mustang owner believes there’s no reason to go for the more expensive Mustang GT and the 3.7 V6 is more than adequate for everyday driving. He expresses his detailed ownership experience in a new 20-minute video, which summarizes his experience after four years and 60,000 miles of driving. He has mostly good things to say about his blue 2016 Mustang 3.7 V6 and, of course, he also points out a few different negative points.
For starters, the paint on the front end isn’t thick enough to survive thousands of miles of highway driving but that’s not really a problem only the Mustang has. There are small rock chips on the front bumper but honestly, we wouldn’t be too concerned as this is happening with many other vehicles. More troubling seems to be that spot of bubbling paint on the upper left corner of the hood and this is a known issue with the earlier Mustang S550 models.
How’s the situation inside the cabin? Well, again, everything is pretty good with the exception of a few small details. The armrest, for example, is worn out after four years on the road but there are replacement armrests – some of which look even nicer than the factory unit – cost around $60. The steering wheel buttons are starting to peel off but that’s not something common on the Mustang S550s. The worst thing about the interior, however, is that base Sync infotainment system, according to the owner.
And now about the big question – why keep a Mustang V6 when used Mustang V8s are now becoming increasingly affordable? The owner of this blue 2016 Mustang explains he doesn’t feel like he is missing out on the overall Mustang experience with the smaller engine. The car is faster than most other vehicles on the road, has a manual transmission, and has a decent exhaust sound – what more could you ask for? Add the reliability of the 3.7-liter V6 and the relatively good fuel efficiency of around 22 miles per gallon combined, and the Mustang V6 indeed starts to look like the sweet spot in the range.
