Ford Mustang EcoBoost High Performance review

In the world of crossovers, SUVs, trucks and the declining sedan, the Mustang is one of the few domestic coupes but it happens to be the best selling sport coupe globally. Flavors start with the Ecoboost 4 cylinder turbo engine to an absolute monster 760 horsepower supercharged V8. This 2020 model features the Ecoboost performance package which ups the horsepower to 330 and combined with the 10 speed automatic, makes for a quick yet efficient driver.

Having reviewed the GT a couple years ago, curiosity was high for the four cylinder. The absolute base price is $26,670. But add in the Premium technology and luxury features, plus the High Performance engine package and it is $37,290. Add $1,595 for the aforementioned 10 speed automatic.

Although the styling of the current and 6^th generation is familiar, it still looks good and crisp. The front end really didn’t need a revision yet received a minor refresh. This one was finished in Iconic Silver which received several compliments despite the shape being well known. It also had an interesting hood stripe on each side of the center raised area, almost hiding the raised portion. No doubt the high hood is a requirement of pedestrian impact standards in Europe requiring spacing from hood to top of the engine (intake manifold). Maybe pop-up hood system Lexus uses to allow low hood lines, and better aerodynamics might make its way into mainstream cars someday. At a greater expense, of course.

Overall it was fun to drive. The broad feeling todays domestic muscle cars seem to have when turning is offset by its perfect steering ratio that assured proper hand position even in tight ninety-degree turns. As part of that cornering, it had minimal lean and when too much power was applied the traction control and 3.55:1 ratio limited slip differential worked together noticeably, but not so forward progress was severely restrained. You just knew it was working vs. the forward head toss from deceleration of a poorly and aggressively programmed system.

 It’s a quiet car when the appropriate exhaust mode is selected, but the ride is on the busy side on less than smooth roads. Only harsh over severe bumps, your butt knows exactly what was going on with the road surface. The magnetorheological shocks included in th $1,995 EcoBoost handling package would have resolved that nicely.

The engine had no discernable lag and the programming with the 10 speed was nearly flawless. It doesn’t sound good at all in Standard, Sport and Track modes so the first thing done was selecting Quiet mode as well as Quiet start-up. But sound is subjective so it may appeal to others, just not fans of V-8s and high revving exotics, Subarus, tractors, Harleys and EVs…..

The transmission had a couple harsh shifts when cold from Park to Drive and a couple instances of jerkiness but if a quirk, it wasn’t a big deal. Thinking about it now, its kind of nice to know when a car is warmed up by being informed mechanically as well as digitally. But besides that, it’s a great travel companion, and it never seemed like it had too many ratios, including in the foothills of Cascades. Although, when manually downshifting as learned with the in-house 8 speed auto, initial double taps are best to drop down two ratios at a time when decelerating downhill.

The efficiency was documented during it’s stay. All the factors on a two day road trip: Passenger, laptops and overnight bags, very welcome cooled seats on their highest setting the entire time, near triple digit temperatures with obligatory AC use, one stop for gas, other stops for food, dinner search, snack and drinks, photo ops, and highway hooliganism with cruising speeds from 75 to 80mph saw 25.4 mpg over 506 miles. Not bad at all.

 One instance of that trip demonstrated what 330hp, 350lbs ft torque and a 10 speed automatic could do. A Kia Stinger GTS that appeared similarly loaded decided to see how they compare. After an initial hit and getting us a car length in front, the Kia did a slow but decisive walk past us. It feels like a high 13 second, 100mph car. Maybe quicker with a sticky track and cool weather. The Focus RS had 350hp from the same engine but Ford says it is offset with 90% of the torque is available at 2500rpm in the Mustang.

There are a few quirks of what is now considered a surprising lack of refinement. The hood still requires a prop rod and in hot weather the hood lip and rod are too hot for bare hands to deal with that procedure. It’s the sport(y) model yet the caliper covers were an unfinished dark gray. They beg for the standard issue red, or at least a gloss black with the logo and/or name on them. The available wheel selection is nice, why shortchange it with calipers that are plain?

The somewhat retro interior theme continues in 2020. The standard seats are comfortable despite not having double digit adjustment claims. If the lower cushion could be extended further under the legs or a manual adjustment, that would be better, but not a deal breaker.

The High Performance Package also adds 19” x 9” wide wheels, center mounted oil pressure and boost gauges, heavy duty front springs, larger rear sway bar, larger brake rotors with 4-piston fixed calipers, larger radiator, specific chassis tuning along with the steering, ABS and stability control tuning among others adders. Definitely the way to go if staying with the 4 cylinder.

There’s plenty of room for the left knee, the dash doesn’t come down low on the left side like many cars. The toggle switches are funky in that they only toggle up, not downward. The one for adjustable steering effort needs a downward ability to toggle exhaust modes versus going into the center display screen via steering wheel buttons.

 Outward visibility isn’t nearly as bad as its Camaro direct competitor, but the hood is too flat and high so it’s hard to judge front end placement so there’s even more emphasis using the side mirror as a reference. A parking camera would be very welcome. Especially when on a gravel road in the Sierras while cresting a hill trying to find a parking spot for a hike. Returning with a very dusty car, it was while dusting it off I noticed the clear protectant wrap applied to the rear fenders, only because of the dust collecting along the edge.

Also sun visors haven’t seem to evolved much in 40 years, when it was deployed on my left, doing a fast left-hand turns, it smacked me in the head. Talk about a speed monitor! It could also use larger mirrors but who looks back in a Mustang?

Coupes represent a personal freedom even during this era when sedan sales are falling to crossovers and SUVs. The Mustang Ecoboost High Performance package offers a stylish and comfortable choice with a good balance of economy and performance. It offers a nice introduction to the fire breathers further up the model line-up when urge for sound and fury becomes budget acceptable.

Toyota Supra review and driving impressions

What is the Supra besides polarizing? It’s a low, two seat sporty coupe, fairly light, quick, agile, and the 5th generation of the name, resurrected for 2020 after the 1998 model year was the last one sold in the US and acquiring legend status further elevated by a certain movie.

Having owned what became a lightly modified 1994 Twin Turbo, a 4th generation, and wanting one well years before the Fast & Furious movie, I was well aware of what it was all about and was glad to see the name come back. Although they added GR to the name which means Gazoo Racing, the name of Toyotas multi-discipline racing effort.

There’s a few things that upset enthusiasts and fanatics in general. It currently only comes with an 8 speed torque converter automatic, the ubiquitous ZF units. It’s styling causes strong opinions both for and against, and then one very controversial aspect; it’s a re-bodied and revised BMW Z4.

Toyota obviously developed the body, suspension tuning and interior layout. But the chassis and engine is BMW. Which is actually a brilliant partnership. Independently developed with a new inline-6 cylinder engine it surely would have cost much more than the $49,990 base price. You also get the transmission shifter and infotainment interface that is pure BMW. It’s built at the same plant in Austria as well.

Why not use a proven platform and tweak it to the desired level? And it still

comes in $13,710 cheaper than the similarly (6 cylinder) equipped Z4. Granted that is also a 138lb heavier hardtop convertible.

Rated at 335hp and 365lb-ft torque starting at 1600rpm yet dyno sessions and quarter mile testing in the mid-low 12 second range with trap speeds in the low teens suggest its more than that. Rated at 31mpg highway, it achieves that rare ratio of a 12 second car achieving 30mpg or higher. A milestone achievement not that long ago. Despite the 13.7 gallon gas tank and heavy throttle use and backroad travels, 22-23mpg was observed.

It is attention grabbing with a lot of swoops and curves for its short body. The rear quarter fender bulge has nice curves but ends abruptly with the rear skirt and narrower duck tail rear hatch lip. Unfortunately, that sensual rear fender curve is interrupted by a fake vent in the door and the front fender has one as well. The capped roofline means ducking lower than initially anticipated to keep your head from being bumped or worse, biffed. Once inside, it’s fine for the driver, but say if you’re sightseeing by driving around looking at homes, you’ll be getting stares from residents walking but you can’t see the homes on the passenger side very well. There’s a small gap between the infotainment screen and rear-view mirror, but the seat height and hood slope makes it work instead of being a detriment. 

The rear looks wide and purposeful though. My wife called it Shakira because its hips don’t lie and friend called it fat, but he wasn’t being complimentary. Toyota says it is one of the shortest wheelbase to width cars in production, checking it against Porsche’s 992 911 S, they are nearly identical in wheelbase, width and weight. One thing about its styling, it is unique. It will not be mistaken for any other car on the road from a distance; front, rear and the side. Kudos to Toyota for pulling that off. 

Looking under the long hood, although there are numerous BMW identifiers on components, it has a pretty trick release that doesn’t require a secondary lever or latch activation to open, just a pull upward once unlatched from within.

The transmission shifts rapidly and smoothly. When the paddles are used for both upshifting and downshifting, the response is immediate, reminiscent of what seems to be the industry standard, Porsche’s PDK. It’s also is geared rather aggressively, with 6th being the 1:1 ratio. 

Lots of exhaust pops and crackles can be achieved by revving from idle or downshifting aggressively. Very reminiscent of the Jaguar F-Type in this regard, not to mention the cozy cabin. It’s addictive and I found myself doing it often. However, the exhaust is a constant background companion which may not bother some, or many, but in Sport mode, it’s just intrusive. Depends on your driving situation and mindset. 

As widely publicized, if the windows are down, the wind buffeting heard by the ears is poorly attenuated. The cargo area is accessible by the occupants and probably doesn’t help with that and along with some noticeable road noise. There was some creaking from the body structure when exiting the driveway at an angle in reverse going down the curbing. Otherwise it was solid feeling, no qualms. This is more of a sports car than a grand tourer despite having an admittedly excellent torque converter automatic in terms of sound deadening and priorities.. 

Once behind the wheel, styling touches don’t matter. Its smooth power delivery and minimal lag quickly bring a smile to your face. Turn-in is immediate and the car feels light and tossable. Right away the it conveys to the driver a feeling of desire and confidence to push it on the track, it’s ready to go and so are you.

It is small inside, but the seats are comfortable but a little narrow. The seatbelt is easily reached, sometimes rare in a coupe. In terms of storage, the door pockets can be used, but the center console just has two couple holders and no storage under a lid. There is a spot for wireless charging as well as a plastic shelf above the phone but it just doesn’t seem ideal. Oh and the horn is a little wimpy. When parking, it doesn’t give an audible confirmation the vehicle is put into park, you need to make a visual check. This can lead to some unintentional accidents. 

Never mind the interior idiosyncrasies, they aren’t deal breakers and the car is fun to drive. It does short-shift into second when not in Sport mode, not letting the foot decide at partial throttle lift. It is aggressively geared so it’s not like you suddenly hit a dead spot since that 365lb ft of torque starts at 1600rpm.

The 4100 people that bought the 2020 model should have at least opted for the Premium package for $4000 more. The notable additions are full leather seating, sport pedals, 12 speaker JBL, 500w sound system, large 8.8” infotainment screen, wireless charging, upgraded 2.1a USB port and larger rear brakes. Every model has an active (electronic) rear differential, active (adjustable) suspension and active exhaust.  

The 2021 model year brought more controversy. But so what, right? Why blend in and be bland? Get exposure, do stuff, make changes! This second model year introduces the 4 cylinder model at a base of $42,990 and 255hp. That isn’t what is sticking in everyone’s craw though. The 6 cylinder price goes up $1000 for the base, but now the engine matches BMW’s rating, 382hp. The Premium price increase is $500. But really, why would anyone expect the horsepower not to rise to match BMW? And it’s a turbo so it’s easily tuned for more power anyway. 

This Premium trim level example had the Driver Assist Package for $1,195 which included full speed Dynamic Radar Cruise Control. That worked extremely well, keeping a proper following distance and less abrupt slow-downs. It also includes Blind Spot Monitor and Rear Cross Traffic Alert. The later a big help along with the rear camera due to the blind spots it has. The lane correction is thankfully adjustable because at it’s highest setting it will literally yank the wheel. Two options I can’t stress enough for any car are now offered by Toyota. Paint Protection Film for the front bumper ($485 msrp) and hood and door cups for $395 msrp. Both seem to be dealer installed, so make sure you inspect the results closely upon delivery.  

Even if it’s not your immediate purchase goal, this is the kind of car you keep track of, what it sells for used, what the year-to-year changes are, it’s racing success, its exploits when modified and more. It’s an enthusiast’s sports coupe and it should be celebrated.