S550 vs S650

[AZ_Ryan]

I'll take physical buttons over touchscreens any time. Yes, the touchscreen in the S550 is smaller, but that's because you have physical buttons you can use without looking, or having to go through a bunch of menus and making sure you touch at just the right spot. I also prefer having the digital instrument cluster built into the dash and not a big tablet sticking up.

I've had both in premium trim levels. I definitely prefer the S650. The updated features, customization, and technology makes the S550 look and feel cheap by comparison. The whole "tablet" complaint is kinda tired honestly. When I first saw pictures of the S650 I didnt really care for it either. But when I sat in the car and actually drove it, I was won over immediately. I find most of the touch controls very easy to use. And I find Ford's infotainment is much more intuitive than my wife's Hyundai.

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[BuckeyeBOSS]

I skipped the S550 generation entirely. They looked too European and not aggressive enough on the exterior to me, except the GT350 and GT500. The GT350 was interesting but had/has too many engine issues. I almost bought a GT500 but the dealer blew that deal.

 

[LouG]

I think the S550 interior looks dated, the S650 looks up to the minute. I like the screen interface much better than our Euro cars, it just works better. You can change seat and interior temps by pushing one screen button each, what's hard about that? The rest is on auto setting.
The bottom line for me is that I would not have bought a 550.

 

[Arthonon]

As I said earlier, it's all personal preference, but the tablet layout just looks bad to me, and I'm sorry if that's getting "old," but it's still true for me. And I think you'd be hard pressed to find a majority of automotive press and professionals who finds that look attractive in any vehicle, including the recent BMWs.

I've been in S650s and messed around with the controls and it may be something I'd get used to, but for the time I tried it, I didn't like it. It was pretty in some areas, but just not as easy for me to use as physical buttons. And again, I think you'll find that a common complaint among new cars is the lack of physical buttons, in any review.

Just to show that it's not just me, here's an AI summary of the subject:

Why Car Reviews Criticize the Lack of Physical Buttons
Car reviewers and safety experts are increasingly vocal about the dangers and drawbacks of vehicles that rely heavily on touchscreens for basic controls. The main criticism centers on safety, usability, and driver distraction.

Safety concerns
Studies and crash-test organizations like Euro NCAP have found that using touchscreens for essential functions—such as wipers, hazard lights, or climate controls—forces drivers to look away from the road for longer than with physical buttons. Research from the Transport Research Laboratory showed that touchscreen reaction times can be worse than those of drivers under the influence of cannabis. At highway speeds, even a 2.3‑second visual distraction can mean traveling over 200 feet before the driver can react.

Usability and frustration
Many drivers find it frustrating to navigate multiple menu layers to adjust climate, audio, or seat settings while driving. This “screen‑gate” can make common tasks unnecessarily complex and time‑consuming. Reviews often note that without tactile feedback, drivers can’t develop muscle memory for frequently used controls, leading to repeated mistakes.

Regulatory pressure
From January 2026, Euro NCAP will incentivize or require tactile controls for core functions to achieve top safety ratings. This is part of a broader push for safer, more driver‑friendly interfaces.

Consumer feedback
Focus groups and customer complaints have repeatedly shown that drivers prefer physical buttons and knobs for essential functions. Automakers like Volkswagen, Hyundai, and Mazda have acknowledged these issues and are reintroducing them in new models.

Examples of models with physical buttons
Some cars still offer a mix of screens and physical controls, such as the 2025 Toyota RAV4 (40+ buttons and knobs) and the 2026 Mazda 3 (memory seating, traction control, and HVAC buttons). These are often praised in reviews for reducing distraction and improving usability.

Bottom line
Car reviews are highlighting the lack of physical buttons as a design flaw that compromises safety and convenience. The trend toward bringing them back is driven by both consumer demand and regulatory changes, with more automakers expected to follow suit in the coming years.

 

[AZ_Ryan]

Thanks for the AI review. That really made me change my mind.

 

[Arthonon]

I'm not sure if you're understanding that the AI is simply summarizing the situation, not reviewing it.

I don't care whether you change your mind, but the reality is that most people don't like touchscreens, and they are generally considered less convenient and less safe through actual studies. It will not be possible to get a 5-star safety rating in Europe without a certain percentage of physical buttons.

Here are some non-AI sources:

https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a40949962/car-buttons-easier-than-touchscreens-study/

https://theconversation.com/yes-tho...-dangerous-and-buttons-are-coming-back-272704

https://www.motortrend.com/news/new-car-interior-touchscreen-euro-ncap-safety-testing

https://www.autoblog.com/news/major-safety-body-clamping-down-on-touchscreens

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590198226000382

 

[AZ_Ryan]

I'm not sure if you're understanding that the AI is simply summarizing the situation, not reviewing it.

I don't care whether you change your mind, but the reality is that most people don't like touchscreens, and they are generally considered less convenient and less safe through actual studies. It will not be possible to get a 5-star safety rating in Europe without a certain percentage of physical buttons.

Here are some non-AI sources:

https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a40949962/car-buttons-easier-than-touchscreens-study/

https://theconversation.com/yes-tho...-dangerous-and-buttons-are-coming-back-272704

https://www.motortrend.com/news/new-car-interior-touchscreen-euro-ncap-safety-testing

https://www.autoblog.com/news/major-safety-body-clamping-down-on-touchscreens

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590198226000382

I dont need AI to summarize the situation lol. Like it or not just about every new moder car has a touchscreen. The reality is you're a S550 owner in the 7G forum arguing your personal preference to the wrong crowd, and you cant accept people actualy have a different opinion than you. Go back to the 6G forum and spare us this tired BS. No one cares about your links or AI.

 

[Arthonon]

It seems that I've upset you and I'm sorry, that was not my intent. I was simply sharing ONE thing that I prefer in the S550 over the S650 - the buttons with smaller screens - and then tried to show why, and that it's not an uncommon view.

The reality is I've owned 3 Mustangs of 3 different generations, and have liked them all, and always enjoy discussing and reading about them, and I've posted plenty here that was positive about the S650. That doesn't mean I can't appreciate things about the other generations or even other cars as well.

 

[MidwayJ]

Having owned both the S550 and the S650, these arguments about the screens, etc. have gotten old. The biggest disappointment to me is Ford didn't introduce a new chassis and set the S650 further apart from the S550, especially when considering the price.

Even so, I loved my S550s and love my '26. I think Ford did make some improvements to the S650. Here's my early review after 2 months ownership:

https://www.mustang7g.com/forums/threads/s650-gt-vs-s550-gt-impressions-comparisons.174523/

 

[Jimbo33]

Thank you Sofa King for your advice. I just checked my owners manual (ver 1) and The only thing it says is it is automatically armed when you shut off the car. Nothing about locking it. I have always locked the car from the door button on exit. I trusted the manual it looks like I must have a earlier version before they updated it. I will go to Fords web site and look if there is an updated version. Locking the car with the key fob worked, the alarm system now functions as advertised. As I said in an earlier post I suspected it was something I was doing and That was it.

 

[smurfslayer]

SHHH! You CAN'T say that here ! You will be excommunicated as a heretic.
REPENT and declare your faith and allegiance to the S550 or ... well, I don't know, they just seem to disappear.

Having owned both the S550 and the S650, these arguments about the screens, etc. have gotten old. The biggest disappointment to me is Ford didn't introduce a new chassis and set the S650 further apart from the S550, especially when considering the price.

Even so, I loved my S550s and love my '26. I think Ford did make some improvements to the S650. Here's my early review after 2 months ownership:

https://www.mustang7g.com/forums/threads/s650-gt-vs-s550-gt-impressions-comparisons.174523/

NOW we're getting somewhere, but we need more trolling. Let's get back to the fist pounding, keyboard thrashing s650 hate, shall we?
I keep having to check the URL and make sure it's mustang7g...

I dont need AI to summarize the situation lol. Like it or not just about every new moder car has a touchscreen. The reality is you're a S550 owner in the 7G forum arguing your personal preference to the wrong crowd, and you cant accept people actualy have a different opinion than you. Go back to the 6G forum and spare us this tired BS. No one cares about your links or AI.

You're tilting at windmills here. Doesn't it say somewhere in the Forum rules that you have to worship the S550 and you shall have no god before it? I thought I remembered reading that as a condition.

The AI agent is right though, there is a bit of regret on the integration into screens going on with several manufacturers. Many have received a lot of mixed or negative feedback. Merc. is reevaluating and I wouldn't be surprised to see some physical controls return to their models in upcoming MY or 2.

Ford did a good job on about 95% of the screen integration. There are some nitpicks I'd like to see addressed - climate would be one. It'd be nice to have an old school, maybe '68-ish slide control :-) Ok seriously, I hate trying to mess with the temp/fan.
But otherwise, it's just different. I've gotten to like the '24+ integrated screens. I do try to avoid using the center stack gauge screen though, I find that I look at the stopping g's and think.... I can better that >:-}

 

[Arthonon]

Geez guys, I'm sorry I generated such a storm of hate by saying I like physical buttons. I'd be interested in seeing any car enthusiast source that doesn't share the same opinion.

My original post even said that by all accounts the S650 is a better driving car with higher quality interior materials, so it's not like I'm bashing it by any means. I watched the Driven+ comparison and they said the S650 was way better than the S550 inside and out, and I was impressed that Ford was able to improve it so much using the basic S550 as a starting point.

But I still prefer physical buttons, Mustang or not.

 

[Sofa King]

...I do try to avoid using the center stack gauge screen though, I find that I look at the stopping g's and think.... I can better that >:-}

It's a game... left vs right!

 

[AZ_Ryan]

Thank you Sofa King for your advice. I just checked my owners manual (ver 1) and The only thing it says is it is automatically armed when you shut off the car. Nothing about locking it. I have always locked the car from the door button on exit. I trusted the manual it looks like I must have a earlier version before they updated it. I will go to Fords web site and look if there is an updated version. Locking the car with the key fob worked, the alarm system now functions as advertised. As I said in an earlier post I suspected it was something I was doing and That was it.

The manual leaves out a lot of details unfortunately.

 

[smurfslayer]

Geez guys, I'm sorry I generated such a storm of hate by saying I like physical buttons. I'd be interested in seeing any car enthusiast source that doesn't share the same opinion.

My original post even said that by all accounts the S650 is a better driving car with higher quality interior materials, so it's not like I'm bashing it by any means. I watched the Driven+ comparison and they said the S650 was way better than the S550 inside and out, and I was impressed that Ford was able to improve it so much using the basic S550 as a starting point.

But I still prefer physical buttons, Mustang or not.

It's not you, the s650 hate was baked in the cake long ago.
I prefer some mechanical controls too.

But in the big scheme of things, anything I may consider a 'deficiency' disappears when I step into the whipple assisted throttle.

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