Someone please lock this thread for me. I will stick to news lurking and keep to myself from now on.

[Zig]

The GT still speaks (sings, even) to me, moreso with the active exhaust than the standard one. "Cooled off" was probably the wrong term to use. I most likely meant "calmed down" in the sense that I now know exactly how I'd spec it (again, barring any new/returning colors in the future). As I've said before the GT is my goal, but I'm also open to more practical vehicles like the Prius (which I also know exactly how I'd spec it).


Hey, there's a first for everything! I don't know, am I the only one who tries to test drive vehicles with a completely blank/neutral mindset prior to doing it (doing my research and due diligence beforehand)? I test drove multiple GTs to get a feel for the different options available. As examples, ride quality could've changed noticeably between the 18"/19"/20"/PP tires/wheels, and acceleration/braking might have felt different between the gear ratios and brake packages available. It's very likely I'm being overanalytical, but I need hands-on experience with cars to understand what I'm getting, even if the differences are ultimately subtle.


Yeah, the Performance Pack GT simply isn't for me, not as a potential daily driver. A standard GT or GT Premium with the Active Exhaust would be more than enough in my book.

As for modding the GT, I've decided that I'll stick to strictly cosmetic/visual exterior stuff. And so far that's only if I get the California Special in Oxford White (and I'm still undecided if I'd even do that).

Can you spot the differences?

But you still have the gt m6 pp mr ae convertible and the dh to try.

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[BoostRabbitGT]

But you still have the gt m6 pp mr ae convertible and the dh to try.

...shoot, you're not wrong about the MT82.

 

[P2]

In lieu of what used to be here, have a (hopefully) quicknotes version below!

First, the Mustang GTs. Universally I think they have more than adequate throttle response for my style of driving, both in Normal and Sport+, and steering weight all around (I tested with Sport steering) feels more communicative between road and driver, but with noticeably lighter steering weight compared to the S550's Sport steering mode.

Base Performance Pack: best at handling, worst at road noise, uncertain about ride quality

Premium w/optional 20" wheels: I felt less confident taking turns spiritedly with this setup, rides notably harsher than 18"/19" wheels

Base w/standard 18" wheels: most comfortable, nice handling, 3.55 gear ratio was smooth

Premium w/standard 19" wheels: maybe slightly less comfortable than the 18" wheels, but nice ride almost as, if not comparable to, the 18"s, 3.15 gears were smooth in Normal and Sport+ modes

California Special Convertible: less rear visibility than coupe, better handling than 20" wheels, 3.15 gearing was slightly choppy when changing gears at low/city speeds.

Premium Performance Pack with Magneride: better than base PP, stiff but planted ride even with MR (still better than 20" wheels), slightly more steering weight than non-PP?, standard exhaust is quieter than '18-23 standard (detailed review coming soon)

And now for the competition!

'23 Charger R/T: quieter V8 and more practical, but significantly less confident in the turns
'19 Porsche Panamera: a full-size sedan that turns more like a compact sedan, nice V6 sound
'23 Mustang Mach 1 (stickshift): Hey, I remember how to transition from idle to motion!
'23 Hyundai Sonata N-Line: sounds better than my EcoBoost, but loses grunt quickly at mid/high range
'24 Sonata Hybrid Limited: The '19 Sonata Hybrid had a much smoother transmission and better brakes/feel.
'16 Shelby GT350: Hey, I can smoothly transition from idle to motion! And it sounds nicer than I thought it would!
'24 Subaru WRX (manual): ...and then with this one I stalled so many times and the shifter felt a lot more clunky than the Tremec.

'23 Toyota Prius Limited (FWD): nowhere near as fast as a 'Stang, but possibly just as fun around the corners...?
'18 Camaro ZL1 (modded): I didn't feel like I was in a bathtub (the outside visibility was decent enough for me minus potential blind spots, definitely not as assuring as the Mustang), but the modded exhaust sound/noise kept me from wanting to try this vehicle at the roundabouts where it probably would've shined.

'23 Genesis G70 (3.3T V6 RWD): luxury or performance compact sedan? not to my tastes either way...
'23 Mercedes-Benz E450: Build Quality - the vehicle...does everything well, but too quiet for my liking except at high RPMs

'24 Subaru WRX (CVT): rough ride, light steering, quiet at low RPMs, nice sound at mid/high RPMs, drone was just loud enough to be annoying/distressing, overall DISAPPOINTED!

'23 Challenger R/T Scat Pack: handled better than the Charger, sounded great, feels spacious inside (good practicality and front view, but felt like I was in a massive battle station room with conflicted side visibility), disliked the infotainment layout/response time.

'19 Camaro 1SS: excellent handling and performance at the cost of really bad blind spots at the B/C pillars...and that it's the Camaro SS refresh before it actually looked refreshed and not just hit with the ugly stick and left to question life alone.

After reading all of this, 2 things come to my mind...
I want my 2 minutes back... and what exactly is the point of this post?

 

[BoostRabbitGT]

After reading all of this, 2 things come to my mind...
I want my 2 minutes back... and what exactly is the point of this post?

Simple answer: Post observations, receive and respond to feedback as needed.

(shrugs) I'm just comparing GTs to other vehicles I've test driven. A running log, if you will.

 

[Zig]

Simple answer: Post observations, receive and respond to feedback as needed.

(shrugs) I'm just comparing GTs to other vehicles I've test driven. A running log, if you will.

Kinda like a web log (buh log, blog, hey i got an idea - lol). It’s interesting when contrasted with ‘pro’ reviews.

 

[Radiant]

After reading all of this, 2 things come to my mind...
I want my 2 minutes back... and what exactly is the point of this post?

You're getting the perspective of someone who wants to daily drive a performance car who isn't a diehard muscle car enthusiast. That's about half of Mustang buyers, so it's interesting seeing why someone might choose this car over a more "commuter" oriented ride, or what options stand out.

For example, I setup an S650 Ecoboost convertible to be the lighter, faster, more fun version of a BMW 4-series convertible.

 

[BoostRabbitGT]

Today (7/31/24), I had the opportunity to test drive a 2014 Corvette Stingray, a convertible Z51 3LT at that. I honestly don't have a lot to say about it despite driving it for a good 10-15+ minutes. The steering didn't feel as precise or weighted like the Camaro SS, but it did feel planted to the ground and still took corners nicely to my liking. The front and side visibility felt better here than in the Camaro, but had worse blind spots somehow (maybe the coupe alleviates this problem?). The V8 certainly sounds nice, and it doesn't sound like it's piped in at all. Something that's impressed me in general with these naturally aspirated V8s is how quiet they are once the foot's off the accelerator. No drone at all. I think if they still make Corvettes with V8s by the time I retire, I'd consider getting one as a retirement gift.

I think with this test, I've determined that I prefer naturally aspirated vehicles over turbocharged ones. More predictability from standstill to acceleration for my taste.

(Oh, and for the record: Mustang > Camaro/Corvette > Challenger > Charger)

 

[Farmer Fran]

Go drive a ZL1 and report back

Interesting views but I disagree on the 20s. On the roads around me they turned in and out way better than the 19s

 

[BoostRabbitGT]

Go drive a ZL1 and report back

Interesting views but I disagree on the 20s. On the roads around me they turned in and out way better than the 19s

If I'm able to test drive a stock ZL1, I'll be more than happy to let you know.

As for the 20s/19s, I guess I'll just have to agree to disagree with you on that one. Personal taste and all that I suppose.

 

[BoostRabbitGT]

Yesterday I was able to test drive two Cadillac CT5s in lieu of a '17 Camaro not being available at the time. One was a Sport trim refresh model with the 4-cylinder and the other was a Premium Luxury trim pre-refresh model with the V6.

The '25 CT5 Sport was fine for the most part, plenty of power for getting on the highway and passing other vehicles. But the steering bafflingly felt really light in regards to weight, and almost numb in regards to feedback from the road. And the I-4 sound was uninspiring at all RPM ranges. That said it does a good job being an entry-level luxury vehicle. The infotainment setup is the main attraction here for me.

On the other hand, I was very impressed with the '24 CT5 Premium Luxury. While the '25 has the nicer infotainment system, this '24 (despite not being a V-series model or even the Sport trim) felt way more engaging to drive. It had the steering feedback and weight of the Camaro SS, something that was a big "YES PLEASE" from me. And surprisingly, despite not having the soundtrack of the Camaro, I was very satisfied with the sound and performance of this car's V6. And even with all these performance trimmings, it still felt very luxurious inside.

I think if plans fall through for the Mustang GT or the Mach-4 in general, I think I may have found my next vehicle...a '25+ CT5 Premium Luxury with a V6, possibly a CT5-V (not the Blackwing, way outside my budget sadly) if I can afford it.

 

[BoostRabbitGT]

A quick report for a change of pace today (hopefully). I test drove a '21 Audi S5 Sport back, which on paper has what I'm looking for in a future daily driver. On the road, however, aside from the V6 note when accelerating full throttle to the highway, pretty disappointing.

Steering was lighter feeling than I hoped it would be (about the same as the S650 if not lighter). I don't think I ever braked to a smooth stop during this test drive, (I don't know if that's specific to Brembo brakes, but that's been my observation here and in the S650 GTs, which I'm more tolerant having that issue with the latter vehicle).

Everything else was good for a luxury performance car. The one thing I really liked on the S5 was the surround view cameras. My fingers are crossed that such an option can make it on to the Mach-4.

 

[BoostRabbitGT]

Oh no, BoostRabbit test drove some more vehicles...

Yesterday I got behind the wheel of a 2021 Mustang Mach 1. As with the S650 GT with Magneride, I had zero idea on how to reach the configuration of that feature (if there is a custom toggle for Magneride settings, I never found it). Aside from that, I only had two real takeaways compared to previous Mustang test drives. Mainly, Sport Mode suspension is super stiff (but not as jarring as a WRX), and Sport Mode steering feels noticeably heavier than I remember when test driving S550 GTs. On the more practical side of things, those vented seats felt really nice!

In complete contrast to the Mach 1, I also test drove a 2025 Kia K5 GT-Line AWD later that day. Nowhere near as memorable as a Mustang, but it was fun to drive around the city. Getting on the highway, however, required a different approach from what I've gotten used to with my EcoBoost. Basically, since this K5 uses a naturally aspirated I4, smooth patient acceleration is recommended over just gunning and running it. In Sport Mode it will hold the gear a lot longer than wanted if someone just floors it. Otherwise, it handles nicely and has a nice steering weight/feel to it. But ultimately, aside from the vehicle style and possibly the vehicle size, the K5 isn't what I'm looking for.

Going briefly back to the CT5, it's somehow classified as a midsize sedan, but the backseat looks and feels more like a compact sedan. Like there's no way you're seating five adults there, especially with how high the center floor is raised. Maybe a baby or young small child if you're lucky.

 

[Airtrade]

I really like seeing your takes on different vehicles.
How on earth do you get to test drive all these vehicles without 50 sales people calling you forever?
Whenever I go in they want my license phone numbers a vial of blood...
Nissan wouldn't even let me test drive a used z. That's how I ended up at the Mustang.

 

[BoostRabbitGT]

I really like seeing your takes on different vehicles.
How on earth do you get to test drive all these vehicles without 50 sales people calling you forever?
Whenever I go in they want my license phone numbers a vial of blood...
Nissan wouldn't even let me test drive a used z. That's how I ended up at the Mustang.

Thanks for reading my takes!

If they ask, I'll usually tell salespeople I'm a ways out from buying a vehicle and that I'm just trying to get a feel for what exactly I'm looking for in a future car. (I think I've got it just about figured out, but there's a few other cars that haven't come out yet I'd like to try before I decide to finalize what I'd like to get.)

 

[Rocket Man]

My fingers are crossed that such an option can make it on to the Mach-4.

What's a Mach 4?
$50 says you end up with a Prius.

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