2022 Ford Mustang GT Coupe

The base price of a Ford Mustang GT Coupe in 2022 is $37,275 for the manual and another $1,595 for the automatic. Opting for the GT Premium instead raises this to $41,275 for the manual; once again, the automatic will add $1,595 to the bill for this trim. That $4,000 hike adds some much-needed equipment that is well worth the money, if only for the lovely leather and proper infotainment system. We wouldn't bother with most of the cosmetic upgrades unless we're hellbent on personalizing the car. Instead, we'd add some nicer 19- or 20-inch wheels, because the Mustang looks a little under-wheeled on the standard 18s. These are MSRP prices and do not include tax, registration, licensing, or the $1,195 destination fee.

The Mustang GT might not be quite as hardcore as some of its rivals, but it strikes a perfect compromise, with balanced and confidence-inspiring RWD handling coupled with good ride quality on the standard suspension. Regardless of the options you tick, the 5.0-liter engine remains the same and is the highlight of the vehicle, providing ample low-rev torque and an exuberant top end that loves to chase the needle on the rev-counter. It makes the stump-pulling, lower-revving Chevy 6.2 seem a little agricultural by comparison, even though it can't match it for torque at low engine speeds. We'd be very tempted to throw caution to the wind and go for the manual with its rev-matching tech.

You can dial it up with the $6,700 GT Performance Package if you want to, adding sports suspension and all manner of performance accouterments like upgraded brakes, a larger radiator, and special bracing, but it's not as livable every day and makes it a harsher, more uncompromising track-focused machine, especially since the MagneRide adaptive dampers are not included in this package. For everyday driving, the standard GT is perfect and arguably the best of all its natural US rivals. In the GT Premium, you can fine-tune your driving experience with the five selectable driving modes: Normal, Sport+, Track, Drag Strip, or Snow/Wet. The optional MagneRide damping system provides excellent comfort but can tighten up appreciably for enthusiastic cornering.

There is no denying the Mustang's brilliance, and there are few that can match it in the price bracket. To our mind, the Mustang does enough to stay on top and remain the default choice in the pony car class. Its rivals beat it in certain individual criteria, but none of them offer the complete package that the Mustang does. The Mustang GT Coupe in Premium trim is the pony car to beat, offering more space than a Camaro and more refinement and sophistication than a Challenger. A large trunk, impressive safety and infotainment specification, a potent V8 engine, and refined ride and handling dynamics all make it a true master of its craft.

We would go for the GT Premium without thinking twice. It upgrades the standard car's interior with its mundane cloth seats and tiny infotainment system to much better heated and ventilated leather chairs and a proper eight-inch Sync 3 touchscreen infotainment system. It has driving modes, better climate control, and a better audio system, too. We would take the manual and only add 20-inch alloy wheels for a total of $43,820 including the destination charge.

For less than the price of the Mustang GT, there's a comparable Camaro with a 6.2-liter V8 developing around the same horsepower but more torque, supplying comparable overall performance. The Camaro is sharper and more track-focused as a standard car but, as a result, also more compromised for daily use. Add to this its smaller trunk and worse outward visibility from behind the wheel and the Mustang just edges it to earn our recommendation. Specced to our taste, the Mustang costs just a whisker more than the competing Camaro 2SS 6.2 V8 manual, but for its higher level of practicality, equivalent charm, and impressive infotainment, the Mustang is the everyman's pony car of choice.

Completing the USA's homegrown triumvirate of pony cars, the Dodge Challenger is a larger car with more interior and trunk space, arguably placing it in the next size class. Still, it's too brash to be considered a touring car, despite a genuinely usable rear seat and large trunk. When comparing the base manual V8 cars, the Mustang GT's $37,275 MSRP is almost identically priced to the Challenger R/T RWD with the 375-hp V8 but around $3,000 cheaper than the R/T Scat Pack RWD with its 485-hp V8. We'll take the well-rounded Mustang GT Premium instead if we're going to spend $40,000.