Cars come and go in the automotive industry. Some stick around a few years, others last for only a couple of seasons. But there’s only a handful that have been produced for half a century. 

The Ford Mustang is one of those that have many years behind it and will probably have many more to come. With several decades under its belt, has it withstood the many problems that other vehicles have had to deal with? Consumer Reports summarizes the last few years of the Mustang and how reliable it’s proven to be so far. 

Overview of the Ford Mustang

The Ford Mustang debuted in 1965, designed by Lee Iacocca, general manager of Ford at that time. Ford specifically rolled out the Mustang to cater to a younger market. With proper planning, the Mustang sold a whopping 22,000 cars the first day it became available, as reported by Automobile Mag. 

While Ford planned 100,000 sales the first year, they quickly found out they were wrong, when purchases surpassed that number and kept going. At the end of the year, they had over 680,000 sales of the Mustang. People fell in love with the sports car already, and it had only been out for one year. 

Ford made changes over the next few decades. There were hatchbacks, notchbacks, race cars, and even convertibles popping up in the Mustang designs as the years went on. Now we’re in 2020 and Ford is still rolling these Mustangs off the production line. 

A brief history of the Mustang’s reliability from 2015 to 2019

The 2015 model year was the last redesign the Ford Mustang had prior to the 2020 version. The reliability for this car was very low. The 2015 and 2016 models had scores of 1 out of 5 from Consumer Reports. They gave the 2017 a 2 out of 5, while the 2018 model got 3 out of 5.

The 2015 Mustang had a total of seven recalls placed on it. Some were pretty serious. From door latches opening while the car was in motion to fuel leaks that could cause serious fires, the Mustang struggled that first year of the redesign. 

There were only two recalls for the 2016 model and three for the 2017. The Mustang had an issue with loss of oil in some of their cars, which continued into 2017. 

These could lead to some extensive engine damage if they’re not resolved. The 2018 model also had three problems. One dealing with a fuel leak, a software problem, and a transmission glitch that could cause the car moving after being parked. 

How reliable is the 2020 model?

US News & World Report named the Ford Mustang the #1 in the sports car market for the 2020 model. This year’s Mustang is now offering a new Shelby GT350, a new car in the line of racers with an impressive powertrain. 

The new Shelby GT500 will have a V8 engine that can put out an explosive 760 hp. That’s enough power to plow through a racetrack in mere seconds. With user-friendly features and high-quality cabin materials, the 2020 model impresses sports car enthusiasts alike. 

When it comes to reliability, the Mustang received a 4 out of 5 stars from JD Power. Consumer Reports, however, gave it a 3 out of 5 score and listed two recalls already available for the 2020 model.

The recalls are relatively minor with a software issue preventing the pre-collision assist feature from working effectively. The other warns of the vehicle moving if the car isn’t properly put in park. 

The 2019 model had few issues and Ford Motor Company has consistently improved upon their Mustang over the years, so we could assume that the 2020 model is pretty reliable.

The Ford Mustang has been a big seller ever since it came out about 50 years ago. Improvements are being made all the time, and the Mustang is almost as popular as it was when it first came out.

With a few bumps in the road here and there, this sports car has stayed pretty strong in the sales department and will continue for many more years if all goes well.