Why the 2022 Ford Mustang Flopped So Hard
The Ford Mustang is one of the best American-made sports cars of all time. Of course, by definition, it’s a muscle car, but the statement still holds. However, not every model of the iconic car is a runaway success. One such model is the 2022 Ford Mustang, as it was not a sales success. Though there may be a few reasons outside of the automaker’s control, it’s still a stain on the recent legacy of the legacy of the car.
Here’s why the 2022 Ford Mustang flopped so hard.
The 2022 Ford Mustang was doomed before it hit the market
The 2022 Ford Mustang is one of the best sports cars despite its flaws. People didn’t quickly gravitate to the car because the recent models also had problems. This meant that many car buyers were apprehensive. More specifically, these problems started with the 2017 model.
Bad shifting is one reported issue with the 2017 through 2022 Ford Mustang. This issue is one of the most significant signs of a defective valve body or solenoid. A vehicle experiencing such erratic shifts could also be dangerous. Owners of these Ford Mustang models have also reported high engine revving without upshifts. Unfortunately, there are also reports of a clunking sound when shifting gears.
Even the worst Mustangs are among the best sports cars
The main reason people didn’t buy the 2022 Ford Mustang is because of the models surrounding it. However, this version also has other issues. One problem is that the infotainment system was already outdated upon release. The 2022 Ford Mustang has the Ford SYNC 3 system even though the SYNC 4 software was already out. Though not a deal breaker, this makes the car seem outdated. Additionally, the standard infotainment screen was only 4.2-inches.
What makes this worse is that Dodge had a better product with the Challenger. Not only had the Dodge Challenger long been a competitor to the Mustang, but buyers compared the new models. Unfortunately, the 2022 Mustang didn’t measure up. For example, the Dodge muscle car came with a standard seven-inch touchscreen. Not only that, but the Challenger also has a bigger backseat, which made it more appealing to many buyers.
How bad were the sales
According to CJ Pony Parts, the 2022 Ford Mustang had the worst sales out of the car’s history. In fact, it had only sold about 23,000 units as of July the following year. However, other reports say that the Mustang nameplate as a whole sold about 47,566 units in 2022, which was down about 9% from the previous year.
Of course, some issues that impacted sales of the Mustang had nothing to do with the automaker. As previously mentioned, the Dodge Challenger was a major competitor. Additionally, the 2022 Mustang came along on the heels of the pandemic, which means production halted for a time due to the chip shortage. Still, this model isn’t the best example of the Mustang being one of the best sports cars in history. Luckily, sales increased in 2023.
