2007 Ford Mustang

Over the past ten years or so, all the cool kids have either been picking revvy high-tech ricers or all-wheel-drive turbo rally cars as their chariots of choice. Hey, fashions change. Still, there will always be a place in our culture for good old rear-wheel-drive homegrown muscle, and the Ford Mustang has almost single-handedly kept the dream alive.

And it does represent. With a 300-horsepower 4.6-liter V8 hooked up to the back wheels, the Mustang GT is the cheapest car in America (about $26K) that can burn to 60 MPH in five seconds. The 210-horsepower 4.0-liter V6 on base models ain’t too shabby either (though the V8 is definitely more in character with the car), and serious speed freaks can even get a supercharged, 500-horsepower offshoot of the Mustang called the Shelby GT500 (though at $44,000, better sports cars await). Typical of a muscle car, the Mustang is too massive and has too-light steering to feel truly sporty, but it’s comfortable and well-mannered enough to use as a daily driver.

Sometimes, though, it’s a little obvious that this is a car built to a price. The cabin is filled with lousy materials, which combine with Ford’s ill-conceived attempts at throwback styling cues to make a rather tasteless interior. At least the back seats are usable by adults – briefly – thanks to the Mustang’s rather big measurements. Also, a car as prone to sliding its rear wheels as the Mustang desperately needs a stability control system.

There’s no other car on the market quite like the Mustang, and it’s not a car for everyone. But if all you want is a fast, strong, cheap horse that’s nice enough to ride everyday, it might be right up your alley.

What’s new for the 2007 Ford Mustang: All Mustangs get an MP3 input jack, while SIRIUS satellite radio and navigation join the options list. A new $44,000 Shelby GT500 becomes the new king of the hill Mustang thanks to its supercharged, 5.4-liter, 500-horsepower V8.