The Ford Mustang is a compact car built from 1981 to 2026 over 6 generations. Most were assembled in the United States — 100% of those on record. Between 1999 and 2026 it grew 12 cm longer and gained 24 kg. Engines offered: 4-cyl, V6, V8, Electric. Worth buying? It holds up well, with the usual caveat about model years at 4.0/5 — and the year you pick matters far more than the badge (best and worst years →).
What the Mustang is
The Ford Mustang is a compact car that Ford built from 1981 to 2026 — 46 model years. Our measurements put it at 6 generations, the current one starting in 2005. It has been offered with 4-cyl, V6, V8, Electric power. Its closest siblings in the Ford range: Fiesta, Festiva, Mustang GTD.
Where the Mustang is built
A badge says where the company is registered; the VIN says where the car was bolted together. We counted the first three characters — the manufacturer identifier — across 8,490 Mustangs on record.
| Assembled in | Share | VIN starts with | Years seen |
|---|---|---|---|
| the United States | 1FA, 1ZV, 1SA | 1982-2026 |
Check your own: the first three characters of a Ford VIN decide which of these 6 lines your Mustang belongs to. What every character in a Mustang VIN means →
Got the full 17 characters? A free VIN check on a Ford Mustang adds what the decoder can't see: open recalls, theft and total-loss records, and the safety ratings for that exact build.
Mustang generations, and what changed
These boundaries are not copied from a brochure — they fall out of the measurements. Where the Mustang's length or wheelbase jumps between consecutive model years the platform changed: a facelift moves a bumper by centimetres, a new generation moves the whole car — for the Mustang that gives 6 distinct generations below.
| Generation | Length | Wheelbase | Weight | vs previous | Weight change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1971-1972 | 483 cm | 277 cm | - | - | - |
| 1973 | 493 cm | 277 cm | - | +10 cm | - |
| 1974-1978 | 439 cm | 244 cm | - | -54 cm | - |
| 1979-1998 | 455 cm | 257 cm | - | +16 cm | - |
| 1999-2004 | 465 cm | 257 cm | 1492 kg | +10 cm | - |
| 2005-2026 | 477 cm | 272 cm | 1516 kg | +12 cm | +24 kg |
Between 1999 and 2026 the Mustang gained 12 cm in length (+2.6%) and 24 kg in weight (+1.6%). Cars did not so much grow as thicken — crash structures, airbags and equipment weigh more than the metal they replaced, and on the Mustang that is 24 kg against 12 cm. Full dimensions by year →
Ford Mustang tire size, oil type & owner specs
The fitment Mustang owners look up most — tires, wheels, oil and batteries. Exact wheel and tire sizes decode from your VIN or the driver's door-jamb placard; the universal items are listed below.
Exact tire, wheel, oil grade, capacity and battery group are added per trim and model year — decode your VIN above for the factory fitment. Universal items shown as-is.
What engines does the Ford Mustang have? Power & range
The Ford Mustang is offered with 4 powertrains — 3.7L 6-cyl, 5L 8-cyl, 2.3L 4-cyl, Electric. Here's the lineup by engine, transmission and drivetrain — 4 for the Ford Mustang, against one or two on most rivals.
| Engine | Displacement | Transmission | Drive | Fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| V6 | 3.7L · 6-cyl | Automatic (S6) | RWD | Regular |
| V8 | 5.0L · 8-cyl | Automatic (S10) | RWD | Regular |
| 4-cyl | 2.3L · 4-cyl | Automatic 10-spd | RWD | Regular |
| Electric | Electric motor | Single-speed | RWD | Electricity |
Horsepower, torque and fuel-tank size decode from your VIN — exact figures vary by engine and trim.
Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov (engines, drivetrain, range, charge time). Horsepower & torque from NHTSA vPIC on VIN decode.
The Mustang by the numbers
What the federal and market records say about the Ford Mustang. Each line opens the full breakdown by year.
| Topic | Mustang | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Recalls | 240 campaigns | NHTSA, all years |
| Owner complaints | 8,566 filed | What breaks and when |
| Reliability | 4.0 / 5 | Best and worst years |
| Crash safety | ★★★★★ NHTSA | Frontal, side, rollover |
| Insurance | $1,590/yr | Estimated full coverage |
| Used value | 3,184 listings | What it sells for now |
Frequently asked questions
What kind of car is the Ford Mustang?
The Mustang is a compact car, built from 1981 to 2026 across 6 generations. Engines offered: 4-cyl, V6, V8, Electric.
Where is the Ford Mustang made?
Across 8,490 cars in our records the split is: the United States (100%). The first three characters of a VIN identify the plant's manufacturer and country — that is where these shares come from, not from a press release.
How many generations does the Mustang have?
6 by our measurements, the latest starting in 2005. We draw the boundaries where length or wheelbase jumps between model years — a facelift moves a bumper, a new generation moves the whole car. Over its life the Mustang grew 12 cm longer and gained 24 kg.
What is the Ford Mustang warranty?
New models carry 3 years / 36,000 miles basic cover and 5 years / 60,000 miles on the powertrain. Worth knowing: across our complaint records the typical car reaches the halfway point of its faults at five years, so most repairs land after the basic warranty ends.
Is the Mustang reliable?
It scores 4.0/5 in our data. The honest answer depends on the year far more than the model — see the best and worst years, and when this car starts to break.
How do I check a specific Mustang?
This page describes the model; it cannot tell you whether that car has an open recall or a branded title. Run its VIN against the records — free, and matched to the exact production run.
More in Ford
| Model | Years | Recalls | Best MPG | ForCar score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ford F-150 | 1981–2026 | 462 | 72 mpg | 4.0/5 |
| Ford Bronco | 1981–2026 | 146 | 27 mpg | 3.5/5 |
| Ford Explorer | 1991–2026 | 212 | 39 mpg | 4.0/5 |
| Ford Escape | 2001–2026 | 226 | 41 mpg | 4.5/5 |
| Ford Ranger | 1982–2026 | 278 | 58 mpg | 3.5/5 |
| Ford Maverick | 2022–2026 | 82 | 38 mpg | 4.0/5 |