Is there anything out there that’s actually better than the Ford Mustang Ecoboost for under $36k?
The four-cylinder Ford Mustang might sound sacrilegious but a closer look reveals that it’s in a small class. In fact, it might be in a class of one when compared to rivals that balance performance and price. If it’s not the best then which non-American alternative is better?
Take a quick poll of two-door turbocharged sports cars from around the world that start under $35,000 and you’ll find that the list is short. There are a few that check two of those boxes but most give up either the boost, the dedicated two-door configuration, or the low pricing.
For example, the Subaru BRZ and Toyota GR86 each offer two-door sports-sar experiences for about the same price but neither offers turbocharging. The Toyota GR Corolla is turbocharged and only recently available at a similar price but is a four-door hatchback. The Nissan Z is a two-door turbocharged sports car but good luck finding one under $40,000.
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Truthfully, the turbocharger isn’t really the main goal here anyway. What we’re after is the best driving experience and so it’s possible that the Toyobaru twins could win as the EcoBoost isn’t available with a stick. For that matter, the Mazda MX-5 Miata is likely always in the running here.
Despite that, there are some major upsides to the Ford over the MX-5, GR86, and the BRZ. Sure, it’s not as nimble as those cars but consider the benefits. It’s more spacious, it has more cargo room too, and thanks to the turbo, it’s easy to pull more power out of it should you want to. If there’s anything that might be right on the edge it’s the BMW 230i Coupe. Sure, it starts at $38k so you’d need to stick with the base model and yes, it has just 255 hp (190 kW), but it’s undeniably nicer inside than in the Ford.
Are there other cars in the running that you think are a better buy for Mustang EcoBoost money or less? Let us know what they are in the comment section below. Don’t forget to vote for your favorites as we might follow this post up with your answers.
