2026 Ford Mustang EcoBoost Convertible Tested: One Redeeming Quality

The current EcoBoost Mustang droptop proves to be little more than a disappointment

written by Nick Yekikian
edited by Kathleen Clonts
7/19/2026
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What's new: The Ford Mustang's current lineup is vast and, as always, includes a topless version.
Why it matters: This EcoBoost Convertible is one of the only ways to get a drop-top from a mainstream automaker in 2026.
Edmunds says: But when we recently put this particular pony under our testing microscope, we came away less than impressed.

It's rare to get consensus among the Edmunds staff. Different people have different tastes, and what one of us doesn't enjoy about one car someone else might find perfectly acceptable — charming, even. But in the case of the 2026 Mustang EcoBoost Convertible we recently tested, everyone who drove it got out and said the same thing: This is not a good way to spend $51,905 of your hard-earned dollars.

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A very familiar formula

The recipe for a convertible 'Stang hasn't changed much in the last 60 years. It took the base Mustang and its very heavily boosted 2.3-liter four-cylinder engine (315 horsepower and 350 lb-ft of torque) and chopped most of the roof away. Mustangs that go sans-V8 do not offer the option of a manual transmission, so you're stuck with a 10-speed automatic.

Our test team was able to hustle the 3,844-pound 'Stang from 0 to 60 in 5.4 seconds and through the quarter mile in 13.8 seconds at 99.1 mph. Putting it in drag strip mode is the quickest way to get off the line, but most people won't bother with all that setup, and in the real world, this pony will take closer to 6 seconds to get to 60 mph. Sure, the engine makes plenty of grunt, but it's hampered by the near two-ton curb weight.

Its straight-line performance is muddied by infighting between the engine and that 10-speed auto. As you tip into the throttle from a stop, there's a shunt that makes it feel like the transmission is playing catch-up to the engine. Plus, there are about four gears too many, and those extra cogs get in the way of quicker, more decisive acceleration.

Add in this 10-speed's reluctance to upshift at a reasonable rpm at part throttle and its dim-witted nature when hunting for a downshift, and you get a powertrain that's nothing short of confused. There are no paddle shifters to manually influence what the transmission is doing either, so you won't be able to remedy its indecisive nature yourself.

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2026 Ford Mustang EcoBoost Convertible	Edmunds Test Results
Engine	turbocharged 2.3-liter four-cylinder
Horsepower	315 hp
Torque	350 lb-ft
Driveline	rear-wheel drive
Transmission	10-speed automatic
0-60 mph	5.4 seconds
Quarter mile	13.8 seconds @ 99.1 mph
60-0 mph braking	121 feet
Lateral grip (200-ft skidpad)	0.9 g
Weight	3,844 pounds
As-tested price	$51,905

Braking performance was a "that's fine" 121 feet. Bite from the pedal is direct and linear, but the number was hampered by low-performance all-season tires. Ford's choice of rubber also netted just 0.9 g on our skidpad. For context, a Mazda Miata RF we recently tested both stopped in a shorter distance (119 feet) and pulled a higher number on our skidpad (0.93 g) despite smaller brakes and narrower tires.

Sure, the Miata is 1,500 pounds lighter, but its performance advantages illustrate just how much the GT and Dark Horse versions of the current Mustang rely on uprated suspensions and much wider, stickier tires to deliver decent handling. The Mustang we have here has no such upgrades and fails to deliver any real performance.

Mustangs can be great, but this one ...

Our test team's notes are far from kind. "Thanks to somewhat slow, numb steering, this base Mustang shows no desire to be driven quickly, and the almost immediate understeer and howling tires confirm that suspicion. Despite its name and its pedigree, there's no fun to be had in this Mustang," said Kurt Niebuhr, our manager of vehicle testing.

Therein lies this Mustang's biggest problem. Never mind that it doesn't light up our test track with scintillating numbers — it just outright refuses to be any kind of fun. There's no grip, so you have no faith in the front end to push, the chassis has no inherent balance, and you can't coax it into a little drift because the engine and transmission are so lazy. Plus the whole thing bobbles, shakes and wallows about so consistently on the road, it also falls short of being an enjoyable cruiser.

The current Mustang's screen-heavy interior is fine, but at this price, most of the interior materials don't feel quite up to par. Squeaks and rattles abound due to the natural flex of a car that's had its roof cut off, and with the top up, you can peer through the roof lining and see the inner workings of the convertible top's skeleton.

Steven Ewing, our director of editorial content, summed up the whole thing like this: "0/10. Would not rent." Ouch.

This car's single, solitary redeeming quality is that the roof comes off, and it's the only car that isn't a Mini that offers four seats and a drop-top before you get to luxury automakers like BMW and Mercedes-Benz. If you want a convertible, buy a Miata and content yourself with what is a much more complete driving experience. Leave this purchase to the world's rental car companies.

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by Nick Yekikian

Nick Yekikian has worked in the automotive industry since 2019. He has written close to a thousand car-related articles and tested and reviewed more than 200 vehicles over the course of his career. Nick is the Senior News Editor at Edmunds and has also contributed to MotorTrend, Automobile Magazine and Super Street. When Nick isn't zipping around town in his latest used-car find, he's probably making digital art in Photoshop or playing disc golf with friends.

edited by Kathleen Clonts

Kathleen Clonts has worked in the automotive industry since 2014 and has copy-edited thousands of vehicle reviews and stories about cars and the auto industry in that time. Kathleen is the Edmunds editorial team's copy chief and previously worked as the senior copy editor for Automobile magazine.

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