2026 Ford Mustang RTR First Drive Review: Three Pedals Away From Greatness

• What's new: The RTR is an enthusiast-focused take on the base four-cylinder EcoBoost Mustang, with a focus on driving fun.
• Why it matters: It adorns the least expensive Mustang with extras that make it a better performance car and turn it into a drifting-focused sports car.
• Edmunds says: While the RTR is one of the most engaging Mustangs to drive, its lack of a manual transmission and high price point hold it back. 

What you end up with is a car that feels decently quick, rides beautifully, stops well, but above all else, is fun and engaging to drive. To be clear, I'm not saying it's morphed into a featherweight Subaru BRZ competitor. While Ford hasn't published official weight figures for the RTR, the last EcoBoost we tested weighed 3,626 pounds. It's hefty, even by modern standards, but it's 364 pounds lighter than the last auto-equipped GT we had at our test track, which weighed a whopping 3,990 pounds.

Embrace the RTR spirit

At the track, I'm treated to a few laps of Thunderhill's smaller 2-mile West configuration. However, laps is being quite generous as we're instructed to come back into the pits and cruise through at the end of each of them. While I'm sure the RTR would've had no issues holding up to a track session on that relatively cool day, it's not a part of this car's persona I get to experience. 

The real fun begins on a dedicated drift course. Here, the surprising depth of the RTR's drift persona became apparent. Diving into the course, I pull the drift brake and the rear wheels instantly lock up, initiating the slide. It takes me a few tries to hold it and transition onto the other bends that make up the course, but eventually I get most of the way through. 

The increased steering angle immediately stands out, allowing you to hold a far greater angle while sideways, as does the anti-lag system, which makes the powertrain feel significantly more responsive. Curiously, this is also the only EcoBoost Mustang to receive paddle shifters, but the means I can lock the car into whichever gear I want — something that just can't happen in any other EcoBoost S650.

It's a tremendous amount of fun, and as a car geared toward younger enthusiasts, it shines as a learning tool. The Mustang RTR is deeply likable, and it wears its RTR-ness proudly. Up front, you get the tuner's well-known LED daytime running lights, RTR badges, and a decal package with Hyper Lime green accents. This is also the only EcoBoost Mustang to adopt the GT's front fascia, pairing it with 19-inch wheels and a rear wing. 

The RTR is great, until it's not

I will always champion a new enthusiast-focused car that aims to serve younger buyers at a more affordable price point. However, there's a major missing piece that holds this car back: a manual transmission. Three pedals would've pushed this car into true greatness. It's not that all performance cars need to be manuals, but Ford's 10-speed automatic is so deeply flawed, so slow, so inconsistent with shift timing, and frustrating when you try to manage it yourself with those paddles, that it will be a deal-breaker for many.

The next issue is price. Equipped with the $6,520 RTR package, this Mustang starts at $44,860. Looking at competitors with similar performance, that's a little more than the $41,815 Toyota GR Corolla's base price but less than the $48,690 Honda Civic Type R or the $50,730 Volkswagen Golf R. The RTR I'm in, for example, packs $17,510 worth of optional extras, bringing its as-tested price to $55,850, including a hefty $1,995 destination fee. 

A quick note on destination fees. In recent times, these have become quiet places for manufacturers to hide price increases. Consider that this built-in-Michigan Mustang charges $1,995, while the Mazda MX-5 Miata I bought earlier this year set me back $1,235, even after it had to hop on a boat and cross the Pacific from Japan.

The mental gymnastics I'd need to do in order to be happy with a $55,850 Mustang that packs neither Ford's sonorous V8 nor a manual transmission would be significant. But barring ignoring the RTR entirely in favor of the V8, I'd option the $1,750 MagneRide suspension, the $1,160 B&O upgraded sound system, and the $1,995 Recaro bucket seats. This allows you to just scrape by under the $50,000 mark at $49,765, but you get a track-capable car, loaded with the best suspension setup available, and bucket seats, highlighting the RTR's core strengths. 

The bottom line

We can't complain about there not being enough options while also not buying them when they exist. It's why I've bought both a Subaru BRZ and the aforementioned Miata. These are the kinds of cars I'd like to see stick around. 

While I'm doubtful that the appetite for a four-cylinder auto-only Mustang is plentiful, the RTR is nonetheless fun to drive, good-looking, and if you're interested in drifting, the only option you have at this performance plateau. So would I have it over a Honda Civic Type R or a base Mustang GT with a manual and a V8 under the hood? After my time with the RTR, I'm not so sure.