Review: 2013 Ford Mustang GT Premium

What subcompact car has 420 horsepower, a 5.0-liter V-8 engine, is rear wheel drive, and sprints from 0-60 MPH in 4.3 seconds (according to Motor Trend)? The answer is the 2013 Ford Mustang GT. And yes, the Ford Mustang is technically a subcompact vehicle. See, the EPA, the government agency that assigns vehicle classes to cars, uses interior volume as the variable to classify cars sold on the U.S. market. Therefore, with 83 cubic feet of interior space, the Mustang falls into subcompact car territory. And let me tell you: This is one fast, fun beast of a subcompact car. In fact, it’s a hell of a vehicle no matter what you want to classify it as. 

In the driveway: 2013 Ford Mustang GT Premium

I can hear it now and have already heard about it on my Facebook page: The Mustang is not a subcompact car. Well, you'd technically be wrong. The EPA classifies this as a subcompact car. Don't believe me? Check out FuelEconomy.gov. As we've reported previously, the lines are blurry and odd when it comes to some vehicle classifications since they're classified by interior volume not exterior dimensions. For instance the rather large Dodge Challenger is officially labeled a compact, while the somewhat diminutive Chevrolet Sonic is technically a mid-size car. Frankly, this mustang above is one hell of a fast subcompact.

So I have this 420 horsepower Grabber Blue Ford Mustang GT "subcompact" for review this week. It's got gobs of power, tons of torque, and is a hootin' hollerin' good time. I've been a Mustang fan for a long time, and even though our test model comes with the six-speed automatic, it's crazy fun. I get a smile on my face every time I start it and that 302 cubic inch V-8 fires up. It's intoxicating. 

While it may not be what most of us would consider to be a subcompact, it's undeniably fun and very powerful. We'll get into the nuts and bolts of it in the review, so stay tuned.