2017 Ford Mustang GT Performance Package $26,990

Available in a wide variety of models and backed by 52 years of heritage, it's easy to understand the 2017 Ford Mustang's appeal. But make no mistake in thinking this is a bare-bones muscle car of yore. The Mustang has evolved quite a bit over the years, and this newest generation, which debuted two years ago, can give even European luxury cars a run for their money. Of course, a key component of the Mustang's appeal is what you get under the hood. We think the Mustang GT's V8 is the way to go given its impressive smoothness and 435 ponies. But even if you stick with the more affordable V6 or the turbocharged four-cylinder, the Mustang delivers respectable power and fuel economy. Inside, the cabin is nicely trimmed, and you can get the Mustang with Ford's latest Sync 3 touchscreen interface (introduced last year), which is a big improvement over the prior MyFord Touch system. It says a lot that you might even consider cross-shopping a Mustang with a BMW. But in the last few years, the bar has been raised for muscle cars and coupes alike, and the Mustang definitely clears that bar with ease. The 2017 Ford Mustang's technological advancements, excellent engines and fun factor all keep it at the front of the coupe/convertible class. Whether you're new to Mustangs and muscle cars altogether or you're a seasoned veteran, this pony car is worth a look. Standard safety features for the 2017 Ford Mustang include antilock disc brakes, traction and stability control, a rearview camera, front-seat side airbags, side curtain airbags (coupe only) and driver and front passenger knee airbags. Also standard are Ford's MyKey parental controls and (for manual-transmission models) hill-start assist. Optional on EcoBoost Premium and GT Premium are adaptive cruise control with forward collision alert and a blind-spot warning system with rear cross-traffic alert. In Edmunds brake testing, both a Mustang EcoBoost and a Mustang GT (both equipped with the optional Performance package) stopped from 60 mph in 108 feet. That's better than average for this segment. Depending on equipment, stopping distances for the Mustang can vary. A GT without the optional Performance package, but with standard all-season tires, came to a stop in 118 feet from 60 mph, while an EcoBoost convertible with summer performance tires did it in an impressively short 104 feet. In government crash tests, the Mustang coupe earned a five-star rating (out of a possible five) for overall crash protection, with five stars for total front-impact protection and five stars for total side-impact protection. The independent Insurance Institute for Highway Safety gave the Mustang coupe its top rating of "Good" in the moderate-overlap front-impact crash test and a second-best "Acceptable" rating for the small-overlap front-impact test. In the remaining, side-impact, roof strength and seat and head restraint design tests, the Mustang earned a "Good" rating.