Ford's latest GT delivers everything you'd want from a V8 sports car, a 5.0L Coyote that howls, handling sharp enough to embarrass the Camaro, and a cabin you can actually live with daily. The problem is the sticker shock: a base GT that cost $33k in 2021 now starts at $50k, and the Dark Horse pushes $70k-$80k, which is GT350 territory from just a few years ago. The car itself hasn't gotten worse, it's objectively better, but Ford has priced it out of reach for the young enthusiasts and budget-conscious buyers who made the Mustang a cultural icon. If you can afford it or find a deal, you're getting a legitimately great sports car. If you're shopping on the budget this nameplate used to own, you'll be cross-shopping used Corvettes and wondering what happened to affordable V8 thrills.
You'll grin at 35 mph on a twisty backroad in this thing, which tells you everything about what it is and isn't. The current ND generation nails the formula: more power than the original NA, better build quality than the unloved NC, and still light enough that momentum beats horsepower every time. The ND2 (2019+) brought a higher redline and sharper throttle response, though owners still wish Mazda would just turbocharge it already. But here's the deal, it's loud on the highway, the trunk fits two soft bags if you're optimistic, and rough pavement will rattle your fillings loose. Buy it as a second car or weekend toy and you'll love every mile. Try to make it your only vehicle and you'll spend six months explaining why you can't help anyone move.