2024 Ford Mustang Dark Horse Review and Test Drive
This machine is a bold reminder of how much joy can come from a raucous, V8-powered pony car.
Once upon a time, General Motors' marketing department tugged at consumers' heartstrings with a patriotic "baseball, hot dogs, apple pie, and Chevrolet" advertising campaign. I'm not disagreeing with the sentiment, but if we're talking about cars that best represent Americana, you've got to include the Ford Mustang.
Ford has produced the Mustang continuously for more than 60 years, and it's currently the only passenger car left in the automaker's lineup. Everything else Ford sells is an SUV, truck, or van. Not only that, but the Mustang has also officially outlasted its two main rivals, the Dodge Challenger and Chevrolet Camaro, as both are out of production.
Ford offers the 2024 Mustang as a fastback coupe or a convertible in EcoBoost, GT, and Dark Horse trim. The EcoBoost and GT are available in both body styles, but the Dark Horse is coupe only. Base prices range from the low $30,000s to the low $70,000s, including the destination charge to ship it from the Flat Rock, Michigan, assembly plant to your dealership.
The seventh-generation Mustang arrived for the 2024 model year, and shortly after its debut, a review was published on the Mustang EcoBoost. This time, I reviewed the most potent version of the car, the 2024 Mustang Dark Horse.
Perry Stern
The Dark Horse Stands Out From the Crowd
The new Mustang has a powerful look in any guise, but with no more than a glance at the Dark Horse, you know it's something special.
This high-performance machine stands out with a unique painted grille that gives the car a wide stance. The accent stripes and vents on the hood are a great touch, and appropriately, the pony emblem in the grille is painted black. The Dark Horse also gets a large rear spoiler and 19-inch dark aluminum wheels with a tarnished finish. It's enough to get your heart pumping — and that's before you fire up the V8 engine.
My test vehicle upped the ante with the available Dark Horse Appearance package, which adds a different hood graphic, a black painted roof, and Notorious Blue brake calipers. I think the blue calipers alone make this option worthwhile and add a nice pop to the design.
Perry Stern
The high-performance styling continues in the cabin, making it clear that this Mustang is special.
In addition to the large magnesium-framed curved glass display that gives the Mustang a modern look, the Dark Horse is available with Recaro sport seats with simulated suede trim as well as aluminum pedals, a flat-bottomed steering wheel, and a Dark Horse badge on the dashboard inscribed with the vehicle's chassis number. But it's the gorgeous titanium anodized-blue transmission shift knob that completes the look.
The Dark Horse may have one of the most advanced interiors in a Mustang, but Ford hasn't forgotten this car's lineage. As a nod to that history, the 12.4-inch digital gauge cluster is configurable with various themes. Drivers can select renditions of gauges from 1967 or '68 Mustangs, along with models spanning from 1987 to '93.
In my opinion, driving the Dark Horse with one of those gauge themes is super cool. But this version of the Mustang is much more than aggressive exterior styling and a high-tech, sporting interior. Ford has added the power and performance parts to ensure it deserves its place at the top of the Mustang lineup.
Perry Stern
The Dark Horse Gets More Power and Better Performance
The 5.0-liter V8 engine has served as the heart of many high-powered Mustangs through the years. Under the hood of this muscular Mustang is a fourth-generation Coyote 5.0-liter V8 that delivers 500 horsepower and 418 pound-feet of torque, making the Dark Horse the most powerful non-Shelby Mustang ever. While a 10-speed automatic transmission is available, my tester was — fortunately — equipped with a six-speed manual gearbox.
In addition to its Coyote V8, the Dark Horse gets performance upgrades to ensure it can take advantage of the power. These include a limited-slip rear differential, an active valve performance exhaust, a MagneRide adaptive damping system, and Pirelli P-Zero high-performance tires. The Dark Horse also boasts impressive stopping power from Brembo brakes.
Ford has not released acceleration-time estimates for the Dark Horse. However, automotive enthusiast magazine Motor Trend believes this version of the Mustang will accelerate to 60 mph in 4.1 seconds with the manual transmission. The automatic is considerably quicker, performing the same task in just 3.7 seconds — but I still prefer rowing my own gears.
Perry Stern
The Dark Horse Isn't a Show Pony, It's a Proper Performance Car
For this review, Ford provided me with a 2024 Ford Mustang Dark Horse Premium equipped with the Dark Horse Appearance package, Dark Horse Handling package, Recaro seats, and extra-cost Blue Ember Metallic paint. The manufacturer's suggested retail price was $73,005, including the $1,595 destination charge. I reviewed the Mustang Dark Horse in southeastern Michigan.
Seeing this car for the first time got my blood pumping, but climbing into those stylish Recaro seats and hitting the start button really raised my excitement level. I found the V8's roar intoxicating, and throughout my time in the Dark Horse, I just wanted to rev the engine to get more of that throaty, spine-tingling exhaust note.
Several new models today pipe exhaust sounds into the cabin (and sometimes they are artificially generated sounds), but that's not the case with the Mustang Dark Horse. The rumbles and roars make it into the cabin naturally.
Driving through my town, I found that while the Dark Horse is a beast, it can be pretty civilized. Sure, it still sounds angry, but I found the gas pedal easy to manage and that the clutch engages smoothly and predictably.
As I left the town of Dexter and headed to my favorite back roads, the Mustang came alive as if it were happy to stretch its legs. Full throttle acceleration shoves you back into the seat, and when the engine revs climb past 4,000 rpm, that V8 roar becomes more ferocious. Approaching a tight corner, I downshifted, and the rev-matching system automatically blipped the throttle for a perfect gear change.
Perry Stern
The combination of strong acceleration, rowdy exhaust note, and rowing the short-throw shifter through the gears makes driving the Mustang Dark Horse a visceral experience. I found myself slowing down just so I could experience the acceleration again. Of course, there are plenty of quicker vehicles, including the electric Mustang Mach-E, but the Dark Horse is just as much about the joy of driving as it is about going fast.
As it tips the scales at more than 4,000 pounds, the Dark Horse is less agile than traditional sports cars such as the BMW Z4 and Porsche 911. The Mustang's mass is noticeable when pushing it through the corners, but with the adaptive sport suspension, quick steering response, and high-performance tires, I think it handles itself well.
Returning to civilization, I hopped on Interstate 94 for the drive toward Ann Arbor, Michigan. Accelerating down the entrance ramp never gets old, and I had to lift off the gas quickly because speed gathers so fast.
Once on the freeway, the Mustang settled in at 70 mph, and I set the adaptive cruise control for the return trip home. All Mustangs come standard with the Ford Co-Pilot360 collection of advanced driver-assistance systems. However, Mustangs with a manual gearbox do not get the adaptive cruise control's stop-and-go functionality.
I found the Dark Horse's highway ride to be surprisingly smooth with minimal road noise, and the Recaro seats provide excellent support and comfort on longer drives. That said, long drives might prove expensive; this car isn't fuel efficient. According to the EPA, the Dark Horse earns an estimated 14/22/17 mpg rating in city/highway/combined driving. With my constant need for acceleration — likely a common affliction for someone who buys a Dark Horse — the trip computer indicated just 13.4 mpg.
Perry Stern
The Dark Horse Mustang Is a Member of a Dying Breed
The Ford Mustang holds a special place in U.S. automotive history. This iconic car has stayed true to its roots for nearly all of its 60 years — sad Pinto-based version in the mid-1970s excepted — and it still delivers the excitement and delight you expect from an American muscle car.
Unfortunately, traditional American muscle cars with V8 engines are a dying breed. Chevrolet will discontinue the current Camaro at the end of the 2024 model year, and the nameplate's future is unknown. Dodge has introduced an electric replacement for the Charger, but the Challenger is no longer in production.
Fortunately, Ford has no plans to kill off the V8-powered Mustang, so old-school enthusiasts should rejoice.
Ford provided the vehicle for this 2024 Mustang Dark Horse review.
Written by humans.
Edited by humans.
Perry SternI have loved cars and trucks since childhood, and that fascination with anything that drives is just as strong today. As a teenager, I knew I wanted to become an automotive journalist, and during the past three decades, I have driven, written about, and photographed all manner of automobiles ranging from affordable econocars to exotic supercars. With the idea that there is a perfect car, truck, or SUV for everyone, my goal is to help consumers determine the right one for their wants and needs.
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