2024 Ford Mustang Convertible Review and Test Drive

This pony car offers cheap-ish open-air fun in a comfortable, muscular package.

Benjamin Hunting | 

Nov 20, 2024 | 6 min read

Benjamin Hunting

With the Chevrolet Camaro convertible out of production, the 2024 Ford Mustang Convertible is now one of the least expensive four-passenger droptops on the market. However, don't expect a thunderous V8 exhaust note at the entry-level price.

The 2024 Mustang Convertible comes in EcoBoost, EcoBoost Premium, GT, and GT Premium trim levels, and base prices range from the low $40,000s to the mid-$50,000s, including the destination charge to ship the car from the Flat Rock, Michigan, factory that builds it to your local dealership.

For V8 power, you'll want one of the GT models, but Ford provided me with the EcoBoost Premium trim level with the standard 315-horsepower turbocharged four-cylinder under the hood. I tested the car in Montreal, Quebec, and on the roads of the Appalachian Mountains east of the city.

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Optional equipment highlights included navigation, a Bang & Olufsen premium sound system, and the Ford Co-Pilot360 suite of driver-assistance features. The test car also had the 2.3L High-Performance Package, which installs 19-inch wheels with summer performance tires, a more aggressive rear axle gear ratio with a limited-slip differential, and bigger brakes.

Add a MagneRide adjustable suspension and an active exhaust system, and the manufacturer's suggested retail price was $55,970, including the $1,595 destination charge.

Is the Ford Mustang Convertible a Good Car?

If you can resist ticking too many boxes on the option sheet, the Mustang Convertible delivers relatively inexpensive top-down fun while being a surprisingly comfortable daily driver. Enthusiasts will note there's also a robust aftermarket of performance equipment available.

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With the Camaro canceled, the Mazda MX-5 Miata lacking a back seat, and the Mini Cooper Convertible's rear quarters more suitable for extra storage than people, the Mustang Convertible's affordability truly stands out. You'd have to opt for a basic Ford Bronco or Jeep Wrangler to take a gaggle of friends on a topless drive for less money.

What's Different About the Ford Mustang Convertible

Chopping the roof off the Ford Mustang Coupe dramatically changes the muscle car's personality. With the wind blowing your hair back, the driving experience is decidedly more visceral.

Convertibles are primarily weekend toys or fair-weather road-trip companions. As such, open-air cars are typically available as luxury or performance vehicles at relatively high prices. The Mustang Convertible has long bucked this trend, and it's a welcome survivor in a war of attrition that has thinned the herd of droptops with a starting price of less than $50,000.

Best of all, aside from a slightly smaller trunk, Ford doesn't ask convertible buyers to give up much of what makes the Mustang Coupe so appealing, with only its most powerful GT Dark Horse drivetrain unavailable in this body style.

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The Mustang Convertible's Top Is Easy to Drop

Lowering the roof in the Ford Mustang Convertible is simple. Just reach up to where the fabric top meets the windshield, pull down the handle, twist it to release the lock, and then push the power retract button for about 15 seconds. The windows drop simultaneously, leaving you with a completely open cabin that, in my case, let in both the autumn sun and an endless parade of falling leaves.

Putting the top up is the reverse process, with a tug required to latch and lock the twisting handle at the end. It's also worth noting that the windows don't automatically raise themselves after the top is secured, which means in a sudden rainstorm you'll need to be quick to manually seal the cabin.

Another hiccup is that unexpected precipitation will require drivers to essentially stop before the roof can be raised. Unlike some other convertibles, Ford requires the vehicle to be traveling at less than 3 mph for the top to operate, which I found frustrating.

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Driving with the top down is remarkably free from buffeting, giving the driver and front passenger a sensation of calm instead of the expected turbulence. There's no pop-up windscreen to futz with at the back of the Mustang, either, which helps maximize available passenger room.

Keep in mind that rear passengers experience more atmospheric insults than those sitting in the front, particularly regarding wrap-around winds poking into the cabin. Also, while the Mustang is the most spacious four-seater in its class, I found the accommodations are still tight for adults in the back, which means fully laden trips will likely be short.

Those rear seats also get claustrophobic with the top raised, but the Mustang Convertible is surprisingly pleasant for front-seat riders when it's too wet — or, in my case, too chilly — to drive with the roof down. Ford's top provides a remarkably quiet ride, even at highway speeds. Given my experience with past Mustang models, that came as a nice surprise.

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You Might Get Fed Up With the Mustang's Spicy Exhaust

Topless driving amplifies the sound around you, and with the EcoBoost engine, I think that's a bit of a drawback. Although it sounds menacing at startup, the active exhaust installed on my test car couldn't sweeten the droning and unpleasant note of the four-cylinder at speed. Fortunately, there's an available mute function to help placate your ears.

I'm also not a big fan of the car's 10-speed automatic, which is the sole transmission available with the EcoBoost engine. If you're looking for a stick, you'll have to jump up to the GT. Although the turbo-four is quite good, the transmission is quick to find the highest possible gear and lug there. Even in Sport mode, it took a beat to respond to acceleration requests, and this characteristic only enhances the booming of the exhaust.

To resolve that, I tried driving with the Mustang in Track mode. In that setting, the transmission shifts on a near constant basis, even when traveling in a straight line, which is distracting and a little disconcerting. As a racer, I wouldn't be comfortable using the car's Track mode on a track.

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Despite the EcoBoost engine's uncouth exhaust note, the redesigned Ford Mustang Convertible is a compelling choice for buyers unwilling to stretch their budgets into luxury car territory.

With enough power to be quick and available performance gear to maximize handling, the Mustang EcoBoost is more engaging to drive than you might expect. More importantly, it's a fun, stylish, and comfortable cruiser perfect for summer days or admiring fall foliage.

Benjamin Hunting

Benjamin Hunting is a writer and podcast host who contributes to a number of newspapers, automotive magazines, and online publications. More than a decade into his career, he enjoys keeping the shiny side up during track days and always has one too many classic vehicle projects partially disassembled in his garage at any given time. Remember, if it's not leaking, it's probably empty.