2020 Ford Mustang EcoBoost High Performance Package Road Test and Review

2020 Ford Mustang HPP ・ Photo by Ford

It’s a bit of a mouthful, but the 2020 Ford Mustang EcoBoost High Performance Package is going to be everyone’s new favorite pony car. Sure, Ford has also launched the Shelby GT 500, packing an insane 760 horsepower, but that’s incredibly specialized. This High Performance Package (HPP) brings the thrill to potentially more people.

If anyone has wondered why Ford never made an RS version of the Mustang, the way it did with the Fiesta and Focus (superb cars, by the way), then this is kind of it. The engine is actually from the Focus RS, shifted through 90 degrees to enable rear-wheel drive. But we’re getting ahead of ourselves, which is easy to do with this car. Let’s take it step by glorious step.

Pricing

The coupe version of the 2020 Ford Mustang EcoBoost High Performance Package starts at $32,760; its convertible counterpart is priced from $38,260. Compare that with the entry-level 2020 Mustang, which begins at $28,410 for the coupe.

A more telling comparison, though, would be against the 2020 Chevrolet Camaro, the Mustang’s arch-rival. To get roughly the same power (330 hp or so) means buying a V6 version plus the track-worthy 1LE package. There’s an extra handling package for Mustang HPP coupes that brings the total up to $36,755, more than $3,000 pricier than the Chevy equivalent. But the Camaro's V6 also brings more weight into the front end, so drivers would lose out on one of the Mustang HPP’s particular pleasures.

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Equipment

Let’s start with an important aspect that doesn’t come from Ford. The tires, sized 255/40 on 19-inch alloy wheels at each corner (no staggered widths), are Pirelli P Zero. These are tried, tested, and trusted, appearing on many performance machines because of their grip and feel.

The High Performance Package also includes the ex-RS engine, a front strut tower brace (for extra rigidity), a limited-slip rear differential, an active exhaust system with four tailpipes, beefier-than-standard anti-roll bars, larger (than the base Mustang) brake discs with 4-piston calipers up front, plus various aerodynamic and suspension changes. Every 2020 Mustang also gains FordPass Connect, where owners can lock/unlock and locate their parked car with their smartphone.

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Options

The big option is the Handling package for coupe (also referred to as Fastback) versions. This brings wider 265/40 Pirelli P Zero tires, Ford’s MagneRide adaptive suspension, a torque-sensing (Torsen) limited-slip differential, stiffer springs, and an even beefier rear anti-roll bar. We’d recommend choosing this option if the finances allow. After all, there’s little point in going for a high-performance version and not making the most of it.

Buyers of either the coupe or the convertible model may choose a 10-speed automatic transmission over the standard-issue six-speed manual and Recaro sport front seats. Infotainment options include the Sync 3 system with Apple CarPlay/Android Auto smartphone integration, while voice control and navigation are also available.

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Engine and Transmissions

Just because the base Mustang has a similarly turbocharged 2.3-liter four-cylinder engine as the HPP, don’t think that this is merely an exercise in tweaking. Some of the internals, such as the cylinder head, are upgraded and the twin-scroll turbocharger is larger. The engine is also cooled by a bigger radiator.

The crucial numbers are impressive for a production four-cylinder engine: 332 hp and 350 lb-ft of torque. What’s also sweet is that the powerband is nice and wide, with most of that muscle being easily accessible between 2,500 and 5,300 rpm. As mentioned, the standard transmission is a six-speed manual from the Getrag company (there’s no rev-matching feature, though), while an in-house 10-speed automatic is on the options list.

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Performance

The 2020 Ford Mustang EcoBoost High Performance Package, as its name suggests, adds some welcome muscle to the entry-level Mustang. We don’t have any official standstill-to-60 mph times, but the seat of our pants tells us that the 2020 Mustang HPP is wonderfully quick.

Find a twisting mountain road and there’s more than enough speed to get the adrenaline going — and the idea of emailing Ford to thank the company for fitting bigger brakes is never far away. Think about this: The Mustang HPP’s four-cylinder engine makes the kind of power that V8 engines could barely manage only a handful of years ago. And having more cylinders under the hood adds weight, which is the enemy of performance and fuel efficiency.

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Ride and Handling

This is the perfect complement to the horsepower. We’ve already touched on the Mustang HPP’s excellent weight balance, which is 53/47 front to rear. The result is a front end that doesn’t just transition easily from left to right and back again, it positively flows through corners.

It really takes some pushing by the driver to induce any understeer (where the front tires gradually give up their grip). Steering feel — a rare virtue since electrical assistance became the norm — is readily perceptible, and it will relay what the nose is doing. Several factors contribute to this special setup. The lighter engine, strut tower brace, and Pirelli tires, for example. Yet the Mustang HPP also has a ride quality that’s forgiving and bearable for the usual commute.

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Drive Modes

One button in the center console scrolls among the driving modes that will change the responses of the throttle, steering (extra weight in the sportier setting), transmission shift points in the automatic, suspension reactions of the optional MagneRide setup, and how much leeway the traction/stability control systems will allow before kicking in.

Annoyingly, the button works in one direction only. So to get back to, say, Sport mode, entails having to click through other presets like Drag and Track. We’d imagine the majority of drivers will want to click between Normal and Sport in the most common circumstances. This is one thing that needs improving.

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Exterior Design

The 2020 Ford Mustang EcoBoost High Performance Package isn’t only about the stuff under the skin. The car comes with a special sculpted hood design that includes a pair of vents. The front lip is also more pronounced, interesting, and aerodynamically effective than the one on the base ’Stang, while the grille badge is moved off to one side rather than kept in the center. The grille itself is blacked out.

There are some model-specific badges on the side, black-painted alloy wheels, and an understated rear spoiler. The Mustang HPP is also offered in some interesting colors like Grabber Lime and Twister Orange.

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Interior Design

Given the joyous cornering abilities of the 2020 Mustang HPP, the optional Recaro seats are a good call. They have more side support than the stock items, but they are still comfortable enough for most people.

The driver’s instrument panel has a turned-aluminum finish, and houses gauges for the turbo boost and oil pressure. The dashboard bears a silver plaque just to the right of the center console. Otherwise, the High Performance Package doesn’t really encroach upon the regular Mustang’s cabin that much. But it’s always a thrill to press the Engine Start button.

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Final Thoughts

Don’t labor under the impression that it’s not the purists’ thing to choose the automatic transmission with the 2020 Ford Mustang EcoBoost High Performance Package.

Some stick-shift diehards will blab on about ultimate driver involvement and control, but this isn’t the slickest-acting gearbox. Chances are that several hundred changes in the course of a year’s driving would loosen it up. But when it’s new, it’s a bit notchy. The automatic, however, is remarkable for having 10 forward ratios as well as being ultra-smooth. Left in D, or using the shift paddles below the steering wheel, it’s always a pleasure to have on board. Get a more powerful Mustang if you want. But this model is a well-rounded package with serious driver appeal.

Photo by Ford