Is the 2020 Ford Mustang EcoBoost 2.3L HPP Finally a Legitimate Muscle Car?
Ford has spent the past five years completely reshaping the entry-level image of its most popular performance car. In that short space of time the Ford Mustang has retired its very capable V6 in favor of the brand's turbocharged four-cylinder EcoBoost motor.
Although FoMoCo briefly offered Mustang owners three drivetrain options (with the V6 positioned as the affordable motor, the EcoBoost as an upgrade, and the GT's 5.0 at the apex), the turbo four eventually replaced the V6 completely, leaving the Chevrolet Camaro as the only muscle car to still provide the choice of four, six, or eight cylinders under the hood.
That strategy has been expanded for the 2020 model year with the introduction of the 2.3L High Performance Package for EcoBoost-powered Mustangs. More than just a few go-fast goodies slapped onto the existing turbo four, the High Performance Package actually installs a completely different engine between the front fenders, making it the quickest pony in the fleet not sporting a traditional V8.
Featuring respectable power and a healthy dose of chassis tuning to go with it, it's tempting to view the HPP as a less expensive alternative to the Mustang GT. Does the 2.3L High Performance Package edition of the 2020 Ford Mustang address the less-than-sparkling aspects of the original EcoBoost car, or is it still worth saving up for the 5.0? I spent a week behind the wheel to find out.
