Mustang sales are down 30% – what happened?

I love the Mustang. The proletariat-friendly pony car has brought European-style performance to the masses for over 60 years and has been a consistent best-seller because of it.

So why have sales plunged 30% year over year? Well, the 2025 model year saw a steep $3,700 (~13%) price hike over previous years, meaning you can’t get a base 4-cylinder for under $33,000. Its more practical electric sibling, the Mach-E, has also lured many buyers away, offering similar performance in crossover form.

But hopefully Ford’s discounts will lure buyers back – especially since the Mustang is one of our last remaining manuals.

– Chris Butsch, The Arizona 100