One among my best triumphs as baggage check czar has been managing to suit all six baggage into the trunk of a Ford Mustang coupe. Doing so got here with a reasonably large asterisk (the baggage had been extra squished than I’d normally permit, nevertheless it was a Mustang, not a CR-V, so who actually cares?) and fairly a number of nicks to my poor arms (the baggage weren’t the one issues smashed now and again), however I used to be so shut to creating it occur that I simply needed to bend the foundations (and my digits) to get’er carried out. A badge of honor, if you’ll, for each the Mustang and your not-especially-humble baggage tester extraordinaire.
There may be now a brand new Mustang, nevertheless, so it is time to see if I can repeat the feat. Instantly, the spec sheet would point out I used to be going to have an excellent more durable time of it. The Mustang Coupe’s trunk has shrunk to 13.3 cubic-feet versus 13.5. Usually, I might say “who cares,” however might I remind you of all that bag and finger squishing final time? Both means, a 13.3-cubic-foot trunk remains to be superb for a coupe. That is larger than fairly a number of sedans, particularly within the luxurious realm, and the final Mustang drove that time house — the BMW 3 Collection sedans, Polestar 2, the Cadillac CT4 and CT5, Hyundai Ioniq 6 and Alfa Romeo Giulia all did worse than the final Mustang. Let’s examine how the brand new one does!
Right here is the trunk. It is price declaring right here that regardless of the big quantity, the opening is sort of small and unusually formed. This can be a large motive for all that finger squishing.
Nicely, that is all there may be to say about that, let’s get to the baggage. As with each Baggage Check, I take advantage of two midsize curler suitcases that may should be checked in on the airport (26 inches lengthy, 16 broad, 11 deep), two roll-aboard suitcases that simply barely match within the overhead (24L x 15W x 10D), and one smaller roll-aboard that matches simply (23L x 15W x 10D). I additionally embody my spouse’s fancy in a single day bag simply to spruce issues up a bit (21L x 12W x 12D).
Now, due to the final Mustang’s success within the check, but additionally due to (once more) all that finger squishing, I figured I might make issues simpler for myself and try the identical Tetris formation that labored final time. The brand new Mustang is, in spite of everything, an evolution of the earlier era relatively than a from-scratch creation. Then once more, it did lose two-tenths of a cubic foot.
Fail.
Clearly the trunks are completely different. The primary wrongdoer is that the brand new one comes inward extra from the taillights (discover there’s extra space between taillight and opening).
This isn’t the tip, nevertheless. Simply because the baggage will not slot in the identical formation as final time does not imply they are not going to suit. It simply means my arms are in for an additional exercise.
Earlier than we transfer on …
The Mustang has cavities on each side of the trunk that help in luggage-stuffing. The one on the best facet is extra helpful, and though the last-generation Mustang I examined had the same cavity, it was full of a subwoofer in my Mach 1 check automotive. This 2024 Mustang GT does not have a kind of. In a means, I believe meaning THIS Mustang really has extra cargo quantity than THAT Mustang despite the fact that the 2024 Mustang normally has much less cargo quantity than the 2015-2023 Ford Mustang normally.
OK, transferring on …
Tada! It may be carried out! It may be carried out! Ish.
It took fairly a number of makes an attempt, identical to earlier than, and I used to be all set to surrender once I moved this bag right here and that bag there, and all of it clicked. This takes benefit of the cavity on the best, and permits for all the baggage to suit. BARELY.
The flamboyant bag appears probably the most squished, however very like within the final Mustang check, it is actually simply the flamboyant bits up high which might be squished. It might be packed simply wonderful and match. The remainder of the baggage, nevertheless …
Mainly, all the baggage had been squished to the purpose that they actually could not be packed full and nonetheless match. As such, all six baggage do not actually match. If this was a automotive or SUV in a mass-market, consumer-oriented phase, there is not any means I might do that. Nevertheless it’s a Mustang, so once more, who cares?
Additionally, if there have been simply an additional inch in each path — hell, an additional centimeter — there’d be no downside in any respect. They actually would all match. It is simply that shut. If I did not attempt to match all of it in, and as a substitute left a bag out, there’d be a bunch of additional house remaining.
As such, I nonetheless suppose that is spectacular. And an incredible feat for the Mustang and this baggage tester. Huzzah.