Can Today’s Ford Mustang Still Be Called A ‘Pony Car?’

There are plenty of folks left in America who continue, even in the twenty-first century, to refer to the Ford Mustang as a “pony car.” We use the term to describe the car quite frequently, as a matter of fact.

But of course, “pony car” is very regional and quite antiquated as a designation, whose precise definition – and potential overlap with the “muscle car” – differs slightly depending on whom you ask. In Europe, the Ford Mustang is mostly considered a “sports coupe,” although there are those who will refer to it as a “muscle car,” as misapplied as we feel the label is in this case.

Thus, there’s room for debate about what to call Ford’s sporty two-door from 1964, and whatever term might have been most appropriate back then, we can’t forget just how much the Mustang has changed over the last 50+ years. A far cry from the Falcon-based compact with a live rear axle that launched all those years ago, today’s Mustang shares its platform with no car, and even boasts a sophisticated, independent rear suspension.

So can the Ford Mustang accurately be called a “pony car” still today? A recent video from Car Throttle, which explores the differences between a “pony car” and a “muscle car,” manages to shed some light on the topic. Watch it above, and let us know what you think.