2021 Ford Mustang

Owner complaints, recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings from public NHTSA and EPA data, updated Oct 17, 2026.

Fuel economy

14–25 mpgcombined; city 12–21, highway 18–32; every version of this model year

Five years of fuel

$12,990–$28,750U.S. average; Ohio $11,610–$27,080 at local prices; every version of this model year; fuel only, not other costs of owning it; 15,000 miles a year, at EIA fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026

NHTSA overall safety rating

5 starslowest across the versions NHTSA tested

Recall campaigns

6over its history; check a VIN for open ones

Owner complaints

55filed with NHTSA; not adjusted for sales

Trims

NHTSA's VIN data lists these trims for the 2021 Mustang. A trim's engine and numbers are shown as its own only where EPA names versions after the trim and no other version could be it; "seen with" means a source shows that engine on the trim, not that it was the only one. Recalls and complaints cover the whole model year: whether a recall applies to a car depends on its VIN, on NHTSA's recall lookup.

• GT Convertible
• GT Coupe
• I4 Convertible
• I4 Coupe
• Mach 1 Coupe
• Shelby GT500 Coupe

Problems owners report

Owners have filed 55 complaints with NHTSA about the 2021 Mustang. These are unverified owner reports, counted by the part of the car they name; one complaint can name several parts. Counts aren't adjusted for how many were sold, so they don't show how reliable a car is.

Complaints by model year

Newer years have had less time to collect complaints, and counts aren't adjusted for sales, so a shorter bar doesn't mean a more reliable year.

1. 2006575
2. 2007615
3. 2008347
4. 2009181
5. 2010261
6. 2011466
7. 2012469
8. 2013271
9. 2014359
10. 2015438
11. 2016379
12. 2017267
13. 2018195
14. 2019150
15. 2020120
16. 202155
17. 202250
18. 202315
19. 202484
20. 202519
21. 20268

Every Mustang year side by side

Recalls

NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns for the 2021 Mustang over its history. Campaigns are matched by model and year, so each one may apply to a given car, and its repair may already be done: check a VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup for the open recalls on that exact car.

Service bulletins and investigations

Carmakers sent NHTSA 148 service bulletins and notices that cover the 2021 Mustang, the latest on Jul 9, 2026. They tell dealers how to fix known issues.

The parts they mention most: power train (49), electrical system (38), unknown or other (31), equipment (29), engine and engine cooling (13).

NHTSA hasn't opened a defect investigation that covers this model year.

Maintenance

Oil

The owner's manual gives the oil and how often to change it. We show oil facts only once we've checked them against the manual, and we haven't yet for the 2021 Mustang.

Oil change near you: Jiffy Lube · Take 5

Used ones for sale

See used 2021 Ford Mustangs for sale on: Autotrader · CarMax

These are searches on those sites; we don't copy or check their listings. Your ZIP is used for these links and never kept.

Specs

EPA class: subcompact cars. EPA greenhouse gas score: 1–5 out of 10. Each version EPA tested:

Swipe the table sideways for more columns.

Sources and dates

• U.S. EPA fuel economy data, file of Sep 29, 2026
• NHTSA owner complaints, file of Oct 17, 2026
• NHTSA recalls, file of Oct 17, 2026
• NHTSA manufacturer communications, file of Oct 17, 2026
• NHTSA defect investigations, file of Oct 17, 2026
• NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, file of Aug 7, 2026
• U.S. Energy Information Administration, file of Oct 12, 2026

Fuel cost: EPA mpg with fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026 and electricity prices for Jul 2026. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (Oct 2026). Complaints are unverified reports owners filed with NHTSA. About the data