Nearly five years after the Mustang’s last major redo, fervent fans of Ford’s seminal pony car might have been hoping for an all-new 2010 model—especially considering the new Dodge Challenger and Chevy Camaro models with which it will compete. Instead, Ford has launched a thoughtful upgrade, improving the areas that most needed help. Number one was the interior, which had a retro look but consisted of hard plastic panels pieced together with numerous seams. From behind the wheel, the most obvious change is an instrument panel that stretches from door to door and from the base of the windshield to the top of the center console. This thermoplastic olefin molding feels squishy and looks rich. The twin-cowl theme of the current car continues, but it’s upgraded with more metallic trim and less plated plastic, a new instrument cluster with fully round dials, and an optional nav system with a huge, eight-inch screen and the latest version of the Ford/Microsoft Sync telematic system. Outside, the new model is plainly a face lift rather than an all-new design, bearing a closer resemblance to the ’69 Stang than the current car. The four-light grille—the inner two are actually large fog lights—and the kicked-up rear fender lines come straight from the ’69 car. Otherwise, the sheetmetal is beveled at both ends, and there’s a pronounced hood bulge—the new model looks both more muscular and a bit smaller than the current one, which in some ways seems like a cleaner and more coherent design.