2026 Ford Mustang Dark Horse MPG & Specs — Real-World vs EPA, All Trims
Every trim takes regular — no premium needed.
Is the 2026 Ford Mustang Dark Horse good on gas?
At up to 17 MPG combined, the 2026 Ford Mustang Dark Horse is worse than average for a Subcompact Cars — that class averages about 22.8 MPG across 5,756 EPA-tested versions, so it's on the thirsty side for its size.
Real-world MPG vs the EPA number
The EPA figures above come from a standardized dynamometer test, not the open road — real-world MPG typically runs a bit lower depending on your driving, climate and terrain. That's true of every car on this site, old or new.
At today's AAA national average price — $3.80/gal for regular gas as of 2026-07-05 — the most efficient trim runs about $3,353/year (roughly $279/month, about $22.35 per 100 miles) at the EPA's assumed 15,000 miles/year, using an estimated 882 gallons a year. We don't estimate a cost-per-fill since exact tank size isn't in the public EPA dataset, but the per-100-mile figure scales to any tank. Current national average gas prices →
2026 Ford Mustang Dark Horse trims & fuel economy
| Trim (engine / transmission) | Fuel | MPG | Fuel/yr (today's price) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5.0L 8-cyl, S10 automatic, RWD | REGULAR | 17 | $3,353 |
| 5.0L 8-cyl, 6-spd manual, RWD | REGULAR | 17 | $3,353 |
2026 Ford Mustang Dark Horse specs
What the EPA test-car listings record for this model year — every combination sold is a row in the trims table above.
| Engine options | 5.0L 8-cyl |
| Transmission | S10 automatic · 6-spd manual |
| Drive type | RWD |
| EPA body class | Subcompact Cars |
| Fuel | Regular |
| Tailpipe CO₂ | 525–533 g/mi |
| Gas guzzler tax | Yes — at least one trim carried the federal guzzler tax |
Other years of the Ford Mustang Dark Horse
Similar cars (Subcompact Cars)
Cars that take premium · Cheapest cars to fuel · Where fuel grade depends on the trim · Fuel guides
2 trim(s) · EPA FuelEconomy.gov data retrieved 2026-07-24 · fuel prices AAA national average as of 2026-07-05.