Compare the2023 Audi A5VS 2023 Ford Mustang

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Transmission and Drivetrain
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Model Availability
Economic Advantages

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Audi A5 have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The Ford Mustang doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

The A5’s pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The Mustang doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

The A5 has a standard Audi Backguard System, which use a specially designed headrest to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Audi Backguard System moves the headrests forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. At the same time the pretensioning seatbelts fire, removing slack from the belts. The Mustang doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

The A5 has a standard Secondary Collision Brake Assist, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Mustang doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

The A5 has all-wheel drive to maximize traction under poor conditions, especially in ice and snow. The Mustang doesn’t offer all-wheel drive.

The A5 Premium Plus/Prestige has a standard Top and Corner View Cameras to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Mustang only offers a rear monitor and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the front or sides.

Both the A5 and Mustang offer rear cross-traffic warning, but the A5 has Automatic Brake Activation (automatically applies the brakes) to better prevent a collision when backing near traffic. The Mustang’s Cross Traffic Alert doesn’t automatically brake.

Both the A5 and the Mustang have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras and available blind spot warning systems.

A significantly tougher test than their original offset frontal crash test, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety does 40 MPH small overlap frontal offset crash tests. In this test, where only 25% of the total width of the vehicle is struck, results indicate that the Audi A5 Coupe is safer than the Mustang Fastback:

	A5	Mustang
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Restraints	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Head Neck Evaluation	GOOD	GOOD
Peak Head Forces	0 G’s	0 G’s
Steering Column Movement Rearward	0 cm	5 cm
Chest Evaluation	GOOD	GOOD
Hip & Thigh Evaluation	GOOD	GOOD
Femur Force R/L	1.6/1.2 kN	2.8/1.4 kN
Hip & Thigh Injury Risk R/L	0%/0%	0%/0%
Lower Leg Evaluation	MARGINAL	GOOD

For its top level performance in IIHS driver and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, roof strength and head restraint tests, its standard vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention system, its standard vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its standard headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the A5 its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2022, a rating granted to only 128 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Mustang is not even a standard “Top Safety Pick.”

Warranty

The A5 comes with a full 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire car and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Mustang’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 14,000 miles sooner.

The A5’s corrosion warranty is 7 years longer than the Mustang’s (12 vs. 5 years).

Reliability

The Audi A5’s engine uses a cast iron block for durability, while the Mustang’s engines use an aluminum block. Aluminum engine blocks are much more prone to warp and crack at high temperatures than cast iron.

The battery on the A5 is in the trunk, which protects it from hot underhood temperatures that can degrade battery life. By keeping the A5’s battery 20 to 30 degrees cooler, its life is increased by years. The Mustang’s battery is in the hot engine compartment.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the A5’s reliability 53 points higher than the Mustang.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Audi vehicles are more reliable than Ford vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Audi 12 places higher in reliability than Ford.

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the A5 Coupe gets better mileage than the Mustang Fastback:

			MPG
A5 Coupe
	Auto	2.0 turbo 4-cyl. Hybrid	24 city/32 hwy
Mustang Fastback
	Manual	2.3 turbo 4-cyl. (310 HP)	21 city/29 hwy
		2.3 turbo 4-cyl. (330 HP)	20 city/27 hwy
		GT 5.0 V8	15 city/24 hwy
		Mach 1 5.0 V8	14 city/22 hwy
	Auto	2.3 turbo 4-cyl. (310 HP)	22 city/32 hwy
		2.3 turbo 4-cyl. (330 HP)	20 city/27 hwy
		GT 5.0 V8	15 city/24 hwy
		Mach 1 5.0 V8	15 city/23 hwy

On the EPA test cycle the A5 Cabriolet gets better mileage than the Mustang Convertible:

			MPG
A5 Cabriolet
	Auto	2.0 turbo 4-cyl. Hybrid	24 city/31 hwy
Mustang Convertible
	Manual	2.3 turbo 4-cyl. (310 HP)	20 city/27 hwy
		2.3 turbo 4-cyl. (330 HP)	19 city/25 hwy
		5.0 V8	15 city/24 hwy
		Mach 1 5.0 V8	14 city/22 hwy
	Auto	2.3 turbo 4-cyl. (310 HP)	20 city/28 hwy
		2.3 turbo 4-cyl. (330 HP)	19 city/26 hwy
		GT 5.0 V8	15 city/23 hwy
		Mach 1 5.0 V8	15 city/23 hwy

Regenerative brakes improve the A5’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The Mustang doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

In heavy traffic or at stoplights the A5’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. The engine is automatically restarted when the driver gets ready to move again. If the conditions warrant or the driver wishes, the system can be manually disabled at any time for the duration of a trip. The Mustang doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

The A5 has a standard locking fuel door which locks and unlocks with the power locks The fuel filler door is not lockable on the Mustang. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank.

Environmental Friendliness

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Audi A5 higher (5 out of 10) than the Ford Mustang (3 to 5). This means the A5 produces up to 16.5 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Mustang every 15,000 miles.

Transmission and Drivetrain

The Audi A5 comes standard with an automatic transmission, for driver comfort, especially in the city. Automatic costs extra on the Mustang.

The A5 offers a standard sequential manual gearbox (SMG). With no clutch pedal to worry about and a fully automatic mode, an SMG is much more efficient than a conventional automatic but just as easy to drive. The Mustang doesn’t offer an SMG.

All wheel drive, available in the A5, provides the best traction for acceleration in wet, dry, and icy conditions. In corners, all wheel drive allows both outside wheels to provide power, balancing the car. This allows for better handling. The Ford Mustang is not available with all wheel drive.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the A5’s standard brake rotors are larger than those on the Mustang:

	A5	Mustang
Front Rotors	13.3 inches	12.6 inches
Rear Rotors	13 inches	12.6 inches

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the A5 has larger standard tires than the Mustang (245/40R18 vs. 235/55R17).

The A5’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 40 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Mustang’s standard 55 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the A5 has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the Mustang.

Suspension and Handling

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the A5’s wheelbase is 1.7 inches longer than on the Mustang (108.8 inches vs. 107.1 inches).

Chassis

The A5 is 3.6 inches shorter than the Mustang, making the A5 easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

Passenger Space

The A5 Coupe has 1.2 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Mustang Fastback (84 vs. 82.8). The A5 Cabriolet has 3.8 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Mustang Convertible (83 vs. 79.2).

The A5 Coupe has 1.3 inches more rear headroom and 3.7 inches more rear legroom than the Mustang Fastback.

The A5 Convertible has .7 inches more front headroom, .6 inches more rear headroom, 3.9 inches more rear legroom and 2.2 inches more rear shoulder room than the Mustang Convertible.

Cargo Capacity

The A5’s standard rear seats fold to accommodate long and bulky cargo. The Mustang Convertible doesn’t offer folding rear seats.

Pulling a handle automatically lowers the A5’s rear seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The Mustang doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

With its coupe body style, valet key, locking rear seatbacks and remote trunk release lockout, the A5 offers cargo security. The Mustang’s non-lockable remote release defeats cargo security.

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the A5’s available trunk can be opened just by kicking your foot under the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Mustang doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its trunk, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

Servicing Ease

The A5 uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Mustang uses a prop rod to support its heavy hood. It takes two hands to open the hood and set the prop rod, the prop rod gets in the way during maintenance and service, and the prop rod could be knocked out, causing the heavy hood to fall on the person maintaining or servicing the car.

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Audi service is better than Ford. J.D. Power ranks Audi 8th in service department satisfaction (above the industry average). With a 27% lower rating, Ford is ranked 22nd.

Ergonomics

The A5 Prestige has a standard heads-up display that projects speed, warning and navigation instruction readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Mustang doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The A5’s power parking brake sets with one touch and releases with one touch or automatically. The Mustang has a lever-type parking brake that has to be strenuously raised to engage properly. It has to be lifted up more and a button depressed to release it.

The A5’s standard power windows have a locking feature to keep children in the rear seat from operating them, but the driver can still raise and lower all of them with the lock engaged. Ford does not offer a locking feature on the Mustang’s standard power windows.

The A5’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Mustang’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open or close them fully.

If the windows are left open on the A5 the driver can close them all at the outside door handle. The driver of the Mustang can only close the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are standard on the A5 to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The Mustang doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The A5 Premium Plus/Prestige has standard headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The Mustang doesn’t offer headlight washers.

To help drivers see further while navigating curves, the A5 Premium Plus/Prestige has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle. The Mustang doesn’t offer cornering lights.

The A5’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Ford only offers heated mirrors on the Mustang Premium/Mach 1.

When the A5 with available tilt-down mirrors is put in reverse, the passenger rearview mirror tilts from its original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirror into its original position. The Mustang’s mirror doesn’t automatically adjust for backing.

The A5’s standard rear view mirror and optional side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The Mustang has an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

The A5 has standard heated front seats. Heated front seats are only available on the Mustang Premium/Mach 1 Deluxe. The A5 Premium Plus/Prestige also offers optional heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the Mustang.

The A5 Coupe has a standard center folding armrest for the rear passengers. A center armrest helps make rear passengers more comfortable and it can provide a boundary between children. The Mustang doesn’t offer a rear seat center armrest.

The A5 has a standard dual zone air conditioning allows the driver and front passenger to choose two completely different temperatures so people with different temperature preferences won’t have to compromise. This makes both the driver and front passenger as comfortable as possible. Dual zone air conditioning costs extra on the Mustang.

For greater rear passenger comfort, the A5 has standard rear a/c vents to keep rear occupants more comfortable. The Mustang doesn’t offer rear vents.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Audi A5 Premium Plus/Prestige has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. The Mustang doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

The A5 Prestige’s Park Steering Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, with the driver only controlling speed with the brake pedal. The Mustang doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

Model Availability

The Audi A5 comes in coupe, convertible and four door hatchback bodystyles; the Ford Mustang isn’t available as a four door.

Economic Advantages

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the A5 is less expensive to operate than the Mustang because typical repairs cost much less on the A5 than the Mustang, including $134 less for a muffler, $109 less for a timing belt/chain and $801 less for a power steering pump.

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