Compare the2024 Lexus RCVS 2023 Ford Mustang

For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Lexus RC have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision. The Ford Mustang doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

The RC’s optional 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 RC offers all-wheel drive to maximize traction under poor conditions, especially in ice and snow. The Mustang doesn’t offer all-wheel drive.

The RC offers optional Intuitive Park Assist to help warn the driver about vehicles, pedestrians or other obstacles behind or in front of their vehicle. The Mustang doesn’t offer a front parking aid.

Both the RC 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, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning and driver alert monitors.

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 Lexus RC is safer than the Mustang Fastback:

For its top level performance in all IIHS frontal, side, rear impact and roof-crush tests, and its standard front crash prevention system, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the RC the rating of “Top Safety Pick” for 2017, a rating granted to only 206 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Mustang was not even a “Top Safety Pick” for 2016.

The RC 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.

Lexus’ powertrain warranty covers the RC 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than Ford covers the Mustang. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 6 years or 70,000 miles. Coverage on the Mustang ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

The RC’s corrosion warranty is 1 year longer than the Mustang’s (6 vs. 5 years).

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Lexus vehicles are better in initial quality than Ford vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Lexus above average in initial quality. With 30 more problems per 100 vehicles, Ford is rated below average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Lexus vehicles are more reliable than Ford vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Lexus above average in long-term dependability. With 33 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Ford is rated lower.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Lexus vehicles are more reliable than Ford vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Lexus second in overall reliability. Ford is ranked 18th.

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

The RC has 2 gallons more fuel capacity than the Mustang EcoBoost’s standard fuel tank (17.5 vs. 15.5 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups. The RC has 1.5 gallons more fuel capacity than the Mustang GT/Mach 1’s standard fuel tank (17.5 vs. 16 gallons).

The RC 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.

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

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

All wheel drive, available in the RC, 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.

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

The RC stops shorter than the Mustang:

The RC’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 45 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 RC has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the Mustang.

For better maneuverability, the RC’s turning circle is 2.3 feet tighter than the Mustang’s (34.2 feet vs. 36.5 feet). The RC AWD’s turning circle is 5.2 feet tighter than the Mustang w/20” tires’ (34.8 feet vs. 40 feet).

The RC is 3.5 inches shorter than the Mustang, making the RC easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The RC has 1 cubic foot more passenger volume than the Mustang Fastback (83.8 vs. 82.8).

The RC has 1.4 inches more front headroom and .3 inches more front legroom than the Mustang Fastback.

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

The RC 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 Lexus service is better than Ford. J.D. Power ranks Lexus first in service department satisfaction. With a 59% lower rating, Ford is ranked 22nd.

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

If the front windows are left open on the RC the driver can close them at the outside door handle. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows at the outside door handle or from a distance using the keyless remote. (This window function must be activated by your Lexus service department.) The driver of the Mustang can only close the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The RC offers available headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The Mustang doesn’t offer headlight washers.

The RC’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 RC with available tilt-down mirrors is put in reverse, both rearview mirrors tilt from their original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirrors into their original positions. The Mustang’s mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

The RC’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 RC 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 RC has standard rear a/c vents to keep rear occupants more comfortable. The Mustang doesn’t offer rear vents.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the RC is less expensive to operate than the Mustang because typical repairs cost much less on the RC than the Mustang, including $506 less for a muffler and $61 less for front brake pads.