Compare the2024 Porsche 718 CaymanVS 2023 Ford Mustang

The 718 Cayman has standard ParkAssist 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 718 Cayman and the Mustang have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, daytime running lights, rearview cameras, available crash mitigating brakes and blind spot warning systems.

The 718 Cayman 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 718 Cayman’s corrosion warranty is 7 years longer than the Mustang’s (12 vs. 5 years).

The battery on the 718 Cayman is in the trunk, which protects it from hot underhood temperatures that can degrade battery life. By keeping the 718 Cayman’s battery 20 to 30 degrees cooler, its life is increased by years. The Mustang’s battery is in the hot engine compartment.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the 718 Cayman third among compact premium sporty cars in their 2023 Initial Quality Study. The Mustang isn’t in the top three in its category.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Porsche vehicles are better in initial quality than Ford vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Porsche above average in initial quality. With 34 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 Porsche vehicles are more reliable than Ford vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Porsche above average in long-term dependability. With 30 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 2024 Auto Issue reports that Porsche vehicles are more reliable than Ford vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Porsche 14 places higher in reliability than Ford.

The 718 Cayman GT4 RS’ 4.0 DOHC 6-cylinder produces 23 more horsepower (493 vs. 470) than the Mustang Mach 1’s optional 5.0 DOHC V8.

As tested in Car and Driver the Porsche 718 Cayman turbo 4 cyl. is faster than the Ford Mustang turbo 4 cyl. (manual transmissions tested):

As tested in Motor Trend the Porsche 718 Cayman turbo 4 cyl. is faster than the Ford Mustang turbo 4 cyl. (automatics tested):

The flat cylinder configuration of the boxer engine in the 718 Cayman lowers its center of gravity, enhancing handling stability. The Mustang doesn’t offer a boxer engine configuration.

On the EPA test cycle the 718 Cayman gets better mileage than the Mustang Fastback:

An engine control system that can shut down some of the engine’s cylinders helps improve the 718 Cayman GT4 RS/GTS 4.0’s fuel efficiency. The Mustang doesn’t offer a system that can shut down part of the engine.

Regenerative brakes improve the 718 Cayman’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 718 Cayman’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 718 Cayman’s optional fuel tank has almost a gallon more fuel capacity than the Mustang GT/Mach 1’s standard fuel tank (16.9 vs. 16 gallons).

The 718 Cayman 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.

The 718 Cayman offers an optional 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.

For better stopping power the 718 Cayman’s front brake rotors are larger than those on the Mustang:

The 718 Cayman GT4 RS offers optional heat-treated ceramic brake rotors, which last ten to twenty times as long as conventional cast iron rotors, don’t rust, don’t fade during repeated high speed braking, and their lighter weight contribute to better braking, handling and acceleration. The Mustang doesn’t offer ceramic brake rotors.

The 718 Cayman stops much shorter than the Mustang:

For better traction and acceleration, the 718 Cayman has larger standard rear tires than the Mustang (265/45R18 vs. 235/55R17).

The 718 Cayman’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 718 Cayman has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the Mustang.

The 718 Cayman GT4 RS handles at 1.11 G’s, while the Mustang GT Premium Fastback pulls only .96 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The 718 Cayman executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 2 seconds quicker than the Mustang EcoBoost Premium Fastback (23.1 seconds @ .87 average G’s vs. 25.1 seconds @ .75 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the 718 Cayman’s turning circle is .4 feet tighter than the Mustang’s (36.1 feet vs. 36.5 feet). The 718 Cayman GT4 RS’ turning circle is 2.6 feet tighter than the Mustang w/20” tires’ (37.4 feet vs. 40 feet).

The Porsche 718 Cayman may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 450 to 700 pounds less than the Ford Mustang.

The 718 Cayman is 1 foot, 4.1 inches shorter than the Mustang, making the 718 Cayman easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

As tested by Car and Driver, the interior of the 718 Cayman is quieter than the Mustang Mach 1:

The 718 Cayman has a much larger trunk than the Mustang Fastback (14.9 vs. 13.5 cubic feet).

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the 718 Cayman’s available trunk can be opened just by holding your hand near the emblem on the trunk, 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.

The 718 Cayman 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 Porsche service is better than Ford. J.D. Power ranks Porsche third in service department satisfaction. With a 41% lower rating, Ford is ranked 22nd.

The 718 Cayman’s power parking brake sets with one touch and releases with one touch. 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.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the 718 Cayman offers an optional rear wiper. The Mustang doesn’t offer a rear wiper.

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The 718 Cayman 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 718 Cayman 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 718 Cayman’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 718 Cayman 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 718 Cayman’s standard rear and 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 718 Cayman 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.

The 718 was chosen as a Car and Driver’s “Top Ten” for 2024 and 18 more times in the last 20 years. The Mustang GT/Bullitt hasn’t been picked since 2019, and the Mustang GT/Bullitt has only been chosen once.