Compare the2024 Subaru BRZVS 2023 Ford Mustang

The BRZ has standard Whiplash Protection Seats, which use a specially designed headrest to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Whiplash Protection Seats system moves the headrests forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Mustang doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The BRZ Limited offers optional Reverse Automatic Braking that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The Mustang doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

Both the BRZ and the Mustang have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, driver alert monitors, available blind spot warning systems, rear parking sensors and rear cross-path warning.

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 Subaru BRZ is safer than the Mustang Fastback:

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, with its optional vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention system, with its optional vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its standard headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the BRZ its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2022, a rating granted to only 131 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Mustang is not even a standard “Top Safety Pick.”

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 BRZ’s reliability 34 points higher than the Mustang.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Subaru vehicles are better in initial quality than Ford vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Subaru above average in initial quality. With 16 more problems per 100 vehicles, Ford is rated below average.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Subaru vehicles are more reliable than Ford vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Subaru 16 places higher in reliability than Ford.

The flat cylinder configuration of the boxer engine in the BRZ lowers its center of gravity, enhancing handling stability (That’s why Porsche uses boxer engines.). The Mustang doesn’t offer a boxer engine configuration.

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

The BRZ 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 BRZ stops much shorter than the Mustang:

The BRZ Premium’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.

The BRZ Limited handles at .99 G’s, while the Mustang GT Premium Fastback pulls only .96 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the BRZ’s turning circle is 1.1 feet tighter than the Mustang’s (35.4 feet vs. 36.5 feet). The BRZ’s turning circle is 4.6 feet tighter than the Mustang w/20” tires’ (35.4 feet vs. 40 feet).

The Subaru BRZ may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 650 to 1050 pounds less than the Ford Mustang.

The BRZ is 1 foot, 8.6 inches shorter than the Mustang, making the BRZ easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The BRZ is 5.5 inches narrower than the Mustang, making the BRZ easier to handle and maneuver in traffic.

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

The BRZ’s standard power windows have a locking feature to keep children from operating them. Ford does not offer a locking feature on the Mustang’s standard power windows.

In case you lock your keys in your vehicle, or don’t have them with you, you can let yourself in using the BRZ’s exterior PIN entry system. The Mustang doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system.

To help drivers see further while navigating curves, the BRZ Limited/tS 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 BRZ 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 BRZ 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.

Consumer Reports® recommends the Subaru BRZ, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The BRZ was chosen as a Car and Driver’s “Top Ten” for 2024 and 3 more times in the last 12 years. The Mustang GT/Bullitt hasn’t been picked since 2019, and the Mustang GT/Bullitt has only been chosen once.