Compare the2024 Subaru WRXVS 2024 Ford Mustang

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Subaru WRX are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The Ford Mustang doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

The WRX has standard Whiplash-Reducing Front Seats, which use a specially designed seat to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Whiplash-Reducing Front Seats system allows the backrest to travel backwards to cushion the occupants and the headrests move 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 WRX Limited SPT/GT has standard Reverse Automatic Braking that use rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a collision. The Mustang doesn’t offer automatic braking for stationary objects directly to the rear.

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

Both the WRX and the Mustang have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear 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.

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 WRX its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2022, a rating granted to only 131 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Mustang has not been tested, yet.

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

The WRX 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 WRX offers an optional continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The Mustang doesn’t offer a CVT.

The WRX’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 EcoBoost’s standard 55 series tires.

The WRX Limited handles at .96 G’s, while the Mustang GT Premium Fastback pulls only .95 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Subaru WRX may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 250 to 450 pounds less than the Ford Mustang.

The WRX is 5.6 inches shorter than the Mustang, making the WRX easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces. The WRX is 5.9 inches shorter than the Mustang Dark Horse.

Because it has more passenger and cargo room, the EPA rates the WRX a Mid-size car, while the Mustang Fastback is rated a Subcompact.

The WRX has standard seating for 5 passengers; the Mustang can only carry 4.

The WRX has 16.1 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Mustang Fastback (98.9 vs. 82.8).

The WRX has 2.2 inches more front headroom, .4 inches more front shoulder room, 1.9 inches more rear headroom, 7.5 inches more rear legroom, 1.9 inches more rear hip room and 3.4 inches more rear shoulder room than the Mustang Fastback.

The WRX Premium/Limited/GT/TR’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.

In case you lock your keys in your vehicle, or don’t have them with you, you can let yourself in using the WRX Premium/Limited/GT/TR’s exterior PIN entry system. The Mustang doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system, and its 911 Assist can’t unlock the doors if the vehicle doesn’t have cell phone reception or the driver can’t contact the service.

The WRX has two rear doors to provide better access for cargo and rear passengers. The Mustang doesn’t offer rear doors.

To help drivers see further while navigating curves, the WRX Premium/Limited/GT/TR 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 WRX’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 offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

The WRX Premium/Limited/GT/TR 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.

For greater rear passenger comfort, the WRX has standard rear heat vents to keep rear occupants more comfortable. The Mustang doesn’t offer rear vents.

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