Compare the2024 Dodge ChargerVS 2024 Ford Mustang

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

The Charger offers an optional 360° Surround View Camera 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 Charger and the Mustang have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head 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, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning and driver alert monitors.

The Dodge Charger weighs 1810 to 2250 pounds more than the Ford Mustang. The NHTSA advises that heavier cars are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Dodge vehicles are better in initial quality than Ford vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Dodge first in initial quality, above the industry average. With 61 more problems per 100 vehicles, Ford is ranked 23rd, below the industry 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 Dodge vehicles are more reliable than Ford vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Dodge above average in long-term dependability. With 26 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 Dodge vehicles are more reliable than Ford vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Dodge 1 place higher in reliability than Ford.

The Charger has more powerful engines than the Mustang:

The Charger can travel with zero emissions for 260 to 317 miles (dependent on model). The Mustang can’t move without running its internal combustion engine.

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

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Dodge Charger higher (10 out of 10) than the Ford Mustang (5 to 7). This means the Charger produces up to 19.8 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Mustang every 15,000 miles.

All wheel drive, available in the Charger, 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 Charger’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Mustang:

The Charger’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs standard on the Mustang EcoBoost are solid, not vented.

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

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Charger has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the Mustang EcoBoost. The Charger’s optional 20-inch wheels are larger than the 19-inch wheels optional on the Mustang.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Charger’s wheelbase is 14 inches longer than on the Mustang (121 inches vs. 107 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Charger is 5.9 inches wider in the front and 4 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the Mustang.

Because it has more passenger and cargo room, the EPA rates the Charger a Large car, while the Mustang Fastback is rated a Subcompact.

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

The Charger has 20.3 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Mustang Fastback (103.1 vs. 82.8).

The Charger Coupe has 1.5 inches more front headroom, 1.4 inches more front hip room, 3.2 inches more front shoulder room, 2.1 inches more rear headroom, 8.2 inches more rear legroom, 8.7 inches more rear hip room and 5.4 inches more rear shoulder room than the Mustang Fastback.

The Charger Coupe has a much larger trunk with its rear seat up than the Mustang Fastback (22.7 vs. 13.5 cubic feet).

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier, especially for short adults, the Charger offers an optional power liftgate, which opens and closes automatically by pressing a button. The Mustang doesn’t offer a power trunk.

The Charger offers an optional heads-up display that projects speed 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 Charger’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Ford only offers heated mirrors on the Mustang Premium/Convertible/Dark Horse.

When the Charger 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.

Both the Charger and the Mustang offer optional heated front seats. The Charger 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 Charger has a standard heated steering wheel to take the chill out of steering on extremely cold winter days before the car heater warms up. A heated steering wheel is only available on the Mustang Premium/Dark Horse.

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

The Dodge Charger outsold the Ford Mustang by 56% during 2023.