Compare the2025 Toyota GR CorollaVS 2024 Ford Mustang

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Toyota GR Corolla 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 GR Corolla has standard Whiplash Injury Lessening Seats, which use a specially designed seat to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Whiplash Injury Lessening 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.

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

The GR Corolla Premium has standard Parking 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 GR Corolla 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, post-collision automatic braking systems, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning and driver alert monitors.

Toyota pays for scheduled maintenance on the GR Corolla for 2 years and 25000 miles. Toyota will pay for oil changes, tire rotations, air filter replacements, cabin filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance. Ford doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Mustang.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Ford vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota second in reliability, above the industry average. With 92 more problems per 100 vehicles, Ford is ranked 23rd.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Ford vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Toyota second in overall reliability. Ford is ranked 22nd.

The GR Corolla has a standard locking fuel door. 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.

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

The GR Corolla’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.

The GR Corolla stops shorter than the Mustang:

The GR Corolla’s tires provide better handling because they have a lower 40 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Mustang EcoBoost’s standard 55 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the GR Corolla has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the Mustang EcoBoost.

The GR Corolla handles at 1.02 G’s, while the Mustang EcoBoost Fastback pulls only .95 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the GR Corolla’s turning circle is .4 feet tighter than the Mustang’s (36.1 feet vs. 36.5 feet). The GR Corolla’s turning circle is 1.7 feet tighter than the Mustang GT/Dark Horse’s (36.1 feet vs. 37.8 feet).

The Toyota GR Corolla may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 300 to 700 pounds less than the Ford Mustang.

The GR Corolla is 1 foot, 3.8 inches shorter than the Mustang, making the GR Corolla easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces. The GR Corolla is 1 foot, 4.1 inches shorter than the Mustang Dark Horse.

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

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

The GR Corolla has 1.8 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Mustang Fastback (84.6 vs. 82.8).

The GR Corolla has .8 inches more front headroom, 2.8 inches more rear headroom, .9 inches more rear legroom and 2.3 inches more rear shoulder room than the Mustang Fastback.

The GR Corolla has a much larger trunk with its rear seat up than the Mustang Fastback (17.8 vs. 13.5 cubic feet).

The GR Corolla Premium Plus has a standard heads-up display that projects speed and navigation instruction readouts 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 GR Corolla’s standard power windows have a locking feature to keep children from operating them, but the driver can still raise and lower all of them with the lock engaged. Ford does not offer a locking feature on the Mustang’s standard power windows.

The GR Corolla’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.

If the windows are left open on the GR Corolla the driver can close them all 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 Toyota service department.) The driver of the Mustang can only close the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

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

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the GR Corolla has a standard rear wiper. The Mustang doesn’t offer a rear wiper.

The GR Corolla’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.

The GR Corolla 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 GR Corolla has standard rear heat vents to keep rear occupants more comfortable. The Mustang doesn’t offer rear vents.

The GR Corolla was chosen as a Car and Driver’s “Top Ten” for 2023. The Mustang has never been chosen by Car and Driver in their “10Best” issue.