Compare the2025 Ford MustangVS 2025 Mercedes CLE

The Mustang’s standard lane departure warning system alerts a temporarily inattentive driver when the vehicle begins to leave its lane and gently nudges the vehicle back towards its lane. A lane departure warning system costs extra on the CLE.

Both the Mustang and the CLE have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger 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, post-collision automatic braking systems, daytime running lights, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning and driver alert monitors.

Ford’s powertrain warranty covers the Mustang 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than Mercedes covers the CLE. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 5 years or 60,000 miles. Coverage on the CLE ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

There are almost 8 times as many Ford dealers as there are Mercedes dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Mustang’s warranty.

The Mustang has a standard “limp home system” to keep drivers from being stranded if most or all of the engine’s coolant is lost. The engine will run on only half of its cylinders at a time, reduce its power and light a warning lamp on the dashboard so the driver can get to a service station for repairs. The CLE doesn’t offer a lost coolant limp home mode, so a coolant leak could strand you or seriously damage the car’s engine.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Ford vehicles are better in initial quality than Mercedes vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Ford above average in initial quality. With 27 more problems per 100 vehicles, Mercedes is rated below average.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Ford vehicles are more reliable than Mercedes vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Ford 7 places higher in reliability than Mercedes.

The Mustang has more powerful engines than the CLE:

As tested in Motor Trend the Ford Mustang is faster than the CLE 450 3.0 turbo 6-cylinder hybrid (automatics tested):

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Ford Mustang uses regular unleaded gasoline (premium recommended for maximum performance). The CLE requires premium, which can cost on average about 84.9 cents more per gallon.

The Mustang has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The CLE doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

The Mustang offers a manual transmission for better acceleration, control and sportiness. The CLE doesn’t offer a manual transmission.

A 10-speed automatic is standard on the Ford Mustang, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only a nine-speed automatic is available for the CLE.

The Mustang Manual’s launch control uses engine electronics to hold engine RPM’s precisely in order to provide the most stable and rapid acceleration possible, using all of the available traction. The CLE doesn’t offer launch control.

For better stopping power the Mustang Dark Horse’s front brake rotors are larger than those on the CLE:

The Mustang stops much shorter than the CLE:

For better traction, the Mustang Dark Horse’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the CLE (F:305/30R19 & R:315/30R19 vs. F:245/40R19 & R:275/35R19).

The Mustang Dark Horse’s optional tires provide better handling because they have a lower 30 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the CLE’s optional 35 series front tires.

The Mustang offers an optional space-saver spare tire so you can replace a flat tire and drive to have the flat repaired or replaced. A spare tire isn’t available on the CLE; it requires you to depend on its run-flat tires, which limits mileage and speed before they are repaired. If a run-flat is damaged beyond repair by a road hazard your vehicle will have to be towed. Some tire options on the CLE don’t have a run-flat feature, either.

The Mustang Dark Horse handles at 1.07 G’s, while the CLE 450 Coupe pulls only .92 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Mustang Dark Horse executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 2.3 seconds quicker than the CLE 450 Coupe (23.7 seconds @ .86 average G’s vs. 26 seconds @ .69 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Mustang’s turning circle is 1.9 feet tighter than the CLE’s (36.5 feet vs. 38.4 feet). The Mustang GT/Dark Horse’s turning circle is .6 feet tighter than the CLE’s (37.8 feet vs. 38.4 feet).

The Ford Mustang may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 450 to 500 pounds less than the Mercedes CLE.

The Mustang Convertible uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The CLE doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

The Mustang Fastback has 2.4 inches more front legroom and .6 inches more front shoulder room than the CLE Coupe.

The Mustang Convertible has 2.4 inches more front legroom and .6 inches more front shoulder room than the CLE Cabriolet.

The Mustang Fastback has a much larger trunk than the CLE Coupe (13.5 vs. 11.2 cubic feet).

The Mustang Convertible has a much larger trunk with its top down than the CLE Cabriolet (11.4 vs. 9.6 cubic feet).