2021 Ford Mustang vs Chevy Camaro

The 2021 Ford Mustang combines modern convenience with retro style. New for 2021, are front-end and black stripes on the hood and body sides, plus a new front end, wings and spoilers from the GT500. It has an upscale cabin that offers high-quality materials and more trunk space with its wide trunk opening. There is 13.5 cubic feet of trunk space in the standard Mustang Fastback, with rear seats that fold down for extra room; convertible models offer 11.4 cubic feet of space. The Mustang seats two in the front and two in the back, with its focus on the two front seats, both comfortable and well-bolstered. Cloth seats are standard, but higher models offer full leather upholstery with heated and ventilated front seats.

The 2021 Chevrolet Camaro’s cabin is stylish and front seating is also spacious, but its interior features noticeable hard plastics and less impressive, lower-quality materials. This Camaro seats four people with a decent amount of space up front, an eight-way power-adjustable driver’s seat and an available six-way power-adjustable passenger seat. You can also upgrade to Recaro performance front seats which will keep you cradled. Unfortunately, its trunk only gives you 9.1 cubic feet of space in coupe models and 7.3 cubic feet in convertibles. Driver visibility is limited because of small windows and a high beltline, so you may want to get safety features like blind-spot monitoring.

The Mustang gives you plenty of engine options, but the Mach 1 has become the most track-capable 5.0-liter V8 Mustang ever. It produces 480 horsepower at 7,000 rpm and 420 lb-ft of torque at 4,600 rpm, coming standard with a 6-speed manual transmission from the Shelby GT350. Buyers can also opt for an available 10-speed automatic transmission with an upgraded torque converter that optimizes its performance. Three additional engine options include: the base 2.3-liter turbocharged four-cylinder, found in EcoBoost trims, with 310 horsepower. An optional performance package gives you an engine output of 330 horsepower. The optional 5.0-liter V8 engine in the Mustang GT packs a punch and doesn’t slow you down with its 460 hp. Both the four-cylinder and V8 engines come standard with six-speed manual transmission or a refined 10-speed automatic. The Shelby GT500 makes an astounding 760 horsepower with its supercharged V8 engine. With the standard EcoBoost engine, you will get an EPA-estimated 21/32 mpg in the city and highway. While the V8 Mustang GT gets up to 16/25 mpg in the city and highway. Fuel economy is probably not the biggest concern for buyers of the Shelby GT350, which gets an estimated 14/21 mpg city/highway. With nine available trims, the starting price for the base EcoBoost Fastback is $27,155 and ranges to $73,900 for the Shelby GT500.

The Camaro comes standard with a 275-horsepower turbocharged four-cylinder engine. There are three available engines that have plenty of power and quick acceleration: a 335-horsepower V6, a 455-horsepower V8, and a 650-horsepower V8. The rear-wheel-drive Camaro handles well and takes corners with ease; and it still delivers responsive steering and strong braking ability. The track-oriented 1LE package is now available with the 10-speed automatic transmission on V-8-powered SS models. Camaro’s base engine averages 22/31 mpg city and highway. The V6 delivers 19/29 mpg city and highway and the V8 13/21 mpg city and highway. There are eight trims to choose from, with either coupe or convertible body styles: 1LS, 1LT, 2LT, 3LT, LT1, 1SS, 2SS, and ZL1. It’s starting price for the 1LS is $25,000 and ranges to $62,000 for the ZL1.

A rearview camera is a standard driver assistance feature in the Mustang, as well as blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane departure warning and lane keeping assist, forward collision warning, automatic high-beam headlights, pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, rain-sensing windshield wipers, and MyKey. Available options include adaptive cruise control, rear parking sensors, and navigation. Additionally, every Ford Mustang comes with a SYNC infotainment system that shows information on a 4.2-inch screen; an upgraded SYNC 3 system features an 8-inch touch screen. A Wi-Fi hotspot, six-speaker stereo, FordPass Connect (allows users to control and monitor your vehicle through a smartphone app), and proximity keyless entry is standard. Its latest technology has a clean design and a simple interface that comes with available Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and an impressive stereo 12-speaker Bang & Olufsen stereo.

The Chevy Camaro comes standard with a rearview camera and the Teen Driver system. Available safety features include forward collision warning, blind spot monitoring, rear parking sensors, rear cross-traffic alert, rearview camera mirror, and a head-up display. The Chevrolet Camaro comes with the Infotainment 3 system and a 7-inch touch screen, a six-speaker audio system, a Wi-Fi hotspot, two USB ports, Bluetooth, and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Convertible models also come with a power-folding soft top.