• Comparisons

2020 Chevy Camaro vs 2020 Ford Mustang

By Autolist Editorial | July 8 2020

2020 Chevrolet Camaro

2020 Ford Mustang

Our User's Take

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2020 Chevy Camaro score: 6.4/10

Highlights:
  • Excellent engine and transmission choices.
  • Easy-to-use infotainment.
  • Powerful and fun 1LE package.

2020 Ford Mustang score: 7/10

Highlights:
  • All models offer good-to-outstanding performance.
  • Unusual features for the muscle car class.
  • Decently spacious trunk.
  • Distinctive off-road models.

How they stack up:

Safety Features:

Chevy Camaro: 6/10

  • The 2020 Camaro earned mixed reviews in government safety testing. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) awarded the car Good ratings in small and medium overlap front crashworthiness, a Good rating for side crashworthiness, Acceptable scores for roof strength, and Good for its head restraints and seats. Optional front crash prevention tech only helped the Camaro earn a Basic rating, and car seat LATCH ease of use was rated Marginal.

  • The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration awarded the Camaro five stars overall, but front crash tests yielded a four-star rating for the car.

  • Standard safety equipment includes front, seat-mounted side-impact, and knee airbags, head curtain airbags for coupe models, and a passenger sensing system

Ford Mustang: 7/10

  • The Mustang is available with a Safe and Smart package that bundles adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, automatic emergency braking and forward-collision warning, and rain-sensing wipers – all features which are still somewhat unusual among this Ford’s American rivals. But it’s only available on Ecoboost and GT models of the coupe and convertible, leaving the more expensive, high-performance models without access to these driver assistance technologies. Nearly every version of the Dodge Challenger offers these features as an option, and the European competition offers more advanced versions of these systems.

  • The Ford Mustang received the second-highest rating of Acceptable in the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) small overlap front crash test, but scored well in all other tests. In the same tests, the Chevrolet Camaro scored higher, but the Challenger was rated lower. The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) gave the 2020 Mustang its top five-star rating in overall tests.

Value:

Chevy Camaro: 8/10

  • The Camaro has been consistently praised for being a great value, thanks to its long list of standard features. The four-cylinder engine, despite being less powerful than the other engine choices, is a solid pick with decent performance and a great price.

  • Against the competition, the Camaro is similarly priced. The Mustang is fairly evenly matched from a cost standpoint through many of its trim levels as well.

  • If there’s anything against the Camaro, it’s the somewhat complicated and convoluted trim level distinctions. The trims themselves don’t jump in price to an unreasonable level, but the numerous options can make one trim as expensive as the next level up the ladder.

Ford Mustang: 7/10

  • Base Ecoboost coupe models are competitively priced with the Camaro and Challenger, and a bargain compared to an Audi A5 or Mercedes-Benz C 300 Coupe considering the standard horsepower. But it’s sparsely equipped, so an Ecoboost Premium at around $33,000 is the best bet, with leather upholstery and larger wheels. Convertibles add about $5,000, though, and V8 models can easily touch $50,000 with some desirable option packages.

  • High-performance GT350 and GT500 have high-level performance for a relative bargain, competing well with models from AMG and Porsche that can still cost at least $10,000 more to start. Just don’t expect German levels of refinement in the way they drive or the interior quality. Despite the available performance and amenities, Mustangs make most sense below $50,000.

Efficiency:

Chevy Camaro: 6/10

  • When equipped with the 2.0-liter four-cylinder and a manual transmission, the Camaro is capable of EPA-estimated fuel economy of 20/30/23 mpg city/hwy/combined. That changes to 22/31/25 mpg with an automatic transmission.

  • With the 3.6-liter six-cylinder engine and manual gearbox onboard, the Camaro is rated at 16/26/20 mpg and 19/29/22 mpg with the automatic.

  • The 6.2-liter V8 and manual transmission give the Camaro fuel economy ratings of 16/24/19 mpg and 16/27/20 with an automatic.

  • The supercharged V8 delivers fuel economy of 14/20/16 with a manual and 13/21/16 with an automatic.

Ford Mustang: 7/10

  • The four-cylinder 2020 Mustang Ecoboost with the optional 10-speed automatic transmission is rated at 21 mpg city, 32 mpg highway, and 25 mpg combined by the EPA. The standard six-speed manual drops the highway rating to 30 mpg and the combined to 24 mpg.

  • Mustang GT models are rated as high as 16 mpg city, 25 highway, and 19 combined with the 10-speed automatic. The GT350 is rated at 14 city, 21 highway, and the GT500 falls to 12 mpg city, 18 mpg highway.

  • Convertibles and the Bullitt model drop fuel economy by roughly 2 or 3 mpg.

  • The automatic-equipped Ecoboost coupes are relatively fuel-efficient, given the performance on offer, and the GT variants are also competitive with corresponding models from Chevy and Dodge. However, the Europeans are slightly more efficient when it comes to the high-performance variants, and their turbocharged six-cylinder engines may mean lower fuel bills. As an everyday driver, however, only the Ecoboost models make much sense from an efficiency perspective.

Driving Experience:

Chevy Camaro: 8/10

  • Buyers can get a Camaro with a fire-breathing V8 under the hood, but even the four-cylinder and six-cylinder engines offer more than enough punch to feel sporty.

  • The car, despite seeming big from behind the wheel, offers precise handling. That gets even better in higher trims with stickier tires.

  • The steering gives the driver a sense of confidence that their inputs are being turned into wheel movements accurately. The brakes are excellent, with accurate and responsive pedal feel.

  • As long as you don’t need to ride in the back seat for any reason, the Camaro has a firm but compliant ride that translates to comfort in the front seats.

  • Outward visibility is easily the Camaro’s weakest link. A high hood, low roof, sloping windshield, and small side windows make it difficult for drivers of shorter stature.

Ford Mustang: 7/10

  • No Mustang wants for power. Even the base 2.3-liter models are energetic, with 310 horsepower and abundant torque available from low revs. And the V8 models are extremely powerful, starting with the GT’s 460 horsepower and climbing to the extremely potent GT500’s 760-horsepower supercharged engine. All but the GT500 come with a six-speed manual as standard.

  • The Mustang is more agile than the Dodge Challenger, and likely neck-and-neck with the Chevrolet Camaro, making it convincing as a sports car. All of its performance versions neatly match up with the Camaro, too, but the Mustang also boasts novel features such as expensive dampers and a limited-slip differential on more powerful models. A Porsche Cayman may still run away from the Mustang in the corners, but it’s not as one-sided of a fight as it may have been in the past. Watch for the ride on models with stiffer suspension and big wheels, though.

Tech Features:

Chevy Camaro: 7/10

  • Standard tech features for the 2020 Camaro include a seven-inch touchscreen, Bluetooth, voice commands, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, six speakers, and a 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot.

  • Available features include SiriusXM satellite radio, an eight-inch HD color touchscreen with app capability, and a Bose premium audio system.

  • The Camaro’s infotainment has been praised as being easy to use, colorful, and responsive. The most important features are included as standard equipment, which makes the car a much bigger value draw.

Ford Mustang: 7/10

  • Unusual for the class, features like ventilated seats and a fully digital, 12-inch TFT configurable instrument cluster are available on the Mustang, even for below $40,000. Magnetic adaptive dampers are also unusual for a vehicle at this price, but even the base model can be equipped with them. The FordPass Connect system also comes on the Mustang, which allows control over basic vehicle functions – locks, engine start, fuel status – as well as the ability to pay for fuel or parking from a smartphone app. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are optional on base Ecoboost and GT models, but standard on models equipped with the Sync 3 touchscreen.

  • Not all of that tech is well-sorted, though. The gauges can be a little gimmicky considering the information that is actually presented, and it could take some time flipping through menus and personalizing settings to make it display all of the information that’s necessary at a given time. Ford’s Sync 3 infotainment system has some large icons and is mostly responsive, but not everything is well organized. Chevrolet and Dodge offer better systems for similar money.

Style & Design:

Chevy Camaro: 6/10

  • The Camaro has an aggressive style that makes it stand out, but that comes with key tradeoffs in overall usability. While the sleek greenhouse contributes to the Camaro’s striking appearance, from the inside, it makes it hard to see out of the car.

  • Controls inside are arranged in a way that may not make sense for many people. There’s a sizable learning curve, but they become usable with time.

  • The front seats are comfortable and supportive, with a good amount of padding despite being performance-oriented buckets. There’s a decent amount of headroom up front, but opting for a sunroof reduces that spaciousness quite a bit. The back seat is unusable for adults, but kids will be just fine.

  • Fit and finish, even at the base level, are both solid. The interior of the Camaro has many vintage-inspired touches that are both stylish and functional, and the car is free of rattles or loose panels anywhere.

Ford Mustang: 7/10

  • Unusual for the class, features like ventilated seats and a fully digital, 12-inch TFT configurable instrument cluster are available on the Mustang, even for below $40,000. Magnetic adaptive dampers are also unusual for a vehicle at this price, but even the base model can be equipped with them. The FordPass Connect system also comes on the Mustang, which allows control over basic vehicle functions – locks, engine start, fuel status – as well as the ability to pay for fuel or parking from a smartphone app. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are optional on base Ecoboost and GT models, but standard on models equipped with the Sync 3 touchscreen.

  • Not all of that tech is well-sorted, though. The gauges can be a little gimmicky considering the information that is actually presented, and it could take some time flipping through menus and personalizing settings to make it display all of the information that’s necessary at a given time. Ford’s Sync 3 infotainment system has some large icons and is mostly responsive, but not everything is well organized. Chevrolet and Dodge offer better systems for similar money.

Practicality:

Chevy Camaro: 4/10

  • The Camaro’s purpose in life is performance, which unfortunately doesn’t equate to a generous amount of usable space.

  • With a truck measuring just 9.1 cubic feet, the Camaro has the smallest trunk in the segment. This is compounded by the fact that the trunk opening is tight and that it has a high load floor. Interior storage is similarly stingy. Door pockets and the center console storage area are tiny.

  • Outward visibility is another weak spot on the Camaro. The sleek exterior shape means the greenhouse (the section of the vehicle with the glass and roof) is remarkably small, making it hard to see out of.

Ford Mustang: 6/10

  • Even though it has four seatbelts, the Mustang is a four-seater in name only. Deeply sculpted rear seats and a sloping roof make the coupe cramped, even for kids. Convertibles are only slightly better with the roof off, even though it’s among the more spacious four-seat convertibles on the market. Coupe buyers looking for a usable rear seat will be much better served by the Dodge Challenger, while convertible shoppers may find the Audi A5 a better bet for a rear seat that’s remotely adequate for adults. In fact, the rear seat is best used to expand cargo space.

  • The Mustang coupe’s trunk is smaller than the Challenger’s by a good margin but holds far more than the Chevrolet Camaro’s, and cargo space about the same as the German coupes. It’s also about what most compact sedans offer. But the shape is slightly odd and liftover high, meaning it’s awkward to load some items such as suitcases. The convertible’s trunk is only slightly smaller, though, which is unusual among its rivals. And the rear seats fold down to fit longer items. All Mustang models are rear-wheel-drive, unlike the Challenger which can be had with all-wheel-drive on V6 models, and the Audi A5, which comes with all-wheel-drive on all models.

Cost of Ownership

2020 Chevrolet Camaro

2020 Ford Mustang

Annual Fuel Costs

$3,197
15k miles at $3.41/gal
$3,654
15k miles at $3.41/gal
Fuel Economy

13 mpg (miles per gallon)
City
12 mpg (miles per gallon)
City
20 mpg (miles per gallon)
Highway
18 mpg (miles per gallon)
Highway

Safety

2020 Chevrolet Camaro

2020 Ford Mustang

NHTSA Crash Test Results

Overall
Overall
Safety Features

Standard
Autonomous Braking
Standard
Autonomous Braking
Standard
Blind-Spot Warnings
Standard
Blind-Spot Warnings
Standard
Adaptive Cruise Control
Standard
Adaptive Cruise Control
Standard
Lane-Keep Assist
Standard
Lane-Keep Assist
Standard
Cross-Traffic Alert
Standard
Cross-Traffic Alert

Interior

2020 Chevrolet Camaro

2020 Ford Mustang

Interior Features

Standard
Leather
Standard
Leather
Standard
Moonroof
Standard
Moonroof
Standard
Heated Seats
Standard
Heated Seats
Standard
Keyless Entry
Standard
Keyless Entry
Standard
Climate Control
Standard
Climate Control
Technology

Standard
Apple Carplay
Standard
Apple Carplay
Standard
Android Auto
Standard
Android Auto
Standard
Satellite Radio
Standard
Satellite Radio
Standard
Bluetooth
Standard
Bluetooth
Standard
Navigation System
Standard
Navigation System

Under the Hood

2020 Chevrolet Camaro

2020 Ford Mustang

Powertrain

Transmission
Transmission
RWD
Drivetrain
RWD
Drivetrain
Drivetrain

N/A
Horsepower
N/A
Horsepower
N/A
Torque
N/A
Torque
N/A
Cylinders
N/A
Cylinders