Is the Toyota Camry more reliable than the Ford Mustang?

Yes, by a large margin. The Camry has lower annual repair costs, fewer recalls, and about 2.1 owner complaints per 10,000 sold against 5.7 for the Mustang. The Mustang's one edge is fewer unscheduled shop visits each year, but its repairs are more likely to be major.

Which has more recalls, the Camry or the Mustang?

The Mustang has more. Federal recall records show 71 recalls across model years 2018 to 2026, compared with 35 for the Camry over the same nine years. Check any specific car's VIN for open recalls before you buy.

Which costs less to repair, the Camry or the Mustang?

The Camry. Independent repair-cost data puts it near $388 a year, while the Mustang runs about $709. Over five years that adds up to roughly $1,605 more for the Mustang, before counting any big out-of-warranty repair.

What is the biggest engine problem with the Mustang?

Coolant leaking into the cylinders of the 2.3L EcoBoost. Owners report rough cold starts, idle shaking, misfire codes, and falling coolant, with failures between 26,000 and 86,000 miles. Dealers quoted head gasket work or a full engine, with estimates near $11,000.

Does the Camry have any serious safety complaints?

Yes. Air bag complaints include 58 linked to crashes, with reports of front bags not deploying. Service brakes have 23 crash-linked complaints. Owners also describe the engine shutting off with the key removable while in Drive. Have brakes and warning lights checked before buying.

Last updated: 2026-10-10

Ford Mustang vs Toyota Camry: Reliability Compared

Ford Mustang

Good

More Reliable

Toyota Camry

Good

Reliability favors the Toyota Camry by a wide margin over the Ford Mustang. Repair costs run about $388 a year for the Camry and $709 for the Mustang. The Mustang also has roughly twice the recalls and far more complaints per car sold.

How Do the Ford Mustang and Toyota Camry Generations Compare?

Most used Camrys you will see from 2018 to 2023 share one design. That is the eighth generation (XV70), and it includes the weakest years, 2018 and 2019. The data lists no mid-cycle refresh within it. For the Mustang, the sixth generation ran from 2015 to 2023 and received an update for 2018, so every 2018 to 2023 car is the updated version. That span includes its weakest years, 2021 and 2022. The seventh generation began with the 2024 model year. Its 2025 and 2026 cars rank strongest, but they have had little time on the road to collect complaints.

Verdict

The Toyota Camry is more reliable than the Ford Mustang, scoring 78/100 vs 67/100.

Reliability clearly favors the Camry, and the gap is large. It costs less to repair each year, draws fewer owner complaints per car sold, and has about half the recalls across the same nine model years. The Mustang wins on one measure, fewer unscheduled shop visits. But coolant leaking into the cylinders of its 2.3L EcoBoost engine, with estimates near $11,000, can erase that advantage in a single repair.

Key Differences

1Toyota Camry costs $321 less per year to repair
2Toyota Camry has 36 fewer total recalls
3Toyota Camry scores 11 points higher in reliability

Category Scoreboard

1Ford Mustang

—

5Toyota Camry

Reliability ScoreTotal RecallsComplaint RateAnnual Repair CostRepair FrequencyMajor Repair RiskSafety Rating

Ford Mustang vs Toyota Camry: Which Is More Reliable?

Ford Mustang vs Toyota Camry at-a-glance reliability comparison
Metric	Ford Mustang	Toyota Camry
Reliability Score	67/100	78/100
Years Tracked	9	9
Total Recalls	71	35
Complaints per 10k Sold	5.7	2.1
Annual Repair Cost	$709/yr	$388/yr
Repair Frequency	0.2/yr	0.3/yr
Major Repair Risk	14%	11%
Safety RatingNHTSA overall	2026 NHTSA	2026 NHTSA
Frontal
Side
Rollover
Year Wins	0 (1 tied)	8 (1 tied)

What Are the Common Problems With the Ford Mustang and Toyota Camry?

Safety systems and drivability dominate the Camry's complaints. Owners report the engine shutting off with the key removable while the shifter sits in Drive, hesitation under throttle, and front air bags that did not deploy. Air bags carry 58 crash-linked complaints and service brakes 23, including a spongy pedal. The Mustang's trouble is more mechanical and electrical: a digital instrument panel that goes blank, windows that lower on their own, a 10-speed automatic that clunks or slips, and EcoBoost coolant intrusion. Its engine complaints show no crash links, and air bags and brakes are not among its main problem areas.

Ford Mustang vs Toyota Camry common problem areas comparison
Component	Ford Mustang	Toyota Camry
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	1.5Low	0.2Very Low
POWER TRAIN	0.9Very Low	0.4Very Low
UNKNOWN OR OTHER	0.6Very Low	0.2Very Low
ENGINE	0.4Very Low	0.1Very Low
SERVICE BRAKES	0.2Very Low	0.2Very Low
STEERING	0.2Very Low	0.1Very Low
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL	0.2Very Low	0.1Very Low
AIR BAGS	0.1Very Low	0.2Very Low
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE	0.3Very Low	—None
STRUCTURE	0.2Very Low	—None
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING	0.1Very Low	—None
VISIBILITY	0.1Very Low	—None
BACK OVER PREVENTION	0.1Very Low	—None
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES	0.1Very Low	—None
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM	—None	0.1Very Low
FUEL SYSTEM	—None	0.1Very Low
WHEELS	—None	—None
SUSPENSION	—None	—None
EXTERIOR LIGHTING	—None	—None
VISIBILITY/WIPER	—None	—None
SEAT BELTS	—None	—None
TIRES	—None	—None

Complaints per 10,000 units sold, aggregated across all tracked model years from NHTSA owner reports.

Which Is Cheaper to Maintain: Ford Mustang or Toyota Camry?

Repair bills favor the Camry at an estimated $388 a year, against $709 for the Mustang. Over five years, that $321 yearly gap grows to about $1,605. The Mustang does visit the shop unscheduled less often, 0.2 times a year versus 0.3. But its repairs are more likely to be serious, with a 14% chance of a major one against 11% for the Camry.

How Does Ford Mustang vs Toyota Camry Reliability Compare by Year?

Ford Mustang vs Toyota Camry year-by-year reliability scores
Year	Ford Mustang	Toyota Camry	Edge
2026	78/1001R / 0C	88/1000R / 0C	Toyota Camry
2025	73/1003R / 8C	76/1004R / 6C	Toyota Camry
2024	67/10010R / 63C	83/1002R / 35C	Toyota Camry
2023	72/1006R / 14C	79/1004R / 47C	Toyota Camry
2022	59/10017R / 154C	84/1002R / 47C	Toyota Camry
2021	54/10018R / 373C	82/1002R / 144C	Toyota Camry
2020	66/1008R / 101C	75/1005R / 253C	Toyota Camry
2019	67/1004R / 129C	70/1008R / 364C	Toyota Camry
2018	65/1004R / 172C	65/1008R / 708C	Tie

Best years to cross-shop: The 2023 Ford Mustang scored 72/100 and the 2022 Toyota Camry scored 84/100 — the strongest shared model years that have been on the road for at least two years, where available.

Who Should Buy the Ford Mustang vs the Toyota Camry?

Buy the Camry if you want the lowest running costs and the fewest surprises. Its estimated repair bill is $388 a year, and only 11% of repairs are major. Target 2022, one of its strongest years, and be careful with 2018 and 2019, its weakest. Test the brake pedal for sponginess, confirm the instrument lights work, and ask whether the coolant bypass valve has leaked, since that showed up around 30,000 to 34,000 miles. Buy the Mustang if you want a coupe and can accept higher costs for fewer shop visits. Skip 2021 and 2022, its weakest years. Its 2025 and 2026 cars rank strongest, but newer years have had less time to collect complaints. On any 2.3L EcoBoost, have a shop check for coolant loss and misfire codes, because reported failures ran from 26,000 to 86,000 miles. Also confirm the front camera shows no fault message.

Ford Mustang vs Toyota Camry: Common Questions

Is the Toyota Camry more reliable than the Ford Mustang?: Yes, by a large margin. The Camry has lower annual repair costs, fewer recalls, and about 2.1 owner complaints per 10,000 sold against 5.7 for the Mustang. The Mustang's one edge is fewer unscheduled shop visits each year, but its repairs are more likely to be major.
Which has more recalls, the Camry or the Mustang?: The Mustang has more. Federal recall records show 71 recalls across model years 2018 to 2026, compared with 35 for the Camry over the same nine years. Check any specific car's VIN for open recalls before you buy.
Which costs less to repair, the Camry or the Mustang?: The Camry. Independent repair-cost data puts it near $388 a year, while the Mustang runs about $709. Over five years that adds up to roughly $1,605 more for the Mustang, before counting any big out-of-warranty repair.
What is the biggest engine problem with the Mustang?: Coolant leaking into the cylinders of the 2.3L EcoBoost. Owners report rough cold starts, idle shaking, misfire codes, and falling coolant, with failures between 26,000 and 86,000 miles. Dealers quoted head gasket work or a full engine, with estimates near $11,000.
Does the Camry have any serious safety complaints?: Yes. Air bag complaints include 58 linked to crashes, with reports of front bags not deploying. Service brakes have 23 crash-linked complaints. Owners also describe the engine shutting off with the key removable while in Drive. Have brakes and warning lights checked before buying.

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Decided between Ford Mustang and Toyota Camry? Run a VIN check before you buy — uncover hidden accidents, title issues, and open recalls.

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How we score the Ford Mustang and Toyota Camry

Scores weight complaint severity at 35%, repair costs at 30%, recall impact at 20%, and the spread of complaints across systems at 15%, with complaint counts adjusted for US sales. Read the full methodology.

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