Last updated: 2026-10-10
Ford Mustang vs Toyota Supra: Reliability Compared

Ford Mustang

Toyota Supra
A slight reliability edge goes to the Toyota Supra over the Ford Mustang, mainly on lower repair costs and fewer recalls. Mustang owners face a costly 2.3L EcoBoost coolant leak, while the Supra's most serious reports involve steering and brakes.
How Do the Ford Mustang and Toyota Supra Generations Compare?
Verdict
The Toyota Supra is more reliable than the Ford Mustang, scoring 70/100 vs 67/100.
A slight edge goes to the Toyota Supra. It costs less to repair each year, and it has far fewer recalls across its model years. Its engine reports are also much rarer than the Mustang's coolant leaks into the 2.3L EcoBoost cylinders, which carried quotes near $11,000. The lead stays slight because Supra owners file more complaints per car sold, and the Supra sees slightly more unscheduled shop visits. Both cars land in good standing, so the gap is about cost and risk, not a clear winner.
Key Differences
- 1Toyota Supra costs $183 less per year to repair
- 2Toyota Supra has 54 fewer total recalls
- 3Ford Mustang has 8.5 fewer complaints per 10k sold
Category Scoreboard
Ford Mustang vs Toyota Supra: Which Is More Reliable?
| Metric | Ford Mustang | Toyota Supra |
|---|---|---|
| Reliability Score | 67/100 | 70/100 |
| Years Tracked | 9 | 7 |
| Total Recalls | 71 | 17 |
| Complaints per 10k Sold | 5.7 | 14.2 |
| Annual Repair Cost | $709/yr | $526/yr |
| Repair Frequency | 0.2/yr | 0.3/yr |
| Year Wins | 2 (1 tied) | 4 (1 tied) |
What Are the Common Problems With the Ford Mustang and Toyota Supra?
Breadth separates these two. The Mustang's trouble spreads over many systems: the digital instrument panel goes blank, power windows lower on their own, the 10-speed automatic clunks and lurches, and the 2.3L EcoBoost leaks coolant into its cylinders. Crash-linked reports appear in its electrical, power train, steering, and forward collision avoidance areas. Supra reports are thin but sharp. Steering assist fails at highway speed, braking power drops while slowing, and a plastic part in the B58TU oil pump can crack. Its crash-linked reports are limited to steering and brakes, with none in electrical.
| Component | Ford Mustang | Toyota Supra |
|---|---|---|
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 1.5Low | 3.5Average |
| ENGINE | 0.4Very Low | 2.4Low |
| STEERING | 0.2Very Low | 1.7Low |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 0.2Very Low | 1.7Low |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 0.6Very Low | 0.7Very Low |
| POWER TRAIN | 0.9Very Low | —None |
| FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 0.3Very Low | —None |
| STRUCTURE | 0.2Very Low | —None |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 0.2Very Low | —None |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 0.1Very Low | —None |
| VISIBILITY | 0.1Very Low | —None |
| AIR BAGS | 0.1Very Low | —None |
| BACK OVER PREVENTION | 0.1Very Low | —None |
| LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES | 0.1Very Low | —None |
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | —None | —None |
| WHEELS | —None | —None |
| FUEL SYSTEM | —None | —None |
| SUSPENSION | —None | —None |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING | —None | —None |
| VISIBILITY/WIPER | —None | —None |
| SEAT BELTS | —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 Supra?
How Does Ford Mustang vs Toyota Supra Reliability Compare by Year?
| Year | Ford Mustang | Toyota Supra | Edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 78/1001R / 0C | 78/1000R / 0C | Tie |
| 2025 | 73/1003R / 8C | 78/1000R / 0C | Toyota Supra |
| 2024 | 67/10010R / 63C | 73/1000R / 1C | Toyota Supra |
| 2023 | 72/1006R / 14C | 69/1002R / 5C | Ford Mustang |
| 2022 | 59/10017R / 154C | 68/1002R / 1C | Toyota Supra |
| 2021 | 54/10018R / 373C | 64/1005R / 19C | Toyota Supra |
| 2020 | 66/1008R / 101C | 63/1008R / 15C | Ford Mustang |
Best years to cross-shop: The 2023 Ford Mustang scored 72/100 and the 2024 Toyota Supra scored 73/100 — 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 Supra?
Ford Mustang vs Toyota Supra: Common Questions
- Is the Ford Mustang more reliable than the Toyota Supra?
- No, the Supra has a slight edge. It costs less to repair each year and has fewer recalls. The Mustang has far more owner complaints in total. Per car sold, though, Supra owners file more complaints, which is why the lead is small.
- Which has more recalls, the Mustang or the Supra?
- The Mustang has far more. Federal recall records show 71 recalls across its 9 model years, against 17 across the Supra's 7 model years. The Mustang covers two more model years, but it still carries the much bigger recall history.
- Which is cheaper to repair, the Mustang or the Supra?
- The Supra is cheaper. Independent repair-cost data puts it at about $526 a year against $709 for the Mustang. Over five years that is roughly $915 saved. The Supra does make slightly more unscheduled shop visits, at 0.3 a year versus 0.2.
- What is the biggest known problem with the Mustang?
- The 2.3L EcoBoost can leak coolant into its cylinders. Owners reported rough cold starts, shaking at idle, misfire codes, and falling coolant. Failures ran from 26,000 to 86,000 miles, and dealer estimates for head gasket work or a full engine were near $11,000.
- What goes wrong on the Toyota Supra?
- Complaints are few but cover steering, brakes, engine, and electrical faults. Power steering failed suddenly at highway speed, braking power dropped while slowing, and two filings described a cracked plastic part in the B58TU oil pump. The steering and brake areas each include one crash-linked report.
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Decided between Ford Mustang and Toyota Supra? Run a VIN check before you buy — uncover hidden accidents, title issues, and open recalls.
How we score the Ford Mustang and Toyota Supra
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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