Last updated: 2026-10-10

Ford Mustang vs Toyota Supra: Reliability Compared

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?

Used Mustang shoppers meet two generations. The sixth ran from 2015 to 2023 and received an update for 2018, so the 2018 to 2023 cars here, including the weaker 2021 and 2022 years, belong to it. The seventh generation began with the 2024 model year, and those cars have had little time to collect complaints. For the Supra, the fifth generation (J29/DB) began in 2019. The years compared here run from 2020 to 2026, and the weakest ones, 2020 and 2021, are the earliest in that run.

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

  1. 1Toyota Supra costs $183 less per year to repair
  2. 2Toyota Supra has 54 fewer total recalls
  3. 3Ford Mustang has 8.5 fewer complaints per 10k sold

Category Scoreboard

2Ford Mustang
—
3Toyota Supra
Reliability ScoreTotal RecallsComplaint RateAnnual Repair CostRepair Frequency

Ford Mustang vs Toyota Supra: Which Is More Reliable?

Ford Mustang vs Toyota Supra at-a-glance reliability comparison
MetricFord MustangToyota Supra
Reliability Score67/10070/100
Years Tracked97
Total Recalls7117
Complaints per 10k Sold5.714.2
Annual Repair Cost$709/yr$526/yr
Repair Frequency0.2/yr0.3/yr
Year Wins2 (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.

Ford Mustang vs Toyota Supra common problem areas comparison
ComponentFord MustangToyota Supra
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM1.5Low3.5Average
ENGINE0.4Very Low2.4Low
STEERING0.2Very Low1.7Low
SERVICE BRAKES0.2Very Low1.7Low
UNKNOWN OR OTHER0.6Very Low0.7Very Low
POWER TRAIN0.9Very Low—None
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE0.3Very Low—None
STRUCTURE0.2Very Low—None
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL0.2Very Low—None
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING0.1Very Low—None
VISIBILITY0.1Very Low—None
AIR BAGS0.1Very Low—None
BACK OVER PREVENTION0.1Very Low—None
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES0.1Very 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?

Repair bills run lower on the Supra, at an estimated $526 a year against $709 for the Mustang. That $183 gap adds up to roughly $915 over five years. The Supra does go to the shop slightly more often, 0.3 unscheduled visits a year against 0.2. The Mustang has a 14% chance that a repair is major, and no major-repair figure was given for the Supra. The biggest single Mustang bill in the data is the EcoBoost engine work, quoted near $11,000.

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

Ford Mustang vs Toyota Supra year-by-year reliability scores
YearFord MustangToyota SupraEdge
202678/1001R / 0C78/1000R / 0CTie
202573/1003R / 8C78/1000R / 0CToyota Supra
202467/10010R / 63C73/1000R / 1CToyota Supra
202372/1006R / 14C69/1002R / 5CFord Mustang
202259/10017R / 154C68/1002R / 1CToyota Supra
202154/10018R / 373C64/1005R / 19CToyota Supra
202066/1008R / 101C63/1008R / 15CFord 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?

Pick the Supra if you want the lower running bill and a shorter list of known trouble spots. Target 2025 or 2026 for the best standing, though newer cars have had less time to collect complaints. Avoid 2020 and 2021, its weakest years. Test the steering and brakes on a long drive, and check that the oil level reading works, since a failed reading was cited as an early warning on the B58TU engine. Pick the Mustang if you want the larger choice of cars and can accept a wider range of possible faults. Its weakest years are 2021 and 2022, so skip those unless the price is clearly lower. The newest years, 2026 and 2025, rank strongest, but they have had less time to collect complaints. If you are looking at a 2.3L EcoBoost, ask for coolant service history, since failures were reported from 26,000 to 86,000 miles, often just after warranty ended. Also confirm the driver-assist camera shows no fault messages on a test drive.

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.

Decided between Ford Mustang and Toyota Supra? 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 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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