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2021 Ford Mustang vs. 2021 Mazda CX-5

iSeeCars' unbiased and data-driven comparison of the 2021 Ford Mustang and 2021 Mazda CX-5 contrasts the two cars across a broad spectrum of vehicle specifications to determine which car is better. In addition to comparing pricing and specs, iSeeCars uses all the ratings, rankings, and insights from its comprehensive analyses of each vehicle model, including calculations of reliability, safety, depreciation, value retention, and the vehicle's projected lifetime recalls (based on analyzing over 25 billion data points). This in-depth evaluation is used to identify which vehicle represents a better overall choice for shoppers who are considering both the 2021 Ford Mustang and the 2021 Mazda CX-5.

When comparing the 2021 Ford Mustang's and the 2021 Mazda CX-5's specifications and ratings, the 2021 Ford Mustang has the advantage in the areas of reliability, resale value, overall quality score and base engine power. The 2021 Mazda CX-5 has the advantage in the areas of typical lower range of pricing for used cars, and fuel efficiency and interior volume. Based on this comparison of the 2021 Ford Mustang's and the 2021 Mazda CX-5's specifications and ratings, the 2021 Ford Mustang is a better car than the 2021 Mazda CX-5.

Pricing: A used 2021 Ford Mustang ranges from $23,343 to $83,255 while a used 2021 Mazda CX-5 is priced between $20,499 to $28,974.

Resale/Retained Value: Looking at the 5-year depreciation rate for both models, the 2021 Ford Mustang loses 26.2 percent of its value and the 2021 Mazda CX-5 loses 36.2 percent of its value. This means the 2021 Ford Mustang retains 10 percentage points more of its value and has the advantage of higher resale value versus the 2021 Mazda CX-5.

Quality Rating: The iSeeCars Overall Quality rating for the Ford Mustang is 8.5 out of 10 while the Mazda CX-5's quality rating is 8.2 out of 10. This results in the Ford Mustang being ranked 1 out of 15 Best Sports Cars and the Mazda CX-5 being ranked 10 out of 19 Best Small SUVs.

Reliability Rating: iSeeCars’ Reliability Rating for the Ford Mustang is 8.2 out of 10. For the Mazda CX-5 the reliability rating is 7.2 out of 10. This gives the Ford Mustang a slight advantage in reliability compared to the Mazda CX-5.

Engine Power and Fuel Efficiency Comparison: For engine performance, the 2021 Ford Mustang’s base engine makes 310 horsepower, and the 2021 Mazda CX-5 base engine makes 187 horsepower. The Mustang is rated to deliver an average of 24 miles per gallon, with a highway range of 450 miles. The CX-5 is rated to deliver an average of 28 miles per gallon, with a highway range of 459 miles. This gives the 2021 Mazda CX-5 the fuel efficiency and maximum range advantage over the 2021 Ford Mustang. Both models use regular unleaded.

Passenger Space Comparison: The 2021 Mazda CX-5, a crossover/compact SUV, has the advantage of offering more interior volume, reflected in more front head room, front shoulder room, rear head room, rear shoulder room, rear leg room, and cargo space. The 2021 Ford Mustang, a sports car, has the advantage in the area of front leg room.

Safety Ratings: When comparing crash test ratings from NHTSA, both the 2021 Ford Mustang and the 2021 Mazda CX-5 have the same average safety rating of 5 out of 5 Stars.

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Model & Pricing
2021 Ford Mustang
2021 Mazda CX-5

2021 Ford Mustang Coupe
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2021 Ford Mustang for Sale

2021 Mazda CX-5
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2021 Mazda CX-5 for Sale

New Car Pricing

Asking Price:

-

Starting MSRP:

$27,205

Category Avg Starting MSRP:
(Sports Cars)

$29,748

Category Starting MSRP Range:
(Sports Cars)

$25,000 - $33,045

New Car Pricing

Asking Price:

-

Starting MSRP:

$25,370

Category Avg Starting MSRP:
(Compact SUVs)

$25,515

Category Starting MSRP Range:
(Compact SUVs)

$23,700 - $27,890

Used Car Pricing

Avg Used Car Price:

$37,360

Price Range:

$23,343 - $83,255

Category Avg Price:
(Sports Cars)

$30,700

Category Avg Price Range:
(Sports Cars)

$25,191 - $37,360

# Used Cars for Sale Nationally:

844

Avg Mileage of Used Cars for Sale:

33,470

# Good or Great Deals:

221

Used Car Pricing

Avg Used Car Price:

$24,631

Price Range:

$20,499 - $28,974

Category Avg Price:
(Compact SUVs)

$24,444

Category Avg Price Range:
(Compact SUVs)

$20,734 - $27,641

# Used Cars for Sale Nationally:

2,266

Avg Mileage of Used Cars for Sale:

34,624

# Good or Great Deals:

704

Ford Mustang Scores & Rankings

Overall Score:

8.5 / 10

Reliability:

8.2 / 10

Retained Value:

8.9 / 10

Safety:

10.0 / 10

Mazda CX-5 Scores & Rankings

Overall Score:

8.2 / 10

Reliability:

7.2 / 10

Retained Value:

8.3 / 10

Safety:

9.0 / 10



iSeeCars Reliability Insights for 2021 Ford Mustang

Remaining Life Expectancy (years):

8.8

Typical Category Remaining Life Expectancy:
(Sports Cars)

8.8

Category Remaining Life Expectancy Range:
(Sports Cars)

5.9 - 12.3

Chance of Reaching 200k Miles for a New Car:

4.8%

iSeeCars Reliability Insights for 2021 Mazda CX-5

Remaining Life Expectancy (years):

9.3

Typical Category Remaining Life Expectancy:
(Compact SUVs)

7.9

Category Remaining Life Expectancy Range:
(Compact SUVs)

6.9 - 10.4

Chance of Reaching 200k Miles for a New Car:

23.9%



Expected 30-year Lifetime Recalls

Expected Lifetime Recalls:

4.1

Typical Category Recalls:
(Sports Cars)

2.9

Category Range for Recalls:
(Sports Cars)

1.6 - 4.1

Expected 30-year Lifetime Recalls

Expected Lifetime Recalls:

1.7

Typical Category Recalls:
(Compact SUVs)

4.4

Category Range for Recalls:
(Compact SUVs)

1.7 - 13.9

Ford Mustang Rankings

Best Sports Cars

1 / 15

Safest Sports Cars

1 / 15

Most Reliable Sports Cars

1 / 15

Best Manual Transmission Sports Cars

1 / 14

Best Sports Cars Under $35k

1 / 6

Most Reliable Sports Cars Under $30k

1 / 6

Most Reliable Sports Cars Under $35k

1 / 6

Most Reliable Sports Cars Under $40k

1 / 6

Best Gas Mileage Sports Cars

3 / 15

Most Comfortable Sports Cars

3 / 15

Sports Cars with the Most Horsepower

4 / 15

Best Sports Cars for the Money

4 / 7

Sports Cars with Best Resale Value

5 / 15

Most Affordable Sports Cars

5 / 10

Best Sports Cars for Tall People

8 / 15

Sports Cars with the Most Legroom

9 / 15

Mazda CX-5 Rankings

Small SUVs with the Most Horsepower

3 / 19

Best Crossover SUVs for Teens

4 / 7

Best Small SUVs for Teens

4 / 6

Small SUVs with Best Resale Value

5 / 19

Most Affordable Small SUVs

8 / 19

Best Crossover SUVs Under $30k

9 / 20

Best Small SUVs for Towing

9 / 19

Best Family Small SUVs

9 / 19

Small SUVs with the Most Legroom

9 / 19

Best Small SUVs Under $30k

9 / 14

Best Small SUVs

10 / 19

Best Small SUVs for Tall People

12 / 19

Most Reliable Small SUVs

14 / 19

Best Off-road Small SUVs

14 / 19

Most Comfortable Small SUVs

14 / 19

Small SUVs with the Most Cargo Space

15 / 19

Crossover SUVs with Best Resale Value

17 / 67

Best Gas Mileage Small SUVs

18 / 19

Best Family Crossover SUVs

19 / 67

Crossover SUVs with the Most Legroom

20 / 67

Most Affordable Crossover SUVs

20 / 59

Best Crossover SUVs

28 / 67

Crossover SUVs with the Most Horsepower

32 / 67

Most Reliable Crossover SUVs

34 / 67

Best Crossover SUVs for Towing

35 / 67

Best Off-road Crossover SUVs

35 / 67

Safest Crossover SUVs

36 / 67

Best Gas Mileage Crossover SUVs

39 / 67

Best Crossover SUVs for Tall People

43 / 67

Crossover SUVs with the Most Cargo Space

47 / 67

Most Comfortable Crossover SUVs

50 / 67

Available Body Styles

Convertible, Coupe

Available Body Styles

SUV

Available Drivetrain Options

Gasoline

Available Drivetrain Options

Gasoline

2021 Ford Mustang Trim Levels

Not yet available

2021 Mazda CX-5 Trim Levels

Carbon Edition, Carbon Edition Turbo, Grand Touring, Grand Touring Reserve, Signature, Sport, Touring

Warranty Information

Warranty, Bumper-to-Bumper:

3 years / 36000 miles

Warranty, Powertrain:

5 years / 60000 miles

Warranty, Roadside Assistance:

5 years / 60000 miles

Warranty Information

Warranty, Bumper-to-Bumper:

3 years / 36000 miles

Warranty, Powertrain:

5 years / 60000 miles

Warranty, Roadside Assistance:

3 years / 36000 miles

Safety Ratings

NHTSA Safety Rating (last 5 year average):

5 out of 5 Stars

2024 NHTSA Overall Rating:

5 out of 5 Stars

2024 NHTSA Front Crash Overall Rating:

5 out of 5 Stars

2024 NHTSA Side Crash Overall Rating:

5 out of 5 Stars

2024 NHTSA Rollover Rating:

5 out of 5 Stars

IIHS Safety Rating:

Not yet available

Safety Ratings

NHTSA Safety Rating (last 5 year average):

5 out of 5 Stars

2024 NHTSA Overall Rating:

4 out of 5 Stars

2024 NHTSA Front Crash Overall Rating:

5 out of 5 Stars

2024 NHTSA Side Crash Overall Rating:

5 out of 5 Stars

2024 NHTSA Rollover Rating:

4 out of 5 Stars

IIHS Safety Rating:

Not yet available

Base Drivetrain Specs

Horsepower:

310 hp @ 5500 rpm

Torque:

350 foot-lbs @ 3000 rpm

Power-to-Weight Ratio (higher is better):

0.089 hp per pound

Towing capacity:

Not yet available

Base Drivetrain Specs

Horsepower:

187 hp @ 6000 rpm

Torque:

186 foot-lbs @ 4000 rpm

Power-to-Weight Ratio (higher is better):

0.053 hp per pound

Towing capacity:

Not yet available

Engine Specifications

Engine Size:

2.3 liters

Engine Configuration:

Inline

Number of Cylinders:

4

Transmission:

Manual

Standard/Optional Drivetrain Type:

RWD

EPA Fuel Economy
(City/Highway/Combined MPG):


21 / 29 / 24

Range (city/hwy):

326 / 450 miles

Recommended Fuel Type:

Regular Unleaded

Engine Specifications

Engine Size:

2.5 liters

Engine Configuration:

Inline

Number of Cylinders:

4

Transmission:

Automatic

Standard/Optional Drivetrain Type:

FWD / AWD

EPA Fuel Economy
(City/Highway/Combined MPG):


25 / 31 / 28

Range (city/hwy):

370 / 459 miles

Recommended Fuel Type:

Regular Unleaded

Standard/Optional Features

Alloy wheels:

Standard

Bench Seats:

Standard

Bluetooth:

Standard

Keyless Entry:

Standard

Keyless Ignition:

Standard

Power outlet:

Standard

Voice Recognition:

Standard

Wifi:

Standard

Adaptive Cruise Control:

Available

Android Auto:

Available

Apple CarPlay:

Available

Cooled/Ventilated Seats:

Available

Heated Seats

Available

Heated Steering Wheel:

Available

Leather Upholstery:

Available

Navigation System:

Available

Paddle Shifters:

Available

Parking Sensors:

Available

Satellite radio:

Available

Air Suspension:

N/A

Automatic Parking:

N/A

Captain's seat:

N/A

Front Bench Seats:

N/A

Internet Radio:

N/A

Massage Seats:

N/A

Panoramic Sunroof/Moonroof

N/A

Power Lift Gate:

N/A

Quad Seats:

N/A

Roadside assistance:

N/A

Roof Rack:

N/A

Sunroof/Moonroof:

N/A

Trailer Hitch:

N/A

Wireless Smartphone Charging:

N/A

Standard/Optional Features

Alloy wheels:

Standard

Bench Seats:

Standard

Bluetooth:

Standard

Keyless Entry:

Standard

Keyless Ignition:

Standard

Power outlet:

Standard

Voice Recognition:

Standard

Wifi:

N/A

Adaptive Cruise Control:

Standard

Android Auto:

Standard

Apple CarPlay:

Standard

Cooled/Ventilated Seats:

Available

Heated Seats

Available

Heated Steering Wheel:

Available

Leather Upholstery:

Available

Navigation System:

Available

Paddle Shifters:

Available

Parking Sensors:

Available

Satellite radio:

Available

Air Suspension:

N/A

Automatic Parking:

N/A

Captain's seat:

N/A

Front Bench Seats:

N/A

Internet Radio:

Standard

Massage Seats:

N/A

Panoramic Sunroof/Moonroof

N/A

Power Lift Gate:

Available

Quad Seats:

N/A

Roadside assistance:

Standard

Roof Rack:

N/A

Sunroof/Moonroof:

Available

Trailer Hitch:

Available

Wireless Smartphone Charging:

N/A

Safety Features

Backup camera:

Standard

Blind Spot Monitoring:

Standard

Forward Collision Warning:

Standard

Lane Departure Warning:

Standard

Lane Keeping Assist:

Standard

Pedestrian Detection:

Standard

Rear Cross-Traffic Alert:

Standard

360-Degree Camera:

N/A

Driver Attention Monitoring:

N/A

Rear Seat Reminder:

N/A

Safety Features

Backup camera:

Standard

Blind Spot Monitoring:

Standard

Forward Collision Warning:

Standard

Lane Departure Warning:

Standard

Lane Keeping Assist:

Standard

Pedestrian Detection:

Standard

Rear Cross-Traffic Alert:

Standard

360-Degree Camera:

Available

Driver Attention Monitoring:

Available

Rear Seat Reminder:

N/A

Interior Dimensions

Front Head Room:

37.6 inches

Front Leg Room:

45.1 inches

Front Shoulder Room:

56.3 inches

Rear Head Room:

34.8 inches

Rear Leg Room:

29 inches

Rear Shoulder Room:

52.2 inches

Cargo Space:

13.5 cubic feet

Cargo Space, 2nd-row seat folded down:

Not yet available

Overall Interior Volume:

82.8 cubic feet

Interior Dimensions

Front Head Room:

39.7 inches

Front Leg Room:

41 inches

Front Shoulder Room:

57.1 inches

Rear Head Room:

39 inches

Rear Leg Room:

39.6 inches

Rear Shoulder Room:

54.8 inches

Cargo Space:

30.9 cubic feet

Cargo Space, 2nd-row seat folded down:

59.6 cubic feet

Overall Interior Volume:

134.5 cubic feet

Exterior Dimensions

Curb Weight:

3491 lbs

Width:

81.9 inches

Height:

54.3 inches

Length:

188.5 inches

Wheelbase:

107.1 inches

Ground Clearance:

Not yet available

Exterior Dimensions

Curb Weight:

3552 lbs

Width:

83.3 inches

Height:

66.2 inches

Length:

179.1 inches

Wheelbase:

106.2 inches

Ground Clearance:

7.5 inches

Standard Wheel/Tire Information

Wheel Size:

17.0 x 7.5 inches

Wheel Type:

painted aluminum alloy

Tire Size:

P235/55R17

Standard Wheel/Tire Information

Wheel Size:

17.0 x 7.0 inches

Wheel Type:

aluminum alloy

Tire Size:

P225/65R17

Exterior Colors

Black

Shadow Black

Blue

Antimatter Blue / Velocity Blue

Gray

Carbonized Grey

Orange

Twister Orange Tri-Coat

Red

Race Red / Rapid Red Metallic Tinted Clearcoat

Silver

Iconic Silver

White

Oxford White

Yellow

Grabber Yellow

Exterior Colors

Black

Jet Black Mica

Blue

Eternal Blue Mica

Gray

Not available

Orange

Not available

Red

Soul Red Crystal Metallic

Silver

Not available

White

Snowflake White Pearl Mica

Yellow

Not available

Interior Colors

Black

Ebony

Gray

Dark Ceramic

Interior Colors

Black

Black

Gray

Not available

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