BMW 3 Series vs. Ford Mustang
iSeeCars' unbiased and data-driven comparison of the BMW 3 Series and Ford Mustang 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 BMW 3 Series and the Ford Mustang.
In comparing the BMW 3 Series's and the Ford Mustang's specifications and ratings, the BMW 3 Series has the advantage in the area of interior volume. The Ford Mustang has the advantage in the areas of typical lower range of pricing for one- to five-year-old used cars, and fuel efficiency and base engine power. Based on this comparison of the BMW 3 Series's and the Ford Mustang's specifications and ratings, the Ford Mustang is a better car than the BMW 3 Series.
Pricing: A used 2013 BMW 3 Series ranges from $8,017 to $19,987 while a used 2013 Ford Mustang is priced between $7,370 to $24,833.
Engine Power and Fuel Efficiency Comparison: For engine performance, the BMW 3 Series’s base engine makes 230 horsepower, and the Ford Mustang base engine makes 305 horsepower. The 3 Series is rated to deliver an average of 20 miles per gallon, with a highway range of 419 miles. The Mustang is rated to deliver an average of 22 miles per gallon, with a highway range of 464 miles. This gives the Ford Mustang the fuel efficiency and maximum range advantage over the BMW 3 Series. Both models use gasoline.
Passenger Space Comparison: The BMW 3 Series has the advantage of offering more interior volume, reflected in more rear head room, rear shoulder room and rear leg room. The Ford Mustang has the advantage in the areas of front head room, front shoulder room, front leg room, and cargo space.
New Car Pricing
Asking Price:
-
Starting MSRP:
47600
Category Avg Starting MSRP:
(Luxury Compact Cars)
35454
Category Starting MSRP Range:
(Luxury Compact Cars)
23080 - 47600
New Car Pricing
Asking Price:
-
Starting MSRP:
27200
Category Avg Starting MSRP:
(Sports Cars)
28134
Category Starting MSRP Range:
(Sports Cars)
22200 - 41470
Used Car Pricing
Avg Used Car Price:
13450
Price Range:
8017 - 19987
Category Avg Price:
(Luxury Compact Cars)
11326
Category Avg Price Range:
(Luxury Compact Cars)
8034 - 15257
# Used Cars for Sale Nationally:
333
Avg Mileage of Used Cars for Sale:
107362
# Good or Great Deals:
130
Used Car Pricing
Avg Used Car Price:
14996
Price Range:
7370 - 24833
Category Avg Price:
(Sports Cars)
17475
Category Avg Price Range:
(Sports Cars)
14597 - 20497
# Used Cars for Sale Nationally:
232
Avg Mileage of Used Cars for Sale:
82843
# Good or Great Deals:
74
BMW 3 Series Scores & Rankings
Overall Score:
Not available
Reliability:
Not available
Retained Value:
Not available
Safety:
Not available
Ford Mustang Scores & Rankings
Overall Score:
7.6 / 10
Reliability:
7.2 / 10
Retained Value:
8.0 / 10
Safety:
Not available
iSeeCars Reliability Insights for BMW 3 Series
Remaining Life Expectancy (years):
Typical Category Remaining Life Expectancy:
N/A
Category Remaining Life Expectancy Range:
N/A
Chance of Reaching 200k Miles for a New Car:
iSeeCars Reliability Insights for Ford Mustang
Remaining Life Expectancy (years):
Typical Category Remaining Life Expectancy:
N/A
Category Remaining Life Expectancy Range:
N/A
Chance of Reaching 200k Miles for a New Car:
Expected 30-year Lifetime Recalls
Expected Lifetime Recalls:
31.271449422945377
Typical Category Recalls:
(Luxury Compact Cars)
4.2
Category Range for Recalls:
(Luxury Compact Cars)
1.0 - 31.3
Expected 30-year Lifetime Recalls
Expected Lifetime Recalls:
3.702619074163959
Typical Category Recalls:
(Sports Cars)
2.4
Category Range for Recalls:
(Sports Cars)
0.8 - 4.0
BMW 3 Series Rankings
Not yet available
Ford Mustang Rankings
Ranking
2 out of / 5Ranking
2 out of / 5Ranking
3 out of / 5Ranking
3 out of / 5Ranking
3 out of / 5Ranking
3 out of / 4Ranking
3 out of / 4Ranking
4 out of / 12Ranking
4 out of / 12Ranking
4 out of / 8Ranking
4 out of / 5Ranking
4 out of / 5Ranking
4 out of / 4Ranking
5 out of / 5Ranking
6 out of / 12Ranking
6 out of / 12Ranking
6 out of / 8Ranking
7 out of / 11Ranking
8 out of / 12Ranking
8 out of / 12Ranking
8 out of / 12Ranking
12 out of / 12Available Body Styles
Convertible, Coupe, Sedan
Available Body Styles
Convertible, Coupe
Available Drivetrain Options
Gasoline, Hybrid
Available Drivetrain Options
Gasoline
BMW 3 Series Trim Levels
Not yet available
Ford Mustang Trim Levels
Not yet available
Warranty Information
Warranty, Bumper-to-Bumper:
4 years / 50000 miles
Warranty, Powertrain:
4 years / 50000 miles
Warranty, Roadside Assistance:
4 years
Warranty Information
Warranty, Bumper-to-Bumper:
3 years / 36000 miles
Warranty, Powertrain:
5 years / 60000 miles
Warranty, Roadside Assistance:
5 years / 60000 miles
Safety Ratings
NHTSA Safety Rating (last 5 year average):
Not yet available
2026 NHTSA Overall Rating:
5 out of 5 Stars
2026 NHTSA Front Crash Overall Rating:
Not yet available
2026 NHTSA Side Crash Overall Rating:
Not yet available
2026 NHTSA Rollover Rating:
5 out of 5 Stars
IIHS Safety Rating:
Not yet available
Safety Ratings
NHTSA Safety Rating (last 5 year average):
Not yet available
2026 NHTSA Overall Rating:
5 out of 5 Stars
2026 NHTSA Front Crash Overall Rating:
Not yet available
2026 NHTSA Side Crash Overall Rating:
Not yet available
2026 NHTSA Rollover Rating:
5 out of 5 Stars
IIHS Safety Rating:
Not yet available
Base Drivetrain Specs
Horsepower:
230 hp @ 6500 rpm
Torque:
200 foot-lbs @ 2750 rpm
Power-to-Weight Ratio (higher is better):
0.061 hp per pound
Base Drivetrain Specs
Horsepower:
305 hp @ 6500 rpm
Torque:
280 foot-lbs @ 4250 rpm
Power-to-Weight Ratio (higher is better):
0.084 hp per pound
Engine Specifications
Engine Size:
3 liters
Engine Configuration:
Inline
Number of Cylinders:
6
Transmission:
Manual
Standard/Optional Drivetrain Type:
RWD
EPA Fuel Economy
(City/Highway/Combined MPG):
17 / 26 / 20
Range (city/hwy):
274 / 419 miles
Recommended Fuel Type:
Gasoline
Engine Specifications
Engine Size:
3.7 liters
Engine Configuration:
V
Number of Cylinders:
6
Transmission:
Manual
Standard/Optional Drivetrain Type:
RWD
EPA Fuel Economy
(City/Highway/Combined MPG):
19 / 29 / 22
Range (city/hwy):
304 / 464 miles
Recommended Fuel Type:
Gasoline
Standard/Optional Features
Alloy wheels:
Standard
Bench Seats:
Standard
Bluetooth:
Standard
Keyless Entry:
Standard
Keyless Ignition:
Standard
Leather Upholstery:
Standard
Navigation System:
Standard
Power outlet:
Standard
Roadside assistance:
Standard
Satellite radio:
Standard
Adaptive Cruise Control:
Available
Heated Seats
Available
Heated Steering Wheel:
Available
Paddle Shifters:
Available
Parking Sensors:
Available
Voice Recognition:
Available
Air Suspension:
N/A
Android Auto:
N/A
Apple CarPlay:
N/A
Automatic Parking:
N/A
Captain's seat:
N/A
Cooled/Ventilated Seats:
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
Roof Rack:
N/A
Sunroof/Moonroof:
N/A
Trailer Hitch:
N/A
Wifi:
N/A
Wireless Smartphone Charging:
N/A
Standard/Optional Features
Alloy wheels:
Standard
Bench Seats:
Standard
Bluetooth:
Available
Keyless Entry:
Standard
Keyless Ignition:
Available
Leather Upholstery:
Available
Navigation System:
Available
Power outlet:
Standard
Roadside assistance:
N/A
Satellite radio:
Available
Adaptive Cruise Control:
N/A
Heated Seats
Available
Heated Steering Wheel:
N/A
Paddle Shifters:
N/A
Parking Sensors:
Available
Voice Recognition:
Available
Air Suspension:
N/A
Android Auto:
N/A
Apple CarPlay:
N/A
Automatic Parking:
N/A
Captain's seat:
N/A
Cooled/Ventilated Seats:
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
Roof Rack:
N/A
Sunroof/Moonroof:
N/A
Trailer Hitch:
N/A
Wifi:
N/A
Wireless Smartphone Charging:
N/A
Safety Features
360-Degree Camera:
N/A
Backup camera:
N/A
Blind Spot Monitoring:
N/A
Driver Attention Monitoring:
N/A
Forward Collision Warning:
N/A
Lane Departure Warning:
N/A
Lane Keeping Assist:
N/A
Pedestrian Detection:
N/A
Rear Cross-Traffic Alert:
N/A
Rear Seat Reminder:
N/A
Safety Features
360-Degree Camera:
N/A
Backup camera:
N/A
Blind Spot Monitoring:
N/A
Driver Attention Monitoring:
N/A
Forward Collision Warning:
N/A
Lane Departure Warning:
N/A
Lane Keeping Assist:
N/A
Pedestrian Detection:
N/A
Rear Cross-Traffic Alert:
N/A
Rear Seat Reminder:
N/A
Interior Dimensions
Front Head Room:
38 inches
Front Leg Room:
41.8 inches
Front Shoulder Room:
55 inches
Rear Head Room:
37 inches
Rear Leg Room:
31.9 inches
Rear Shoulder Room:
49 inches
Cargo Space:
9 cubic feet
Overall Interior Volume:
84.0 cubic feet
Interior Dimensions
Front Head Room:
38.8 inches
Front Leg Room:
42.4 inches
Front Shoulder Room:
55.3 inches
Rear Head Room:
36.5 inches
Rear Leg Room:
29.8 inches
Rear Shoulder Room:
45 inches
Cargo Space:
9.6 cubic feet
Overall Interior Volume:
81.0 cubic feet
Exterior Dimensions
Curb Weight:
3792 lbs
Width:
78.1 inches
Height:
54.5 inches
Length:
180.6 inches
Wheelbase:
108.7 inches
Ground Clearance:
Not yet available
Exterior Dimensions
Curb Weight:
3630 lbs
Width:
80.1 inches
Height:
55.8 inches
Length:
188.5 inches
Wheelbase:
107.1 inches
Ground Clearance:
Not yet available
Standard Wheel/Tire Information
Wheel Size:
17.0 x 8.0 inches
Wheel Type:
aluminum alloy
Tire Size:
P225/45R17
Standard Wheel/Tire Information
Wheel Size:
17.0 x 7.0 inches
Wheel Type:
painted aluminum alloy
Tire Size:
P225/60R17
Exterior Colors
Beige
Orion Silver Metallic
Black
Black Sapphire Metallic / Jet Black
Blue
Deep Sea Blue Metallic / Le Mans Blue Metallic / Liquid Blue Metallic
Gray
Space Gray Metallic
Red
Crimson Red / Vermilion Red Metallic
Silver
Titanium Silver Metallic
White
Alpine White / Mineral White Metallic
Green
Not available
Exterior Colors
Beige
Not available
Black
Black
Blue
Deep Impact Blue Metallic / Grabber Blue
Gray
Sterling Gray Metallic
Red
Race Red / Red Candy Metallic Tinted Clearcoat
Silver
Ingot Silver Metallic
White
Performance White
Green
Gotta Have It Green Metallic Tri-Coat
Interior Colors
Beige
Cream Beige
Black
Black
Brown
Saddle Brown
Gray
Gray/Black
Red
Coral Red/Black
White
Cream Beige / Oyster/Black
Interior Colors
Beige
Not available
Black
Not available
Brown
Not available
Gray
Charcoal Black / Medium Stone
Red
Not available
White
Not available
