Compare the2024 Ford MustangVS 2024 Mercedes CLE

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Mustang are reminded to check the back seat. The CLE doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Mustang’s standard lane departure warning system alerts a temporarily inattentive driver when the vehicle begins to leave its lane and gently nudges the vehicle back towards its lane. A lane departure warning system costs extra on the CLE.

Both the Mustang and the CLE have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning and driver alert monitors.

Ford’s powertrain warranty covers the Mustang 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than Mercedes covers the CLE. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 5 years or 60,000 miles. Coverage on the CLE ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

There are almost 8 times as many Ford dealers as there are Mercedes dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Mustang’s warranty.

The Mustang has a standard “limp home system” to keep drivers from being stranded if most or all of the engine’s coolant is lost. The engine will run on only half of its cylinders at a time, reduce its power and light a warning lamp on the dashboard so the driver can get to a service station for repairs. The CLE doesn’t offer a lost coolant limp home mode, so a coolant leak could strand you or seriously damage the car’s engine.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Ford vehicles are more reliable than Mercedes vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Ford above average in long-term dependability. With 4 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Mercedes is rated below average.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Ford vehicles are more reliable than Mercedes vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Ford 7 places higher in reliability than Mercedes.

The Mustang has more powerful engines than the CLE:

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Ford Mustang uses regular unleaded gasoline (premium recommended for maximum performance). The CLE requires premium, which can cost on average about 82.8 cents more per gallon.

The Mustang has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The CLE doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

The Mustang offers a manual transmission for better acceleration, control and sportiness. The CLE doesn’t offer a manual transmission.

A 10-speed automatic is standard on the Ford Mustang, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only a nine-speed automatic is available for the CLE.

The Ford Mustang may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 550 to 800 pounds less than the Mercedes CLE.

The Mustang Convertible uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The CLE doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

The Mustang Fastback has 2.4 inches more front legroom and .6 inches more front shoulder room than the CLE.

The Mustang Convertible has a much larger trunk with its top down than the CLE with its top down (11.4 vs. 10 cubic feet).