If you’re a modern muscle car enthusiast, your choices live and die with Dodge, Ford, and Chevrolet offerings. Two of the most accomplished contemporary examples are the Ford Mustang and the Dodge Challenger. Still, if you’re undecided about which American car to buy, you should consider each one’s strengths and weaknesses. Here are four advantages the 2022 Ford Mustang has that the 2022 Dodge Challenger doesn’t. 

How much does a 2022 Ford Mustang cost?

A 2022 Ford Mustang GT has a starting price of $38,940. While that seems high, it’s cheaper than the closest competitor in the Challenger lineup. According to TrueCar, a 2022 Dodge Challenger R/T starts at $40,275. Also, the Challenger R/T packs a 375-horsepower 5.7L Hemi V8. While the Mustang GT’s motor is smaller (5.0L), it produces an impressive 450 horsepower. 

To trump the GT’s horsepower in a Challenger, you’ll have to spring for an R/T Scat Pack and its monstrous 6.4L naturally-aspirated (N/A) V8. The Scat Pack produces 485 horsepower, but it’ll cost you an additional $6,650 to jump from the R/T.  

How big is a 2022 Dodge Challenger?

A 2022 Dodge Challenger, without the addition of the widebody kit, is 198 inches long and 75.7 inches wide. That’s big. According to Car and Driver, the 2022 Ford Mustang is 188.5 inches long and 75.4 inches wide. So, while the difference in width is negligible, the Challenger is nearly 10 inches longer than the Mustang. While that might not be a problem for everyone, drivers in urban environments will likely not have as much space to spare for the big Dodge. 

Finally, the Dodge Challenger is heavier than the Ford Mustang. For instance, Challenger SRT Hellcats can weigh nearly 4,500 lbs, quite a bit more than any gas-powered Mustang on the market.

Does Mustang have good fuel economy?

The 2022 Ford Mustang offers an EcoBoost trim, which accomplishes a combined fuel economy of 24 mpg. In comparison, the bottom-tier 2022 Challenger SXT squeezes a respectable combined fuel economy of 23 mpg from its 3.6L Pentastar V6 engine. If that one mpg wasn’t enough, the EcoBoost also makes an additional seven horsepower over the Challenger.

The news is the same if you’re after an upper-tier N/A V8. According to TrueCar, the Dodge Challenger R/T Scat Pack Widebody manages 16 mpg combined. The new Ford Mustang Mach 1, a track-focused pony car, gets 17 mpg combined, although it is much faster. 

Is Dodge discontinuing the Challenger?

The biggest issue with the Dodge Challenger is that the company is discontinuing it after 2024. The Ford Mustang, however, is going to continue into the S650 generation car. Also, love it or hate it, the Mustang is electrifying already with the Mustang Mach-E. However, Dodge is planning its first electric muscle car, which could be Challenger-esque. 

Should you buy a 2022 Ford Mustang or 2022 Dodge Challenger?

Even if you have the cash to spring for a 2022 Dodge Challenger Scat Pack with more horsepower than the Mustang GT, the lighter GT is quicker from a standstill. So, if you’re not a Mopar fan, you should strongly consider a 2022 Ford Mustang over a 2022 Dodge Challenger. However, if your heart beats to the sound of a Hemi, you’re probably already decided. 

Scroll down to the following article to read more about muscle cars like the Mustang and Challenger!