Certified Benz & Beemer Compares 2010 Jaguar XK VS 2010 Ford Mustang Near Phoenix, AZ

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Jaguar XK Coupe are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The Ford Mustang doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

The XK has standard whiplash protection, which use a specially designed headrest to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the whiplash protection system moves the headrests forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Mustang doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

The Jaguar XK has Daytime Running Lights to help keep it more visible under all conditions. Canadian government studies show that driving with lights during the day reduces accidents by 11% by making vehicles more conspicuous. The Mustang doesn’t offer Daytime Running Lights.

Both the XK and the Mustang have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, four wheel antilock brakes, traction control and electronic stability systems to prevent skidding.

The XK comes with a full 4 year/50,000 mile basic warranty, which covers the entire car and includes 24 hour roadside assistance. The Mustang’s 3 year/36,000 mile basic warranty expires 1 year and 14,000 miles sooner.

The XK’s corrosion warranty is 1 year longer than the Mustang’s (6 vs. 5 years).

Jaguar pays for scheduled maintenance on the XK for 1 year and 12000 miles. Jaguar will pay for oil changes, tire rotation, lubrication and any other scheduled maintenance. Ford doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Mustang.

J.D. Power and Associates’ surveys of the owners of three-year-old cars provide the long-term dependability statistics that show that Jaguar vehicles are more reliable than Ford vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Jaguar first in reliability. With 37 more problems per 100 vehicles, Ford is ranked 10th.

The XK has more powerful engines than the Mustang:

For more instantaneous acceleration and better engine flexibility in any gear, the XK’s engines produce their peak torque at lower RPM’s than the Mustang:

For better stopping power the XK’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Mustang:

The XK’s brakes have 20% more swept area (the area covered by the brake pads) than the Mustang GT (539 vs. 449 square inches), so the XK has more braking power available. The XK’s brakes have 9% more swept area (the area covered by the brake pads) than the Mustang GT500 (539 vs. 495 square inches).

The XK’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs standard on the Mustang V6 are solid, not vented.

In an emergency stopping situation, many drivers don’t press the brakes with enough force to stop the vehicle in the shortest distance. The XK has a standard brake assist system to detect emergency braking situations (by how hard and how quickly the brake pedal is pressed) and then automatically apply maximum braking immediately in order to help prevent a collision. The Mustang doesn’t offer a brake assist feature.

The XK stops much shorter than the Mustang:

For better traction, the XK has larger standard tires than the Mustang (F:245/40R19 & R:275/35R19 vs. 215/60R17).

The XK’s standard 245/40R19 front and 275/35R19 rear tires provide better handling because they have a lower 40 series front and 35 series rear profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Mustang’s standard 60 series tires. The XK’s optional 255/35R20 front and 285/30R20 rear tires have a lower 35 series front and 30 series rear profile than the Mustang GT500 Coupe’s 40 series front and 35 series rear tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the XK has standard 19 inch wheels. Smaller 17 inch wheels are standard on the Mustang. The XK’s optional 20 inch wheels are larger than the 19 inch wheels optional on the Mustang GT.

Changing a flat tire near traffic can be dangerous and inconvenient. The run-flat tires available on the XK can be driven up to 50 miles without any air pressure, allowing you to drive to a service station for a repair. The Mustang doesn’t offer run-flat tires.

For superior ride and handling, the Jaguar XK has fully independent front and rear suspensions. An independent suspension allows the wheels to follow the road at the best angle for gripping the pavement, without compromising ride comfort. The Ford Mustang has a solid rear axle, with a non-independent rear suspension.

The XK has a standard continuously variable suspension system. Using sensors on steering angle, speed and other driver inputs, the shocks soften to improve ride, or stiffen when appropriate to aid handling on tricky roads. The Mustang’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

The XK has vehicle speed sensitive variable-assist power steering, for low-effort parking, better control at highway speeds and during hard cornering, and a better feel of the road. The Mustang doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the XK’s wheelbase is 1.2 inches longer than on the Mustang (108.3 inches vs. 107.1 inches).

The XKR Coupe goes through Road & Track’s slalom faster than the Mustang GT Coupe (69.4 vs. 69.1 MPH).

The XK Coupe has .6 inches more front legroom and 1.3 inches more front shoulder room than the Mustang Coupe.

The XK Convertible has .6 inches more front legroom and 1.2 inches more front shoulder room than the Mustang Convertible.

With its convertible body style, valet key and remote trunk release lockout, the XK offers cargo security. The Mustang’s non-lockable folding seat and non-lockable remote release defeat cargo security.