2013 Ford Mustang vs. Its Competition

Bengt Halvorson Senior Editor

Look at the nameplates and badges, and you might think that the muscle-car era never ended.

The 2013 Ford Mustang is in direct rivalry with the Chevrolet Camaro and Dodge Challenger, but they're each very different vehicles.

Of these, the Chevrolet Camaro is almost cartoonish, and it makes some seemingly severe sacrifices in seating comfort and layout for its chunky good looks.

In the Camaro, you might feel that you sit 'on' (rather than 'in' the car (with limited headroom).

Meanwhile, the Challenger models are a full size larger and feel much heavier--although they do deliver satisfying Hemi V-8 performance.

Also, the V-6 version now is a worthy competitor to cars like the Hyundai Genesis Coupe and Nissan 370Z.

The Z is lighter, more nimble and more like an all-out sports car than the Mustang.

Also, for 2013 the Hyundai Genesis Coupe has been refreshed, with stronger new direct-injection engines; it lacks the Z's sharp-edged responsiveness, but it's a nimble, track-worthy coupe with newfound finesse (and an attractive price).

The V-8 Mustang GT feels like a serious performance car now, and it's just as quick as the Chevrolet Camaro SS, and we like its rev-happy feel a little better.