Ford Mustang vs Volkswagen Crafter

The Ford Mustang starts from $72,990 before on-road costs, while the Volkswagen Crafter opens at $70,990. That makes the Volkswagen Crafter the more affordable entry point by $2,000.

Once you factor in stamp duty, registration, CTP insurance, and dealer delivery, expect to add roughly 8-12% on top of the RRP depending on your state. That puts estimated driveaway prices in the ballpark of $80,289 and $78,089 respectively.

Over 5 years, the running costs favour the Volkswagen Crafter by roughly $1,280 in fuel alone.

ANCAP safety ratings have not been published for both models yet. We will update this section when crash test results are available.

The Ford Mustang features a 13.2-inch touchscreen paired with a 12.4-inch digital dash, while the Volkswagen Crafter gets a 10.4-inch display and 10.3-inch instruments. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard across both.

The Ford Mustang stands out with wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, wireless charging, heated front seats, ventilated seats, Bang & Olufsen audio and ambient lighting — features our data doesn't list for the Volkswagen Crafter. The Volkswagen Crafter counters with Apple CarPlay. Which feature set matters more depends on your daily routine and priorities.

Interior trim differs: the Ford Mustang gets leather upholstery while the Volkswagen Crafter offers cloth. Climate control is 2-zone in the Ford Mustang and 1-zone in the Volkswagen Crafter.

The Ford Mustang uses a Petrol I4 Turbo producing 232kW and 475Nm of torque, sent through a 10-speed automatic to a RWD layout. It covers the 0-100km/h sprint in 5.6 seconds.

The Volkswagen Crafter responds with a Diesel I4 Bi-Turbo TDI making 130kW and 410Nm, paired to a 8-speed automatic w/ torque converter driving the front wheels.

The Ford Mustang has the clear power advantage at 232kW vs 130kW. For most buyers, the way each car feels day-to-day matters more than outright acceleration.

The Ford Mustang measures 4,811mm long on a 2,719mm wheelbase, 1175mm shorter than the Volkswagen Crafter at 5,986mm (3,640mm wheelbase). The longer wheelbase on the Volkswagen Crafter generally means more rear legroom.

Boot space is 408L in the Ford Mustang and 2530L in the Volkswagen Crafter, giving the Volkswagen Crafter a 2122L advantage. The Volkswagen Crafter seats 12 vs 4.

Based on 15,000km of annual driving, fuel costs roughly $2,679/year for the Ford Mustang and $2,423/year for the Volkswagen Crafter. That is a $256 annual difference in favour of the Volkswagen Crafter.

Warranty: 5 years (Ford Mustang) vs 5 years (Volkswagen Crafter). Both match on warranty length.