I've been a Mustang fan all my life, so I'm bias towards it. However, I love the new Camaro, and I got to drive an SS 6spd MT today.

I'm 6'2", and never had issues fitting into a car. When I sit in the Camaro, my head is touching the roof. Seat all the way down. The sunroof just kills the headroom. The sun visors in the Mustang are cheap, IMO, but the Camaro's are even worse.

Put the clutch in, and I immediately can tell how, not only how much harder the clutch is to push in, but I personally don't like how it springs out at you. I haven't even come close to stalling the 5.0, but the SS clutch is not easy to manipulate. Probably just something I'd have to get used to. It also seemed like my flip flops were tight between the brake pedal and the trans hump, to the point where it felt my foot got stuck sometimes.

The start positing on the key seems wrong. the FOB doesn't fit in your hand right as you're cranking it. And I really like the one touch start of the Mustang.

The interior experience of the Mustang is leaps ahead of the Camaro. What is that stupid, giant piece of plastic trim across the door?!?! I love the lit up "Mustang" on the door sill, and the whole MyColor interior. I really don't see how anyone over 6 foot can actually be comfortable in the Camaro.

Backing up in this thing is horrendous! No back-up cam, The worst blind spots in any car I've ever driven. I'm so spoiled with my Nav / backup cam in the Stang. And I just love the yellow and red lines as you back up. It did have the radar back-up sensors, which helps some.

The shifter is sloppy. The shifts seemed a little longer, but the way you can twist the shifter while in gear makes it feel like it's sloppy.

I LOVE the Camaro's gauge pack. So retro. But looking down at them gives me the same sick feeling as if I'm texting while driving.

The SS felt raw, which for a muscle car is pretty good. My 07 GT sounded louder than my 11 cause it wasn't as smooth and quiet. The Mustang feels more world class while driving. Almost like the better comparison is comparing a GT to an M3, while the Camaro would be compared to a Challenger.

The SS honestly felt so much slower than my 3.73 5.0. In 6th gear, my 5.0 is pushing about 33 mph. The SS was pushing 42 mph. So obviously the SS was geared differently, but it really felt like the SS needed more gearing. I never drove a 3.31 5.0, but I would think that it would feel somewhat like this. My 5.0 pulls SO HARD in 2nd gear. I just didn't get that in the SS. Maybe the bigger car made it feel slower, but even the speedo wasn't getting there quickly like my 5.0.

You really feel claustrophobic in the Camaro. The moonroof is tiny. I prefer my glass roof to the open air Camaro moon roof. It was almost a chore to drive. And it's not that the Camaro is bad.. It's a compliment on how nice the new Mustang is.

The looks of the Camaro are outstanding. Love the styling. the 275 wide 20" tires are sweet.

The fact that you can't get a Nav in the Camaro is horrible. Now I haven't looked into this, so I guarantee I'm going to speak wrong about this, but that little dot matrix display between the gauges had the compass 'star' icon, and said "Navigation" below it. Then it had the direction indicator below it. N, S, E, W... Is that the actual "Navigation"...? Lol. Can't be, but it was pretty hookey.

The trunk is a joke. This SS owner is a mid 30's female who also has an SUV. I want her to drive my 5.0 and see what she thinks. Good thing this isn't her primary car, cause there is ZERO practicality to this Camaro.

One annoying thing is that it has 4,200 miles, and the brakes make so much squealing noise. Wonder if this is a common problem?

Long winded, I know. Short version: I LOVE my 5.0!

 

The Maro does not have the liveability factor that the stang has. I can't drive a car that I can't see out of.

 

Great review, couldn't have said it better myself having driven my friend's 2010 SS as well.
Just look at that last pic and see how much of a size difference there is between the two back glasses. No wonder you can't see out of that car. thx for sharing

 

The clutch pedal feel of the Camaro flat out sucks! Then again the feel of the GT500 and GT are about as good as it gets.

 

Good honest review

 

I wish I took better pictures, especially of the front. The sun was in the worst spot, and it started raining about an hour later.

The C-pillars on that Camaro are sooo thick. It's borderline dangerous.

 

Exactly what I thought, especially the last sentence. I never drove a Camaro though, only sat in one.

 

However, I love the new Camaro

well i guess that was some long winded bs

 

bot that got past the filter

 

Nice review. I definitely agree about the interiors. The interior quality in the Mustang is leaps and bounds ahead of the Camaro.

 

The *** end on the camaro is horrible looking... the GT never grew on me, but sitting next to the camaro's wide rounded puckered up ***, makes it look a WHOLE lot nicer.

 

Pics of the Camaro owner?

 

 

I've driven both cars myself, and you pretty much captured my thoughts as well. Camaro does feel like a brute force muscle car, while the Mustang is like a high-performance European coupe. Both good, unlike some folks on here I think the Camaro looks awesome. Any like you I am a huge fan of the 275 rear tires as well. Definitely think the Brembo package should have come with a staggered 245 and 275 setup!

On a similar note, I was on the Camaro5 board and apparently some spy shots came out today that pretty much confirm (nothing official from GM) that the 2012 Z28 is in the testing phases. So of course the Camaro fan boys are LOSING THEIR MINDS. Some of the comments on the thread are just down right comical. There are folks who honestly believe the Z28 is going to have the hand-build LS9 from the Corvette ZR1 and cost between 44-48k. I'm not joking. It might have that engine, but if it does it won't be anything less than 50K. If it has the non-forged LSA it will of course be less, but either way market adjustment on these is going to be just as bad as when the GT500 first came out, if not worse.

 

Great thread, I co-sign most of your thoughts.

Drove a fully-loaded, red SS camaro for a half-day or so earlier this month. It had the full body kit and factory 21's. Surprisingly, the ride quality was immaculate for wheels that big and the handling was more than acceptable. Interior was great, love the gauges as well as the fiberglass on the door panels. Didn't even notice the aforementioned blind spots. The 6 speed seemed a little clunky but still workable. In terms of speed and sex appeal, the car is virtually like driving an exotic. Great performer and it got look after look from people waving, giving the thumbs up or breaking their neck backwards to get a glimpse. That car gets ATTENTION and deservedly so. I will never talk sh*t about the Camaro, it's the real deal.

 

That's cool but unrealistic. And when the Z28 comes out, wouldn't the SS still be a notch above in terms of performance or are they flipping the script for 2012?

 

I think I know what you are referring to. Unlike in years past, this Z28 is going to be above the SS, and a direct competitor for the GT500 and to a lesser degree the Chally SRT8. We'll see what they come up with, but whatever they make it ain't gonna be cheap.

 

I like the SS, but it is too bulky, too heavy, and saddled with the IRS, so I would likely never seriously consider one. However, I would like to make a couple of comments...



I don't understand this??? You were going 33 mph in 6th gear in your 5.0? What am I missing here....lol.

Also....the seat of the pants is the world's biggest liar. If both cars are stock, their acceleration is VERY close - within a tenth or two 0-60 and the 1/4 mile. At much higher speeds, the Camaro may indeed be faster.

They come with OnStar, which has Nav functions. I've never used it, so can't comment on how well it works.

 

I can agree with many of the sentiments in the op but the Camaro must be taken as whole...which is much greater than the sum of its parts. I love the Camaro. Its a real muscle car. The Mustang GT is just a bit better according to my tastes.

 

Opps... I left out AT 1,000 RPM's