Shopping for a used muscle car in Panama City and bouncing between the Mustang and the Camaro? We'll give you the short version up front. The Mustang is the better daily driver and the safer long-term used-car bet, but if you want the sharpest-handling V8 coupe and you're comfortable with a discontinued nameplate, a low-mileage used Camaro is a serious piece of car for the money.
- The Chevrolet Camaro ended production after the 2024 model year. No new ones are being built, which matters for parts availability and long-term resale.
- The Ford Mustang is still in active production as a 2026 model, meaning the parts and service ecosystem stays strong.
- For a daily driver with better fuel economy, the used EcoBoost Mustang (EPA-rated 22 city / 33 highway) is the clear winner.
- For raw V8 grip and track-tuned handling, the used Camaro SS or LT1 (455 hp, 455 lb-ft from its 6.2L V8) is genuinely special.
- Both are rear-wheel drive. That is fine on the Panhandle in summer. It is worth knowing before you buy.
We keep both of these on our lot, and one thing worth flagging up front is that these aren't symmetrical choices anymore. One is a living nameplate. The other is a legend that closed its chapter. Let's get into it.
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What's the Real Difference Between a Used Mustang and a Used Camaro?
Production status separates these two more than any horsepower number does, and it reshapes how you think about long-term ownership, because one car is still being built and the other closed its run for good after the 2024 model year. Chevrolet officially retired the sixth-generation Camaro at the conclusion of the 2024 model year, with the last coupe coming off the Lansing, Michigan assembly line in late 2023. The Mustang, now in its seventh-generation S650 form, is actively being built and sold as a 2026 model. Buy a used Mustang today and you're buying into an ongoing parts and service supply chain. Buy a used Camaro and you're buying into a fixed pool of parts that only shrinks over time.
None of that is a reason to walk away from a used Camaro. But it's worth knowing what you're walking into.
On specs, both cars sit closer than you'd expect once you're at the V8 level. The Camaro LT1 and SS trims carry a 6.2-liter V8 producing 455 horsepower and 455 lb-ft of torque, all delivered to the rear wheels via either a six-speed manual or a 10-speed automatic. Mustang GT buyers get the 5.0-liter Coyote V8, which Ford rates at 480 horsepower and 415 lb-ft. On paper the Mustang makes slightly more power. Reviewers tend to call the Camaro sharper through corners, thanks to a lower center of gravity and a stiffer chassis tune that rewards drivers who actually use the car on a back road.
| Spec | Used Camaro LT1/SS (2024) | Used Mustang GT (2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 6.2L V8 | 5.0L V8 |
| Horsepower | 455 hp | 480 hp |
| Torque | 455 lb-ft | 415 lb-ft |
| Transmission | 6-spd manual or 10-spd auto | 6-spd manual or 10-spd auto |
| Drivetrain | RWD | RWD |
| EPA City/Hwy (V8 auto) | ~16 city / ~26 hwy | 16 city / 24 hwy |
| Production Status | Discontinued (final MY: 2024) | Active (currently 2026) |
| NHTSA Overall Rating | 5 stars | Active safety ecosystem |
Does the Engine Choice Actually Change Your Fuel Bill Around Panama City?
Engine choice absolutely changes your fuel bill around here, especially if you're daily-driving up US-98 or cutting across to 30A, and the gap is widest between the four-cylinder and the V8 cars rather than between the two brands. The Mustang EcoBoost (if you're looking at a four-cylinder used example) is the outlier here. Ford's EPA rating for the 2.3-liter EcoBoost is 22 city and 33 highway. A number like that is meaningful for a sports car, and it makes a used EcoBoost Mustang genuinely double-duty capable as a daily and a weekend car.
Step up to the V8, and both cars get thirstier fast. The Mustang GT comes in at around 16 city and 24 highway per EPA estimates. The Camaro V8 is in a similar range, with the 6.2-liter manual at roughly 16 city and 26 highway when the engine is carrying over the 2023 EPA figures. Neither V8 will be your fuel economy hero, and nobody buying one expects it to.
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Worth noting for the Panhandle specifically, both cars are rear-wheel drive only and always have been. On a sunny July day near Oaks by the Bay Park, RWD is completely fine, most days anyway. Our summers run hot and dry enough that it's a non-issue most of the time. Where it matters is a hard rain on a wet US-98. Both are performance cars tuned for grip, and both have stability control to catch you. But a new driver, or anyone who's never owned a sports car, should know that RWD in a downpour rewards smooth inputs.
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Rear Visibility and Daily Comfort: One Wins Clearly
Daily comfort and outward visibility both tilt clearly toward the Mustang, and the Camaro is where that gap shows up, thanks to a high beltline and a narrow rear window that create real blind spots enthusiast reviewers keep flagging. That roofline looks aggressive by design, and on a track or an open highway the blind spots barely matter. In a busy parking lot at the Marina Civic Center or backing out of a tight spot at the Publix on 23rd Street, it's something you notice daily. The Mustang has better outward visibility and a roomier feeling interior, full stop.
Rear seat space in both cars is technically there and practically tight. Both work best as two-passenger cars that carry adults in back only for a short hop.
If you're occasionally loading people into the back seat, the Mustang is the less awkward choice. Cargo-wise, the Mustang fastback's fold-down rear seats give you a usable load floor that a Camaro coupe simply doesn't match.
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Which One Should You Actually Pick?
Which one you should pick depends on how you'll actually drive it, and both answers are legitimate, so we'll break it down by the kind of buyer who walks onto the Bay Cars lot. Read yourself into one of these three, and the call gets easy.
If you want a reliable, fun daily driver: The used Mustang EcoBoost is the most practical muscle car choice on the market. It's quick enough, gets real highway mileage out of a 16-gallon tank, and Ford's ongoing production keeps the parts situation simple for years to come. The Mustang GT is a step up if the V8 sound matters to you, and it does to a lot of people.
If you want the sharpest V8 coupe available used and you're a hands-on owner: A well-maintained 2019 to 2024 Camaro LT1 or SS is an exceptional used find. The chassis is genuinely outstanding. The NHTSA awarded the 2024 Camaro its top five-star overall safety rating. Plan for the visibility quirk and understand that as a discontinued nameplate, you should verify parts availability and confirm the vehicle history before you buy.
If you're on the fence: Ask yourself whether you'll be solo on weekend runs along the Panhandle, or commuting five days a week with occasional passengers. Solo weekend car with mechanical curiosity? Camaro. Daily driver that happens to be exciting? Mustang.
The honest tradeoff comes down to focus versus flexibility. The Camaro is the more focused, track-leaning machine, and it pays for that with less daily practicality and a parts ecosystem that's now frozen in time. The Mustang is the easier car to live with long-term, and it sacrifices almost nothing in the fun department.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Chevrolet Camaro still being made?
No. Chevrolet officially ended production of the sixth-generation Camaro at the conclusion of the 2024 model year. The last examples came off the assembly line in late 2023. As of mid-2026, there is no current-production Camaro, and Chevrolet has not announced a direct successor. If you're buying a Camaro today, you're buying a used or remaining new-old-stock example of a discontinued nameplate.
Does rear-wheel drive cause problems in Panama City weather?
For the vast majority of Panhandle driving, no. Our summers are hot and dry, and RWD performance cars handle daily conditions without drama. The situation to be aware of is heavy rain, which Bay County does see during hurricane season (June through November). Both the Mustang and the Camaro come with stability control and traction control systems that manage the rear wheels effectively, but smooth, progressive inputs matter more in a RWD car on a wet road than they do in an AWD crossover. If you're a first-time sports-car owner, that's worth a quick test drive in varied conditions before you commit.