1957 Chevrolet Bel Air vs. 2009 Honda Civic
To start off, 2009 Honda Civic is newer by 52 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air would be higher. At 3,860 cc (6 cylinders), 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 2009 Honda Civic (138 HP @ 6300 RPM) has 23 more horse power than 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air. (115 HP @ 4200 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 2009 Honda Civic should accelerate faster than 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 2009 Honda Civic weights approximately 59 kg more than 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air. So despite on having greater horse power, its additional weight may have an impact towards its acceleration in comparison.
Both vehicles are rear wheel drive (RWD) - it offers better handling in dry conditions; in addition, if you are looking to drift, both vehicles do the job better than front wheel drive vehicles. With that said, do keep in mind that many other factors such as speed and the wear on your tires can also have significant impact on traction and control. Let's talk about torque, 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air (277 Nm @ 2200 RPM) has 103 more torque (in Nm) than 2009 Honda Civic. (174 Nm @ 4200 RPM). This means 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 2009 Honda Civic.
Compare all specifications:
| 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air | 2009 Honda Civic | |
| Make | Chevrolet | Honda |
| Model | Bel Air | Civic |
| Year Released | 1957 | 2009 |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 3860 cc | 1799 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 6 cylinders | 4 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Valves per Cylinder | 2 valves | 4 valves |
| Horse Power | 115 HP | 138 HP |
| Engine RPM | 4200 RPM | 6300 RPM |
| Torque | 277 Nm | 174 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 2200 RPM | 4200 RPM |
| Engine Bore Size | 90.5 mm | 81 mm |
| Engine Stroke Size | 100 mm | 87.3 mm |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Manual | Manual |
| Number of Seats | 5 seats | 5 seats |
| Number of Doors | 4 doors | 4 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1626 kg | 1685 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 5320 mm | 4730 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1980 mm | 1770 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1450 mm | 1280 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2990 mm | 2710 mm |
