1958 Ford Escort vs. 1982 Reliant Kitten
To start off, 1982 Reliant Kitten is newer by 24 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1958 Ford Escort. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1958 Ford Escort would be higher. At 1,172 cc (4 cylinders), 1958 Ford Escort is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1982 Reliant Kitten (40 HP @ 5500 RPM) has 9 more horse power than 1958 Ford Escort. (31 HP @ 4500 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 1982 Reliant Kitten should accelerate faster than 1958 Ford Escort. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1958 Ford Escort weights approximately 282 kg more than 1982 Reliant Kitten.
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, 1958 Ford Escort (71 Nm @ 2150 RPM) has 8 more torque (in Nm) than 1982 Reliant Kitten. (63 Nm @ 3500 RPM). This means 1958 Ford Escort will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1982 Reliant Kitten.
Compare all specifications:
| 1958 Ford Escort | 1982 Reliant Kitten | |
| Make | Ford | Reliant |
| Model | Escort | Kitten |
| Year Released | 1958 | 1982 |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 1172 cc | 846 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 4 cylinders | 4 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 31 HP | 40 HP |
| Engine RPM | 4500 RPM | 5500 RPM |
| Torque | 71 Nm | 63 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 2150 RPM | 3500 RPM |
| Engine Bore Size | 63.5 mm | 62.5 mm |
| Engine Stroke Size | 92.5 mm | 69.1 mm |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Manual | Manual |
| Number of Seats | 5 seats | 4 seats |
| Vehicle Weight | 817 kg | 535 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 3810 mm | 3330 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1550 mm | 1430 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1500 mm | 1400 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2220 mm | 2150 mm |
| Fuel Tank Capacity | 31 L | 27 L |
