1958 Riley 4 vs. 1975 Ford Escort
To start off, 1975 Ford Escort is newer by 17 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1958 Riley 4. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1958 Riley 4 would be higher. At 1,599 cc (4 cylinders), 1975 Ford Escort is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1958 Riley 4 (63 HP @ 4800 RPM) has 1 more horse power than 1975 Ford Escort. (62 HP @ 5000 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 1958 Riley 4 should accelerate faster than 1975 Ford Escort. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1958 Riley 4 weights approximately 240 kg more than 1975 Ford Escort. 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, 1958 Riley 4 (115 Nm @ 3300 RPM) has 5 more torque (in Nm) than 1975 Ford Escort. (110 Nm @ 2500 RPM). This means 1958 Riley 4 will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1975 Ford Escort. 1975 Ford Escort has automatic transmission and 1958 Riley 4 has manual transmission. 1958 Riley 4 will offer better control over acceleration and deceleration in addition to better fuel efficiency overall. 1975 Ford Escort will be easier to drive especially in heavy traffic.
Compare all specifications:
| 1958 Riley 4 | 1975 Ford Escort | |
| Make | Riley | Ford |
| Model | 4 | Escort |
| Year Released | 1958 | 1975 |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 1489 cc | 1599 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 4 cylinders | 4 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 63 HP | 62 HP |
| Engine RPM | 4800 RPM | 5000 RPM |
| Torque | 115 Nm | 110 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 3300 RPM | 2500 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Manual | Automatic |
| Number of Seats | 5 seats | 5 seats |
| Vehicle Weight | 1140 kg | 900 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4530 mm | 3980 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1620 mm | 1600 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1530 mm | 1390 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2530 mm | 2410 mm |
