1971 Buick Riviera vs. 1980 Mazda Cosmo
To start off, 1980 Mazda Cosmo is newer by 9 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1971 Buick Riviera. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1971 Buick Riviera would be higher. At 7,468 cc (8 cylinders), 1971 Buick Riviera is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1971 Buick Riviera (311 HP @ 4200 RPM) has 218 more horse power than 1980 Mazda Cosmo. (93 HP @ 5500 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 1971 Buick Riviera should accelerate faster than 1980 Mazda Cosmo. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1971 Buick Riviera weights approximately 950 kg more than 1980 Mazda Cosmo. 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, 1971 Buick Riviera (617 Nm @ 2600 RPM) has 466 more torque (in Nm) than 1980 Mazda Cosmo. (151 Nm @ 3300 RPM). This means 1971 Buick Riviera will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1980 Mazda Cosmo. 1971 Buick Riviera has automatic transmission and 1980 Mazda Cosmo has manual transmission. 1980 Mazda Cosmo will offer better control over acceleration and deceleration in addition to better fuel efficiency overall. 1971 Buick Riviera will be easier to drive especially in heavy traffic.
Compare all specifications:
| 1971 Buick Riviera | 1980 Mazda Cosmo | |
| Make | Buick | Mazda |
| Model | Riviera | Cosmo |
| Year Released | 1971 | 1980 |
| Body Type | Coupe | Coupe |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 7468 cc | 1769 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 8 cylinders | 4 cylinders |
| Engine Type | V | in-line |
| Horse Power | 311 HP | 93 HP |
| Engine RPM | 4200 RPM | 5500 RPM |
| Torque | 617 Nm | 151 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 2600 RPM | 3300 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Automatic | Manual |
| Number of Doors | 2 doors | 2 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 2040 kg | 1090 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 5560 mm | 4480 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 2040 mm | 1690 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1380 mm | 1340 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 3110 mm | 2520 mm |
