1971 Ford Cortina vs. 1972 Plymouth Valiant
To start off, 1972 Plymouth Valiant is newer by 1 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1971 Ford Cortina. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1971 Ford Cortina would be higher. At 3,678 cc (6 cylinders), 1972 Plymouth Valiant is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1972 Plymouth Valiant (109 HP @ 4000 RPM) has 53 more horse power than 1971 Ford Cortina. (56 HP @ 5500 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 1972 Plymouth Valiant should accelerate faster than 1971 Ford Cortina. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1972 Plymouth Valiant weights approximately 365 kg more than 1971 Ford Cortina. 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, 1972 Plymouth Valiant (251 Nm @ 2000 RPM) has 160 more torque (in Nm) than 1971 Ford Cortina. (91 Nm @ 3000 RPM). This means 1972 Plymouth Valiant will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1971 Ford Cortina.
Compare all specifications:
| 1971 Ford Cortina | 1972 Plymouth Valiant | |
| Make | Ford | Plymouth |
| Model | Cortina | Valiant |
| Year Released | 1971 | 1972 |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 1298 cc | 3678 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 4 cylinders | 6 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 56 HP | 109 HP |
| Engine RPM | 5500 RPM | 4000 RPM |
| Torque | 91 Nm | 251 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 3000 RPM | 2000 RPM |
| Engine Compression Ratio | 9.0:1 | 8.4:1 |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Number of Seats | 5 seats | 5 seats |
| Number of Doors | 2 doors | 4 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 945 kg | 1310 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4270 mm | 4790 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1710 mm | 1820 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1330 mm | 1390 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2570 mm | 2750 mm |
| Fuel Tank Capacity | 55 L | 60 L |
