1971 Honda Life vs. 1981 Toyota Carina
To start off, 1981 Toyota Carina is newer by 10 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1971 Honda Life. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1971 Honda Life would be higher. At 1,587 cc (4 cylinders), 1981 Toyota Carina is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1981 Toyota Carina (83 HP @ 5600 RPM) has 54 more horse power than 1971 Honda Life. (29 HP @ 8000 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 1981 Toyota Carina should accelerate faster than 1971 Honda Life. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1981 Toyota Carina weights approximately 465 kg more than 1971 Honda Life. So despite on having greater horse power, its additional weight may have an impact towards its acceleration in comparison.
Because 1981 Toyota Carina is rear wheel drive (RWD), it offers better handling in dry conditions; in addition, if you are looking to drift, it will be much easier to do with 1981 Toyota Carina. However, in wet, icy, snow, or gravel driving conditions, 1971 Honda Life, being front wheel drive (FWD), will offer much better control with better grip. 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, 1981 Toyota Carina (124 Nm @ 3400 RPM) has 96 more torque (in Nm) than 1971 Honda Life. (28 Nm @ 6000 RPM). This means 1981 Toyota Carina will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1971 Honda Life.
Compare all specifications:
| 1971 Honda Life | 1981 Toyota Carina | |
| Make | Honda | Toyota |
| Model | Life | Carina |
| Year Released | 1971 | 1981 |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 356 cc | 1587 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 2 cylinders | 4 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 29 HP | 83 HP |
| Engine RPM | 8000 RPM | 5600 RPM |
| Torque | 28 Nm | 124 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 6000 RPM | 3400 RPM |
| Engine Bore Size | 67 mm | 85.1 mm |
| Engine Stroke Size | 50.6 mm | 70 mm |
| Engine Compression Ratio | 8.8:1 | 7.8:1 |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Front | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Manual | Manual |
| Number of Seats | 4 seats | 5 seats |
| Number of Doors | 5 doors | 2 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 490 kg | 955 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 3000 mm | 4240 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1300 mm | 1640 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1350 mm | 1350 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2090 mm | 2510 mm |
| Fuel Tank Capacity | 61 L | 61 L |
