1971 Mercury Cougar vs. 1980 Reliant Kitten
To start off, 1980 Reliant Kitten is newer by 9 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1971 Mercury Cougar. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1971 Mercury Cougar would be higher. At 5,769 cc (8 cylinders), 1971 Mercury Cougar is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1971 Mercury Cougar (167 HP @ 4000 RPM) has 128 more horse power than 1980 Reliant Kitten. (39 HP @ 5500 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 1971 Mercury Cougar should accelerate faster than 1980 Reliant Kitten. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1971 Mercury Cougar weights approximately 1115 kg more than 1980 Reliant Kitten. 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 Mercury Cougar (363 Nm @ 2400 RPM) has 300 more torque (in Nm) than 1980 Reliant Kitten. (63 Nm @ 3500 RPM). This means 1971 Mercury Cougar will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1980 Reliant Kitten.
Compare all specifications:
| 1971 Mercury Cougar | 1980 Reliant Kitten | |
| Make | Mercury | Reliant |
| Model | Cougar | Kitten |
| Year Released | 1971 | 1980 |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 5769 cc | 848 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 8 cylinders | 4 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 167 HP | 39 HP |
| Engine RPM | 4000 RPM | 5500 RPM |
| Torque | 363 Nm | 63 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 2400 RPM | 3500 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Vehicle Weight | 1650 kg | 535 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 5080 mm | 3330 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1920 mm | 1430 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1310 mm | 1400 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2860 mm | 2150 mm |
