1971 Mercury Cougar vs. 2012 Nissan Pathfinder
To start off, 2012 Nissan Pathfinder is newer by 41 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, 2012 Nissan Pathfinder (266 HP @ 5600 RPM) has 99 more horse power than 1971 Mercury Cougar. (167 HP @ 4000 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 2012 Nissan Pathfinder should accelerate faster than 1971 Mercury Cougar. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 2012 Nissan Pathfinder weights approximately 358 kg more than 1971 Mercury Cougar. 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, 2012 Nissan Pathfinder (390 Nm @ 4000 RPM) has 27 more torque (in Nm) than 1971 Mercury Cougar. (363 Nm @ 2400 RPM). This means 2012 Nissan Pathfinder will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1971 Mercury Cougar.
Compare all specifications:
| 1971 Mercury Cougar | 2012 Nissan Pathfinder | |
| Make | Mercury | Nissan |
| Model | Cougar | Pathfinder |
| Year Released | 1971 | 2012 |
| Body Type | Coupe | SUV |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 5769 cc | 4000 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 8 cylinders | 6 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | V |
| Horse Power | 167 HP | 266 HP |
| Engine RPM | 4000 RPM | 5600 RPM |
| Torque | 363 Nm | 390 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 2400 RPM | 4000 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Number of Doors | 2 doors | 5 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1650 kg | 2008 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 5080 mm | 4884 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1920 mm | 1849 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1310 mm | 1829 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2860 mm | 2850 mm |
