1973 Mercury Cougar vs. 1980 Reliant Kitten
To start off, 1980 Reliant Kitten is newer by 7 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1973 Mercury Cougar. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1973 Mercury Cougar would be higher. At 6,589 cc (8 cylinders), 1973 Mercury Cougar is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1973 Mercury Cougar (168 HP @ 3800 RPM) has 129 more horse power than 1980 Reliant Kitten. (39 HP @ 5500 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 1973 Mercury Cougar should accelerate faster than 1980 Reliant Kitten. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1973 Mercury Cougar weights approximately 1520 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, 1973 Mercury Cougar (375 Nm @ 2000 RPM) has 312 more torque (in Nm) than 1980 Reliant Kitten. (63 Nm @ 3500 RPM). This means 1973 Mercury Cougar will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1980 Reliant Kitten.
Compare all specifications:
| 1973 Mercury Cougar | 1980 Reliant Kitten | |
| Make | Mercury | Reliant |
| Model | Cougar | Kitten |
| Year Released | 1973 | 1980 |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 6589 cc | 848 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 8 cylinders | 4 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 168 HP | 39 HP |
| Engine RPM | 3800 RPM | 5500 RPM |
| Torque | 375 Nm | 63 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 2000 RPM | 3500 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Vehicle Weight | 2055 kg | 535 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 5480 mm | 3330 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 2010 mm | 1430 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1340 mm | 1400 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2910 mm | 2150 mm |
