1973 Mercury Cougar vs. 2012 Nissan Frontier
To start off, 2012 Nissan Frontier is newer by 39 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 5,769 cc (8 cylinders), 1973 Mercury Cougar is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1973 Mercury Cougar (168 HP @ 4000 RPM) has 16 more horse power than 2012 Nissan Frontier. (152 HP @ 5200 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 1973 Mercury Cougar should accelerate faster than 2012 Nissan Frontier. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 2012 Nissan Frontier weights approximately 22 kg more than 1973 Mercury Cougar.
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 (363 Nm @ 2400 RPM) has 131 more torque (in Nm) than 2012 Nissan Frontier. (232 Nm @ 4400 RPM). This means 1973 Mercury Cougar will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 2012 Nissan Frontier.
Compare all specifications:
| 1973 Mercury Cougar | 2012 Nissan Frontier | |
| Make | Mercury | Nissan |
| Model | Cougar | Frontier |
| Year Released | 1973 | 2012 |
| Body Type | Coupe | Pickup |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 5769 cc | 2488 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 8 cylinders | 4 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 168 HP | 152 HP |
| Engine RPM | 4000 RPM | 5200 RPM |
| Torque | 363 Nm | 232 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 2400 RPM | 4400 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Number of Seats | 4 seats | 5 seats |
| Number of Doors | 2 doors | 2 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1650 kg | 1672 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 5080 mm | 5230 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1920 mm | 1860 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1310 mm | 1780 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2860 mm | 3200 mm |
