1973 Mercury Montego vs. 2010 Mazda MX-5 Miata
To start off, 2010 Mazda MX-5 Miata is newer by 37 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1973 Mercury Montego. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1973 Mercury Montego would be higher. At 4,095 cc (6 cylinders), 1973 Mercury Montego is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 2010 Mazda MX-5 Miata (167 HP @ 7000 RPM) has 71 more horse power than 1973 Mercury Montego. (96 HP @ 3600 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 2010 Mazda MX-5 Miata should accelerate faster than 1973 Mercury Montego. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1973 Mercury Montego weights approximately 570 kg more than 2010 Mazda MX-5 Miata.
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 Montego (248 Nm @ 1600 RPM) has 58 more torque (in Nm) than 2010 Mazda MX-5 Miata. (190 Nm @ 5000 RPM). This means 1973 Mercury Montego will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 2010 Mazda MX-5 Miata.
Compare all specifications:
| 1973 Mercury Montego | 2010 Mazda MX-5 Miata | |
| Make | Mercury | Mazda |
| Model | Montego | MX-5 Miata |
| Year Released | 1973 | 2010 |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 4095 cc | 2000 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 6 cylinders | 4 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 96 HP | 167 HP |
| Engine RPM | 3600 RPM | 7000 RPM |
| Torque | 248 Nm | 190 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 1600 RPM | 5000 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Manual | Manual |
| Number of Seats | 6 seats | 2 seats |
| Vehicle Weight | 1695 kg | 1125 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 5300 mm | 3995 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 2010 mm | 1720 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1350 mm | 1245 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 3010 mm | 2329 mm |
