1973 Mercury Montego vs. 2012 Suzuki Grand Vitara
To start off, 2012 Suzuki Grand Vitara is newer by 39 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, 2012 Suzuki Grand Vitara (166 HP @ 6000 RPM) has 70 more horse power than 1973 Mercury Montego. (96 HP @ 3600 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 2012 Suzuki Grand Vitara should accelerate faster than 1973 Mercury Montego. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1973 Mercury Montego weights approximately 117 kg more than 2012 Suzuki Grand Vitara.
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 29 more torque (in Nm) than 2012 Suzuki Grand Vitara. (219 Nm @ 4000 RPM). This means 1973 Mercury Montego will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 2012 Suzuki Grand Vitara. 2012 Suzuki Grand Vitara has automatic transmission and 1973 Mercury Montego has manual transmission. 1973 Mercury Montego will offer better control over acceleration and deceleration in addition to better fuel efficiency overall. 2012 Suzuki Grand Vitara will be easier to drive especially in heavy traffic.
Compare all specifications:
| 1973 Mercury Montego | 2012 Suzuki Grand Vitara | |
| Make | Mercury | Suzuki |
| Model | Montego | Grand Vitara |
| Year Released | 1973 | 2012 |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 4095 cc | 2393 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 6 cylinders | 4 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 96 HP | 166 HP |
| Engine RPM | 3600 RPM | 6000 RPM |
| Torque | 248 Nm | 219 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 1600 RPM | 4000 RPM |
| Engine Bore Size | 93.6 mm | 92 mm |
| Engine Stroke Size | 99.3 mm | 90 mm |
| Engine Compression Ratio | 8.0:1 | 10.0:1 |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Manual | Automatic |
| Number of Seats | 6 seats | 5 seats |
| Vehicle Weight | 1695 kg | 1578 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 5300 mm | 4300 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 2010 mm | 1880 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1350 mm | 1695 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 3010 mm | 2640 mm |
