1974 Mercury Cougar vs. 2005 Suzuki Grand Vitara
To start off, 2005 Suzuki Grand Vitara is newer by 31 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1974 Mercury Cougar. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1974 Mercury Cougar would be higher. At 5,752 cc (8 cylinders), 1974 Mercury Cougar is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 2005 Suzuki Grand Vitara (163 HP @ 6500 RPM) has 2 more horse power than 1974 Mercury Cougar. (161 HP @ 4000 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 2005 Suzuki Grand Vitara should accelerate faster than 1974 Mercury Cougar. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1974 Mercury Cougar weights approximately 165 kg more than 2005 Suzuki Grand Vitara.
Because 2005 Suzuki Grand Vitara is four wheel drive (4WD), it will have significant more traction and grip than 1974 Mercury Cougar. In wet, icy, snow, or gravel driving conditions, 2005 Suzuki Grand Vitara will offer significantly more control. 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, 1974 Mercury Cougar (382 Nm @ 2000 RPM) has 162 more torque (in Nm) than 2005 Suzuki Grand Vitara. (220 Nm @ 4000 RPM). This means 1974 Mercury Cougar will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 2005 Suzuki Grand Vitara. 2005 Suzuki Grand Vitara has automatic transmission and 1974 Mercury Cougar has manual transmission. 1974 Mercury Cougar will offer better control over acceleration and deceleration in addition to better fuel efficiency overall. 2005 Suzuki Grand Vitara will be easier to drive especially in heavy traffic.
Compare all specifications:
| 1974 Mercury Cougar | 2005 Suzuki Grand Vitara | |
| Make | Mercury | Suzuki |
| Model | Cougar | Grand Vitara |
| Year Released | 1974 | 2005 |
| Body Type | Coupe | SUV |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 5752 cc | 2493 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 8 cylinders | 6 cylinders |
| Engine Type | V | in-line |
| Valves per Cylinder | 2 valves | 4 valves |
| Horse Power | 161 HP | 163 HP |
| Engine RPM | 4000 RPM | 6500 RPM |
| Torque | 382 Nm | 220 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 2000 RPM | 4000 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | 4WD |
| Transmission Type | Manual | Automatic |
| Number of Seats | 4 seats | 5 seats |
| Vehicle Weight | 1575 kg | 1410 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 5010 mm | 4690 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1920 mm | 1790 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1300 mm | 1750 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2860 mm | 2810 mm |
