1975 Ford Escort vs. 1981 Mercury Cougar
To start off, 1981 Mercury Cougar is newer by 6 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1975 Ford Escort. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1975 Ford Escort would be higher. At 3,797 cc (6 cylinders), 1981 Mercury Cougar is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1981 Mercury Cougar (114 HP @ 4000 RPM) has 61 more horse power than 1975 Ford Escort. (53 HP @ 5500 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 1981 Mercury Cougar should accelerate faster than 1975 Ford Escort. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1981 Mercury Cougar weights approximately 436 kg more than 1975 Ford Escort. 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, 1981 Mercury Cougar (237 Nm @ 2600 RPM) has 152 more torque (in Nm) than 1975 Ford Escort. (85 Nm @ 3000 RPM). This means 1981 Mercury Cougar will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1975 Ford Escort.
Compare all specifications:
| 1975 Ford Escort | 1981 Mercury Cougar | |
| Make | Ford | Mercury |
| Model | Escort | Cougar |
| Year Released | 1975 | 1981 |
| Body Type | Station Wagon | Coupe |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 1298 cc | 3797 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 4 cylinders | 6 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 53 HP | 114 HP |
| Engine RPM | 5500 RPM | 4000 RPM |
| Torque | 85 Nm | 237 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 3000 RPM | 2600 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Number of Doors | 5 doors | 2 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 920 kg | 1356 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4060 mm | 4960 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1570 mm | 1810 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1400 mm | 1370 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2410 mm | 2690 mm |
