1975 Mercury Cougar vs. 2007 Mazda MX-5 Miata
To start off, 2007 Mazda MX-5 Miata is newer by 32 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1975 Mercury Cougar. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1975 Mercury Cougar would be higher. At 5,766 cc (8 cylinders), 1975 Mercury Cougar is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 2007 Mazda MX-5 Miata (158 HP @ 6700 RPM) has 6 more horse power than 1975 Mercury Cougar. (152 HP @ 3600 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 2007 Mazda MX-5 Miata should accelerate faster than 1975 Mercury Cougar. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1975 Mercury Cougar weights approximately 875 kg more than 2007 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, 1975 Mercury Cougar (378 Nm @ 1800 RPM) has 190 more torque (in Nm) than 2007 Mazda MX-5 Miata. (188 Nm @ 5000 RPM). This means 1975 Mercury Cougar will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 2007 Mazda MX-5 Miata.
Compare all specifications:
| 1975 Mercury Cougar | 2007 Mazda MX-5 Miata | |
| Make | Mercury | Mazda |
| Model | Cougar | MX-5 Miata |
| Year Released | 1975 | 2007 |
| Body Type | Coupe | Convertible |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 5766 cc | 1999 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 8 cylinders | 4 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 152 HP | 158 HP |
| Engine RPM | 3600 RPM | 6700 RPM |
| Torque | 378 Nm | 188 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 1800 RPM | 5000 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline - Premium |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Number of Doors | 2 doors | 2 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 2030 kg | 1155 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 5480 mm | 4000 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 2010 mm | 1730 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1340 mm | 1250 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2910 mm | 2340 mm |
