1976 Reliant Kitten vs. 1971 Reliant Rebel
To start off, 1976 Reliant Kitten is newer by 5 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1971 Reliant Rebel. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1971 Reliant Rebel would be higher. At 848 cc (4 cylinders), 1976 Reliant Kitten is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1976 Reliant Kitten (40 HP @ 5500 RPM) has 9 more horse power than 1971 Reliant Rebel. (31 HP @ 5000 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 1976 Reliant Kitten should accelerate faster than 1971 Reliant Rebel. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1971 Reliant Rebel weights approximately 40 kg more than 1976 Reliant Kitten.
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, 1976 Reliant Kitten (63 Nm @ 3500 RPM) has 11 more torque (in Nm) than 1971 Reliant Rebel. (52 Nm @ 3000 RPM). This means 1976 Reliant Kitten will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1971 Reliant Rebel.
Compare all specifications:
| 1976 Reliant Kitten | 1971 Reliant Rebel | |
| Make | Reliant | Reliant |
| Model | Kitten | Rebel |
| Year Released | 1976 | 1971 |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 848 cc | 699 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 4 cylinders | 4 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 40 HP | 31 HP |
| Engine RPM | 5500 RPM | 5000 RPM |
| Torque | 63 Nm | 52 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 3500 RPM | 3000 RPM |
| Engine Bore Size | 62.5 mm | 60.5 mm |
| Engine Stroke Size | 69.1 mm | 61 mm |
| Engine Compression Ratio | 9.5:1 | 8.4:1 |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Manual | Manual |
| Vehicle Weight | 535 kg | 575 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 3330 mm | 3510 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1430 mm | 1480 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1400 mm | 1420 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2150 mm | 2270 mm |
