1977 Nissan Laurel vs. 1979 Pontiac Grand Safari
To start off, 1979 Pontiac Grand Safari is newer by 2 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1977 Nissan Laurel. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1977 Nissan Laurel would be higher. At 5,736 cc (8 cylinders), 1979 Pontiac Grand Safari is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1977 Nissan Laurel (129 HP @ 5200 RPM) has 25 more horse power than 1979 Pontiac Grand Safari. (104 HP @ 3200 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 1977 Nissan Laurel should accelerate faster than 1979 Pontiac Grand Safari. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1979 Pontiac Grand Safari weights approximately 585 kg more than 1977 Nissan Laurel.
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, 1979 Pontiac Grand Safari (274 Nm @ 1600 RPM) has 53 more torque (in Nm) than 1977 Nissan Laurel. (221 Nm @ 3600 RPM). This means 1979 Pontiac Grand Safari will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1977 Nissan Laurel. 1979 Pontiac Grand Safari has automatic transmission and 1977 Nissan Laurel has manual transmission. 1977 Nissan Laurel will offer better control over acceleration and deceleration in addition to better fuel efficiency overall. 1979 Pontiac Grand Safari will be easier to drive especially in heavy traffic.
Compare all specifications:
| 1977 Nissan Laurel | 1979 Pontiac Grand Safari | |
| Make | Nissan | Pontiac |
| Model | Laurel | Grand Safari |
| Year Released | 1977 | 1979 |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 2753 cc | 5736 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 6 cylinders | 8 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 129 HP | 104 HP |
| Engine RPM | 5200 RPM | 3200 RPM |
| Torque | 221 Nm | 274 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 3600 RPM | 1600 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Diesel |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Manual | Automatic |
| Vehicle Weight | 1290 kg | 1875 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4640 mm | 5450 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1700 mm | 2020 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1410 mm | 1460 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2680 mm | 2950 mm |
