1978 AMC Pacer vs. 1981 Toyota Soarer
To start off, 1981 Toyota Soarer is newer by 3 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1978 AMC Pacer. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1978 AMC Pacer would be higher. At 4,228 cc (6 cylinders), 1978 AMC Pacer is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1981 Toyota Soarer (157 HP @ 5600 RPM) has 47 more horse power than 1978 AMC Pacer. (110 HP @ 3500 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 1981 Toyota Soarer should accelerate faster than 1978 AMC Pacer. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1978 AMC Pacer weights approximately 63 kg more than 1981 Toyota Soarer.
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, 1978 AMC Pacer (265 Nm @ 2000 RPM) has 30 more torque (in Nm) than 1981 Toyota Soarer. (235 Nm @ 4400 RPM). This means 1978 AMC Pacer will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1981 Toyota Soarer.
Compare all specifications:
| 1978 AMC Pacer | 1981 Toyota Soarer | |
| Make | AMC | Toyota |
| Model | Pacer | Soarer |
| Year Released | 1978 | 1981 |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 4228 cc | 2759 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 6 cylinders | 6 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 110 HP | 157 HP |
| Engine RPM | 3500 RPM | 5600 RPM |
| Torque | 265 Nm | 235 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 2000 RPM | 4400 RPM |
| Engine Bore Size | 95.2 mm | 83 mm |
| Engine Stroke Size | 99 mm | 85 mm |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Automatic | Automatic |
| Number of Seats | 5 seats | 4 seats |
| Number of Doors | 3 doors | 2 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1368 kg | 1305 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4360 mm | 4660 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1960 mm | 1700 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1370 mm | 1370 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2550 mm | 2670 mm |
