1978 Buick Estate vs. 1981 Holden Commodore
To start off, 1981 Holden Commodore is newer by 3 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1978 Buick Estate. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1978 Buick Estate would be higher. At 5,736 cc (8 cylinders), 1978 Buick Estate is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1978 Buick Estate (153 HP @ 3400 RPM) has 75 more horse power than 1981 Holden Commodore. (78 HP @ 4600 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 1978 Buick Estate should accelerate faster than 1981 Holden Commodore. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1978 Buick Estate weights approximately 720 kg more than 1981 Holden Commodore. 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, 1978 Buick Estate (381 Nm @ 1800 RPM) has 241 more torque (in Nm) than 1981 Holden Commodore. (140 Nm @ 2400 RPM). This means 1978 Buick Estate will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1981 Holden Commodore. 1978 Buick Estate has automatic transmission and 1981 Holden Commodore has manual transmission. 1981 Holden Commodore will offer better control over acceleration and deceleration in addition to better fuel efficiency overall. 1978 Buick Estate will be easier to drive especially in heavy traffic.
Compare all specifications:
| 1978 Buick Estate | 1981 Holden Commodore | |
| Make | Buick | Holden |
| Model | Estate | Commodore |
| Year Released | 1978 | 1981 |
| Body Type | Station Wagon | Sedan |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 5736 cc | 1892 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 8 cylinders | 4 cylinders |
| Engine Type | V | in-line |
| Horse Power | 153 HP | 78 HP |
| Engine RPM | 3400 RPM | 4600 RPM |
| Torque | 381 Nm | 140 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 1800 RPM | 2400 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Automatic | Manual |
| Number of Seats | 5 seats | 5 seats |
| Number of Doors | 5 doors | 4 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1880 kg | 1160 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 5510 mm | 4710 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1990 mm | 1730 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1440 mm | 1370 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2950 mm | 2670 mm |
