1978 Buick Estate vs. 1981 Volvo 240
To start off, 1981 Volvo 240 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 47 more horse power than 1981 Volvo 240. (106 HP @ 5800 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 1978 Buick Estate should accelerate faster than 1981 Volvo 240. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1978 Buick Estate weights approximately 590 kg more than 1981 Volvo 240. 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 213 more torque (in Nm) than 1981 Volvo 240. (168 Nm @ 3500 RPM). This means 1978 Buick Estate will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1981 Volvo 240. 1978 Buick Estate has automatic transmission and 1981 Volvo 240 has manual transmission. 1981 Volvo 240 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 Volvo 240 | |
| Make | Buick | Volvo |
| Model | Estate | 240 |
| Year Released | 1978 | 1981 |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 5736 cc | 1986 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 8 cylinders | 4 cylinders |
| Engine Type | V | in-line |
| Horse Power | 153 HP | 106 HP |
| Engine RPM | 3400 RPM | 5800 RPM |
| Torque | 381 Nm | 168 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 1800 RPM | 3500 RPM |
| Engine Bore Size | 96.5 mm | 88.9 mm |
| Engine Stroke Size | 97.8 mm | 80 mm |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Automatic | Manual |
| Number of Seats | 5 seats | 5 seats |
| Vehicle Weight | 1880 kg | 1290 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 5510 mm | 4790 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1990 mm | 1730 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1440 mm | 1440 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2950 mm | 2660 mm |
