1978 Ford Escort vs. 1980 Nissan Silvia
To start off, 1980 Nissan Silvia is newer by 2 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1978 Ford Escort. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1978 Ford Escort would be higher. At 1,770 cc (4 cylinders), 1980 Nissan Silvia is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1980 Nissan Silvia (97 HP @ 6000 RPM) has 52 more horse power than 1978 Ford Escort. (45 HP @ 6000 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 1980 Nissan Silvia should accelerate faster than 1978 Ford Escort. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1980 Nissan Silvia weights approximately 100 kg more than 1978 Ford Escort. 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, 1980 Nissan Silvia (147 Nm @ 3600 RPM) has 87 more torque (in Nm) than 1978 Ford Escort. (60 Nm @ 4500 RPM). This means 1980 Nissan Silvia will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1978 Ford Escort.
Compare all specifications:
| 1978 Ford Escort | 1980 Nissan Silvia | |
| Make | Ford | Nissan |
| Model | Escort | Silvia |
| Year Released | 1978 | 1980 |
| Body Type | Station Wagon | Coupe |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 938 cc | 1770 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 4 cylinders | 4 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 45 HP | 97 HP |
| Engine RPM | 6000 RPM | 6000 RPM |
| Torque | 60 Nm | 147 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 4500 RPM | 3600 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Manual | Manual |
| Number of Doors | 4 doors | 2 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 910 kg | 1010 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4060 mm | 4480 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1570 mm | 1690 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1400 mm | 1320 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2410 mm | 2410 mm |
