1978 Ford Escort vs. 1981 Pontiac Grand Safari
To start off, 1981 Pontiac Grand Safari is newer by 3 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 4,942 cc (8 cylinders), 1981 Pontiac Grand Safari is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1981 Pontiac Grand Safari (149 HP @ 4000 RPM) has 104 more horse power than 1978 Ford Escort. (45 HP @ 6000 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 1981 Pontiac Grand Safari should accelerate faster than 1978 Ford Escort. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1981 Pontiac Grand Safari weights approximately 925 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, 1981 Pontiac Grand Safari (325 Nm @ 2400 RPM) has 265 more torque (in Nm) than 1978 Ford Escort. (60 Nm @ 4500 RPM). This means 1981 Pontiac Grand Safari will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1978 Ford Escort. 1981 Pontiac Grand Safari has automatic transmission and 1978 Ford Escort has manual transmission. 1978 Ford Escort will offer better control over acceleration and deceleration in addition to better fuel efficiency overall. 1981 Pontiac Grand Safari will be easier to drive especially in heavy traffic.
Compare all specifications:
| 1978 Ford Escort | 1981 Pontiac Grand Safari | |
| Make | Ford | Pontiac |
| Model | Escort | Grand Safari |
| Year Released | 1978 | 1981 |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 939 cc | 4942 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 4 cylinders | 8 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 45 HP | 149 HP |
| Engine RPM | 6000 RPM | 4000 RPM |
| Torque | 60 Nm | 325 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 4500 RPM | 2400 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Manual | Automatic |
| Vehicle Weight | 875 kg | 1800 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 3980 mm | 5450 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1600 mm | 2020 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1390 mm | 1460 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2410 mm | 2950 mm |
