1978 Mazda 818 vs. 1980 Mercury Cougar
To start off, 1980 Mercury Cougar is newer by 2 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1978 Mazda 818. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1978 Mazda 818 would be higher. At 2,301 cc (4 cylinders), 1980 Mercury Cougar is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1980 Mercury Cougar (90 HP @ 4600 RPM) has 22 more horse power than 1978 Mazda 818. (68 HP @ 6200 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 1980 Mercury Cougar should accelerate faster than 1978 Mazda 818. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1980 Mercury Cougar weights approximately 315 kg more than 1978 Mazda 818. 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 Mercury Cougar (164 Nm @ 2600 RPM) has 72 more torque (in Nm) than 1978 Mazda 818. (92 Nm @ 4000 RPM). This means 1980 Mercury Cougar will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1978 Mazda 818.
Compare all specifications:
| 1978 Mazda 818 | 1980 Mercury Cougar | |
| Make | Mazda | Mercury |
| Model | 818 | Cougar |
| Year Released | 1978 | 1980 |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 1272 cc | 2301 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 4 cylinders | 4 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 68 HP | 90 HP |
| Engine RPM | 6200 RPM | 4600 RPM |
| Torque | 92 Nm | 164 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 4000 RPM | 2600 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Vehicle Weight | 1000 kg | 1315 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4100 mm | 4960 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1600 mm | 1810 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1410 mm | 1370 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2320 mm | 2690 mm |
