1978 Mazda RX-3 vs. 1981 Mercury Cougar
To start off, 1981 Mercury Cougar is newer by 3 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1978 Mazda RX-3. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1978 Mazda RX-3 would be higher. At 3,797 cc (6 cylinders), 1981 Mercury Cougar is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1981 Mercury Cougar (114 HP @ 4000 RPM) has 14 more horse power than 1978 Mazda RX-3. (100 HP @ 7000 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 1981 Mercury Cougar should accelerate faster than 1978 Mazda RX-3. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1981 Mercury Cougar weights approximately 506 kg more than 1978 Mazda RX-3. 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 Mercury Cougar (237 Nm @ 2600 RPM) has 102 more torque (in Nm) than 1978 Mazda RX-3. (135 Nm @ 4000 RPM). This means 1981 Mercury Cougar will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1978 Mazda RX-3.
Compare all specifications:
| 1978 Mazda RX-3 | 1981 Mercury Cougar | |
| Make | Mazda | Mercury |
| Model | RX-3 | Cougar |
| Year Released | 1978 | 1981 |
| Body Type | Coupe | Coupe |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 1963 cc | 3797 cc |
| Engine Type | dual-disk rotary | in-line |
| Horse Power | 100 HP | 114 HP |
| Engine RPM | 7000 RPM | 4000 RPM |
| Torque | 135 Nm | 237 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 4000 RPM | 2600 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Number of Doors | 2 doors | 2 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 850 kg | 1356 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4090 mm | 4960 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1600 mm | 1810 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1380 mm | 1370 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2320 mm | 2690 mm |
