1978 Mercury Grand Marquis vs. 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee
To start off, 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee is newer by 24 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis would be higher. At 4,942 cc (8 cylinders), 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee (195 HP @ 4600 RPM) has 66 more horse power than 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis. (129 HP @ 3600 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee should accelerate faster than 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee weights approximately 26 kg more than 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis. 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, 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee (312 Nm @ 3000 RPM) has 9 more torque (in Nm) than 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis. (303 Nm @ 2600 RPM). This means 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis.
Compare all specifications:
| 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis | 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee | |
| Make | Mercury | Jeep |
| Model | Grand Marquis | Grand Cherokee |
| Year Released | 1978 | 2002 |
| Body Type | Sedan | SUV |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 4942 cc | 3960 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 8 cylinders | 6 cylinders |
| Engine Type | V | in-line |
| Horse Power | 129 HP | 195 HP |
| Engine RPM | 3600 RPM | 4600 RPM |
| Torque | 303 Nm | 312 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 2600 RPM | 3000 RPM |
| Engine Bore Size | 101.6 mm | 98.4 mm |
| Engine Stroke Size | 76.2 mm | 86.7 mm |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Number of Seats | 5 seats | 5 seats |
| Number of Doors | 4 doors | 5 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1690 kg | 1716 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 5400 mm | 4620 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1980 mm | 1840 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1390 mm | 1770 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2910 mm | 2700 mm |
