1979 Ford Escort vs. 1978 Toyota Starlet
To start off, 1979 Ford Escort is newer by 1 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1978 Toyota Starlet. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1978 Toyota Starlet would be higher. At 1,166 cc (4 cylinders), 1978 Toyota Starlet is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1978 Toyota Starlet (55 HP @ 6000 RPM) has 10 more horse power than 1979 Ford Escort. (45 HP @ 6000 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 1978 Toyota Starlet should accelerate faster than 1979 Ford Escort. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1979 Ford Escort weights approximately 135 kg more than 1978 Toyota Starlet.
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, 1978 Toyota Starlet (84 Nm @ 3800 RPM) has 24 more torque (in Nm) than 1979 Ford Escort. (60 Nm @ 4500 RPM). This means 1978 Toyota Starlet will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1979 Ford Escort.
Compare all specifications:
| 1979 Ford Escort | 1978 Toyota Starlet | |
| Make | Ford | Toyota |
| Model | Escort | Starlet |
| Year Released | 1979 | 1978 |
| Body Type | Station Wagon | Hatchback |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 939 cc | 1166 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 4 cylinders | 4 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 45 HP | 55 HP |
| Engine RPM | 6000 RPM | 6000 RPM |
| Torque | 60 Nm | 84 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 4500 RPM | 3800 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Manual | Manual |
| Number of Seats | 5 seats | 5 seats |
| Number of Doors | 4 doors | 3 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 910 kg | 775 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4060 mm | 3690 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1570 mm | 1530 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1400 mm | 1390 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2420 mm | 2310 mm |
| Fuel Tank Capacity | 53 L | 70 L |
