1979 Ford Escort vs. 1981 Reliant Kitten
To start off, 1981 Reliant Kitten is newer by 2 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1979 Ford Escort. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1979 Ford Escort would be higher. At 939 cc (4 cylinders), 1979 Ford Escort is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1979 Ford Escort (45 HP @ 6000 RPM) has 5 more horse power than 1981 Reliant Kitten. (40 HP @ 5500 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 1979 Ford Escort should accelerate faster than 1981 Reliant Kitten. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1979 Ford Escort weights approximately 335 kg more than 1981 Reliant Kitten. 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 Reliant Kitten (63 Nm @ 3500 RPM) has 3 more torque (in Nm) than 1979 Ford Escort. (60 Nm @ 4500 RPM). This means 1981 Reliant Kitten will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1979 Ford Escort.
Compare all specifications:
| 1979 Ford Escort | 1981 Reliant Kitten | |
| Make | Ford | Reliant |
| Model | Escort | Kitten |
| Year Released | 1979 | 1981 |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 939 cc | 848 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 4 cylinders | 4 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 45 HP | 40 HP |
| Engine RPM | 6000 RPM | 5500 RPM |
| Torque | 60 Nm | 63 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 4500 RPM | 3500 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Manual | Manual |
| Number of Seats | 5 seats | 4 seats |
| Vehicle Weight | 875 kg | 540 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 3980 mm | 3330 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1600 mm | 1430 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1390 mm | 1400 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2410 mm | 2150 mm |
