1979 Holden Kingswood vs. 1974 Mercury Cougar
To start off, 1979 Holden Kingswood is newer by 5 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1974 Mercury Cougar. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1974 Mercury Cougar would be higher. At 5,752 cc (8 cylinders), 1974 Mercury Cougar is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1974 Mercury Cougar (161 HP @ 4000 RPM) has 72 more horse power than 1979 Holden Kingswood. (89 HP @ 3600 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 1974 Mercury Cougar should accelerate faster than 1979 Holden Kingswood. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1974 Mercury Cougar weights approximately 205 kg more than 1979 Holden Kingswood. 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, 1974 Mercury Cougar (382 Nm @ 2000 RPM) has 161 more torque (in Nm) than 1979 Holden Kingswood. (221 Nm @ 2100 RPM). This means 1974 Mercury Cougar will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1979 Holden Kingswood.
Compare all specifications:
| 1979 Holden Kingswood | 1974 Mercury Cougar | |
| Make | Holden | Mercury |
| Model | Kingswood | Cougar |
| Year Released | 1979 | 1974 |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 3296 cc | 5752 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 6 cylinders | 8 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | V |
| Horse Power | 89 HP | 161 HP |
| Engine RPM | 3600 RPM | 4000 RPM |
| Torque | 221 Nm | 382 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 2100 RPM | 2000 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Vehicle Weight | 1370 kg | 1575 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4850 mm | 5010 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1900 mm | 1920 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1410 mm | 1300 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2830 mm | 2860 mm |
