1979 Mazda 121 vs. 1973 Mercury Montego
To start off, 1979 Mazda 121 is newer by 6 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1973 Mercury Montego. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1973 Mercury Montego would be higher. At 4,095 cc (6 cylinders), 1973 Mercury Montego is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1973 Mercury Montego (96 HP @ 3600 RPM) has 6 more horse power than 1979 Mazda 121. (90 HP @ 4800 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 1973 Mercury Montego should accelerate faster than 1979 Mazda 121. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1973 Mercury Montego weights approximately 561 kg more than 1979 Mazda 121. 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, 1973 Mercury Montego (248 Nm @ 1600 RPM) has 88 more torque (in Nm) than 1979 Mazda 121. (160 Nm @ 3000 RPM). This means 1973 Mercury Montego will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1979 Mazda 121.
Compare all specifications:
| 1979 Mazda 121 | 1973 Mercury Montego | |
| Make | Mazda | Mercury |
| Model | 121 | Montego |
| Year Released | 1979 | 1973 |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 1970 cc | 4095 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 4 cylinders | 6 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 90 HP | 96 HP |
| Engine RPM | 4800 RPM | 3600 RPM |
| Torque | 160 Nm | 248 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 3000 RPM | 1600 RPM |
| Engine Bore Size | 80 mm | 93.6 mm |
| Engine Stroke Size | 98 mm | 99.3 mm |
| Engine Compression Ratio | 8.6:1 | 8.0:1 |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Number of Seats | 4 seats | 6 seats |
| Vehicle Weight | 1134 kg | 1695 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4510 mm | 5300 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1690 mm | 2010 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1350 mm | 1350 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2520 mm | 3010 mm |
