1980 Buick Electra vs. 1974 Mercury Cougar
To start off, 1980 Buick Electra is newer by 6 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 38 more horse power than 1980 Buick Electra. (123 HP @ 4000 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 1974 Mercury Cougar should accelerate faster than 1980 Buick Electra. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1980 Buick Electra weights approximately 115 kg more than 1974 Mercury Cougar.
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 104 more torque (in Nm) than 1980 Buick Electra. (278 Nm @ 2000 RPM). This means 1974 Mercury Cougar will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1980 Buick Electra. 1980 Buick Electra has automatic transmission and 1974 Mercury Cougar has manual transmission. 1974 Mercury Cougar will offer better control over acceleration and deceleration in addition to better fuel efficiency overall. 1980 Buick Electra will be easier to drive especially in heavy traffic.
Compare all specifications:
| 1980 Buick Electra | 1974 Mercury Cougar | |
| Make | Buick | Mercury |
| Model | Electra | Cougar |
| Year Released | 1980 | 1974 |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 4129 cc | 5752 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 6 cylinders | 8 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | V |
| Valves per Cylinder | 2 valves | 2 valves |
| Horse Power | 123 HP | 161 HP |
| Engine RPM | 4000 RPM | 4000 RPM |
| Torque | 278 Nm | 382 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 2000 RPM | 2000 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Automatic | Manual |
| Number of Seats | 5 seats | 4 seats |
| Number of Doors | 4 doors | 2 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1690 kg | 1575 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 5650 mm | 5010 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1970 mm | 1920 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1400 mm | 1300 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 3030 mm | 2860 mm |
