1980 Buick Estate vs. 1981 Volvo 240
To start off, 1981 Volvo 240 is newer by 1 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1980 Buick Estate. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1980 Buick Estate would be higher. At 4,931 cc (8 cylinders), 1980 Buick Estate is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1980 Buick Estate (140 HP @ 3600 RPM) has 59 more horse power than 1981 Volvo 240. (81 HP @ 4800 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 1980 Buick Estate should accelerate faster than 1981 Volvo 240. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1980 Buick Estate weights approximately 500 kg more than 1981 Volvo 240. 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, 1980 Buick Estate (318 Nm @ 2000 RPM) has 178 more torque (in Nm) than 1981 Volvo 240. (140 Nm @ 2800 RPM). This means 1980 Buick Estate will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1981 Volvo 240. 1980 Buick Estate has automatic transmission and 1981 Volvo 240 has manual transmission. 1981 Volvo 240 will offer better control over acceleration and deceleration in addition to better fuel efficiency overall. 1980 Buick Estate will be easier to drive especially in heavy traffic.
Compare all specifications:
| 1980 Buick Estate | 1981 Volvo 240 | |
| Make | Buick | Volvo |
| Model | Estate | 240 |
| Year Released | 1980 | 1981 |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 4931 cc | 2383 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 8 cylinders | 6 cylinders |
| Engine Type | V | in-line |
| Horse Power | 140 HP | 81 HP |
| Engine RPM | 3600 RPM | 4800 RPM |
| Torque | 318 Nm | 140 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 2000 RPM | 2800 RPM |
| Engine Bore Size | 101.6 mm | 76.6 mm |
| Engine Stroke Size | 76.2 mm | 86.4 mm |
| Engine Compression Ratio | 8.0:1 | 23.5:1 |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Diesel |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Automatic | Manual |
| Number of Doors | 5 doors | 4 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1870 kg | 1370 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 5510 mm | 4790 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1990 mm | 1730 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1440 mm | 1440 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2950 mm | 2660 mm |
