1980 Ford Escort vs. 1971 Riley 4
To start off, 1980 Ford Escort is newer by 9 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1971 Riley 4. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1971 Riley 4 would be higher. At 1,622 cc (4 cylinders), 1971 Riley 4 is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1971 Riley 4 (67 HP @ 5000 RPM) has 22 more horse power than 1980 Ford Escort. (45 HP @ 6000 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 1971 Riley 4 should accelerate faster than 1980 Ford Escort. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1971 Riley 4 weights approximately 238 kg more than 1980 Ford Escort. 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, 1971 Riley 4 (121 Nm @ 2500 RPM) has 61 more torque (in Nm) than 1980 Ford Escort. (60 Nm @ 4500 RPM). This means 1971 Riley 4 will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1980 Ford Escort.
Compare all specifications:
| 1980 Ford Escort | 1971 Riley 4 | |
| Make | Ford | Riley |
| Model | Escort | 4 |
| Year Released | 1980 | 1971 |
| Body Type | Station Wagon | Sedan |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 939 cc | 1622 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 4 cylinders | 4 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 45 HP | 67 HP |
| Engine RPM | 6000 RPM | 5000 RPM |
| Torque | 60 Nm | 121 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 4500 RPM | 2500 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Number of Seats | 5 seats | 5 seats |
| Number of Doors | 4 doors | 4 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 910 kg | 1148 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4060 mm | 4540 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1570 mm | 1620 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1400 mm | 1510 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2410 mm | 2530 mm |
| Fuel Tank Capacity | 53 L | 45 L |
