1980 Mercury Cougar vs. 1979 Mitsubishi Debonair
To start off, 1980 Mercury Cougar is newer by 1 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1979 Mitsubishi Debonair. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1979 Mitsubishi Debonair would be higher. At 2,555 cc (4 cylinders), 1979 Mitsubishi Debonair is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1979 Mitsubishi Debonair (111 HP @ 5000 RPM) has 21 more horse power than 1980 Mercury Cougar. (90 HP @ 4600 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 1979 Mitsubishi Debonair should accelerate faster than 1980 Mercury Cougar. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1979 Mitsubishi Debonair weights approximately 75 kg more than 1980 Mercury Cougar. 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, 1979 Mitsubishi Debonair (206 Nm @ 3000 RPM) has 42 more torque (in Nm) than 1980 Mercury Cougar. (164 Nm @ 2600 RPM). This means 1979 Mitsubishi Debonair will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1980 Mercury Cougar.
Compare all specifications:
| 1980 Mercury Cougar | 1979 Mitsubishi Debonair | |
| Make | Mercury | Mitsubishi |
| Model | Cougar | Debonair |
| Year Released | 1980 | 1979 |
| Body Type | Coupe | Sedan |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 2301 cc | 2555 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 4 cylinders | 4 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 90 HP | 111 HP |
| Engine RPM | 4600 RPM | 5000 RPM |
| Torque | 164 Nm | 206 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 2600 RPM | 3000 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Number of Seats | 4 seats | 5 seats |
| Number of Doors | 2 doors | 4 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1315 kg | 1390 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4960 mm | 4680 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1810 mm | 1700 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1370 mm | 1480 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2690 mm | 2700 mm |
