1980 Mercury Cougar vs. 2012 Honda Insight
To start off, 2012 Honda Insight is newer by 32 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1980 Mercury Cougar. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1980 Mercury Cougar would be higher. At 3,271 cc (6 cylinders), 1980 Mercury Cougar is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 2012 Honda Insight (98 HP @ 5800 RPM) has 1 more horse power than 1980 Mercury Cougar. (97 HP @ 4000 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 2012 Honda Insight should accelerate faster than 1980 Mercury Cougar. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1980 Mercury Cougar weights approximately 84 kg more than 2012 Honda Insight.
Because 1980 Mercury Cougar is rear wheel drive (RWD), it offers better handling in dry conditions; in addition, if you are looking to drift, it will be much easier to do with 1980 Mercury Cougar. However, in wet, icy, snow, or gravel driving conditions, 2012 Honda Insight, being front wheel drive (FWD), will offer much better control with better grip. 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 Mercury Cougar (218 Nm @ 1400 RPM) has 51 more torque (in Nm) than 2012 Honda Insight. (167 Nm @ 1000 RPM). This means 1980 Mercury Cougar will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 2012 Honda Insight.
Compare all specifications:
| 1980 Mercury Cougar | 2012 Honda Insight | |
| Make | Mercury | Honda |
| Model | Cougar | Insight |
| Year Released | 1980 | 2012 |
| Body Type | Coupe | Hatchback |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 3271 cc | 1300 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 6 cylinders | 4 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 97 HP | 98 HP |
| Engine RPM | 4000 RPM | 5800 RPM |
| Torque | 218 Nm | 167 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 1400 RPM | 1000 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline / Electric Hybrid |
| Drive Type | Rear | Front |
| Number of Seats | 5 seats | 5 seats |
| Number of Doors | 2 doors | 5 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1330 kg | 1246 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4960 mm | 4376 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1810 mm | 1694 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1370 mm | 1427 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2690 mm | 2550 mm |
