1980 Mercury Cougar vs. 2012 Toyota Corolla
To start off, 2012 Toyota Corolla 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 2,301 cc (4 cylinders), 1980 Mercury Cougar is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 2012 Toyota Corolla (132 HP @ 6000 RPM) has 42 more horse power than 1980 Mercury Cougar. (90 HP @ 4600 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 2012 Toyota Corolla should accelerate faster than 1980 Mercury Cougar. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1980 Mercury Cougar weights approximately 45 kg more than 2012 Toyota Corolla.
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 Toyota Corolla, 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, 2012 Toyota Corolla (173 Nm @ 4400 RPM) has 9 more torque (in Nm) than 1980 Mercury Cougar. (164 Nm @ 2600 RPM). This means 2012 Toyota Corolla will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1980 Mercury Cougar.
Compare all specifications:
| 1980 Mercury Cougar | 2012 Toyota Corolla | |
| Make | Mercury | Toyota |
| Model | Cougar | Corolla |
| Year Released | 1980 | 2012 |
| Body Type | Coupe | Sedan |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 2301 cc | 1800 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 4 cylinders | 4 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Valves per Cylinder | 2 valves | 4 valves |
| Horse Power | 90 HP | 132 HP |
| Engine RPM | 4600 RPM | 6000 RPM |
| Torque | 164 Nm | 173 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 2600 RPM | 4400 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Front |
| Number of Seats | 4 seats | 5 seats |
| Number of Doors | 2 doors | 4 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1315 kg | 1270 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4960 mm | 4572 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1810 mm | 1763 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1370 mm | 1466 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2690 mm | 2601 mm |
