1981 Ford Cortina vs. 1970 Ford Escort
To start off, 1981 Ford Cortina is newer by 11 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1970 Ford Escort. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1970 Ford Escort would be higher. At 1,599 cc (4 cylinders), 1970 Ford Escort is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1970 Ford Escort (120 HP @ 6500 RPM) has 61 more horse power than 1981 Ford Cortina. (59 HP @ 5750 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 1970 Ford Escort should accelerate faster than 1981 Ford Cortina. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1981 Ford Cortina weights approximately 215 kg more than 1970 Ford Escort.
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, 1970 Ford Escort (148 Nm @ 4000 RPM) has 56 more torque (in Nm) than 1981 Ford Cortina. (92 Nm @ 3500 RPM). This means 1970 Ford Escort will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1981 Ford Cortina.
Compare all specifications:
| 1981 Ford Cortina | 1970 Ford Escort | |
| Make | Ford | Ford |
| Model | Cortina | Escort |
| Year Released | 1981 | 1970 |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 1293 cc | 1599 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 4 cylinders | 4 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 59 HP | 120 HP |
| Engine RPM | 5750 RPM | 6500 RPM |
| Torque | 92 Nm | 148 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 3500 RPM | 4000 RPM |
| Engine Bore Size | 81 mm | 81 mm |
| Engine Stroke Size | 63 mm | 77.6 mm |
| Engine Compression Ratio | 9.2:1 | 10.0:1 |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Manual | Manual |
| Number of Seats | 5 seats | 5 seats |
| Number of Doors | 2 doors | 2 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1000 kg | 785 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4350 mm | 3980 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1710 mm | 1570 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1370 mm | 1390 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2590 mm | 2410 mm |
| Fuel Tank Capacity | 54 L | 41 L |
