1981 Holden Commodore vs. 1980 Toyota Carina
To start off, 1981 Holden Commodore is newer by 1 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1980 Toyota Carina. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1980 Toyota Carina would be higher. At 4,142 cc (8 cylinders), 1981 Holden Commodore is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1981 Holden Commodore (134 HP @ 4200 RPM) has 59 more horse power than 1980 Toyota Carina. (75 HP @ 5200 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 1981 Holden Commodore should accelerate faster than 1980 Toyota Carina. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1981 Holden Commodore weights approximately 370 kg more than 1980 Toyota Carina. 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, 1981 Holden Commodore (270 Nm @ 2000 RPM) has 155 more torque (in Nm) than 1980 Toyota Carina. (115 Nm @ 3800 RPM). This means 1981 Holden Commodore will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1980 Toyota Carina. 1981 Holden Commodore has automatic transmission and 1980 Toyota Carina has manual transmission. 1980 Toyota Carina will offer better control over acceleration and deceleration in addition to better fuel efficiency overall. 1981 Holden Commodore will be easier to drive especially in heavy traffic.
Compare all specifications:
| 1981 Holden Commodore | 1980 Toyota Carina | |
| Make | Holden | Toyota |
| Model | Commodore | Carina |
| Year Released | 1981 | 1980 |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 4142 cc | 1588 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 8 cylinders | 4 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 134 HP | 75 HP |
| Engine RPM | 4200 RPM | 5200 RPM |
| Torque | 270 Nm | 115 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 2000 RPM | 3800 RPM |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Automatic | Manual |
| Number of Seats | 5 seats | 5 seats |
| Number of Doors | 4 doors | 4 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1350 kg | 980 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4710 mm | 4340 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1730 mm | 1640 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1370 mm | 1400 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2670 mm | 2510 mm |
