1989 Mercury Cougar vs. 1996 Oldsmobile Silhouette
To start off, 1996 Oldsmobile Silhouette is newer by 7 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1989 Mercury Cougar. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1989 Mercury Cougar would be higher. At 3,799 cc (6 cylinders), 1989 Mercury Cougar is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1996 Oldsmobile Silhouette (163 HP @ 4300 RPM) has 23 more horse power than 1989 Mercury Cougar. (140 HP @ 3800 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 1996 Oldsmobile Silhouette should accelerate faster than 1989 Mercury Cougar.
Because 1989 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 1989 Mercury Cougar. However, in wet, icy, snow, or gravel driving conditions, 1996 Oldsmobile Silhouette, 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, 1996 Oldsmobile Silhouette (298 Nm @ 3200 RPM) has 6 more torque (in Nm) than 1989 Mercury Cougar. (292 Nm @ 4000 RPM). This means 1996 Oldsmobile Silhouette will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1989 Mercury Cougar.
Compare all specifications:
| 1989 Mercury Cougar | 1996 Oldsmobile Silhouette | |
| Make | Mercury | Oldsmobile |
| Model | Cougar | Silhouette |
| Year Released | 1989 | 1996 |
| Body Type | Coupe | Minivan |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 3799 cc | 3135 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 6 cylinders | 6 cylinders |
| Engine Type | V | in-line |
| Horse Power | 140 HP | 163 HP |
| Engine RPM | 3800 RPM | 4300 RPM |
| Torque | 292 Nm | 298 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 4000 RPM | 3200 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Front |
| Transmission Type | Automatic | Automatic |
| Number of Seats | 5 seats | 7 seats |
| Vehicle Length | 5050 mm | 4940 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1850 mm | 1880 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1340 mm | 1680 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2880 mm | 2800 mm |
