1993 Mazda MX-5 Miata vs. 1973 Mercury Montego
To start off, 1993 Mazda MX-5 Miata is newer by 20 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1973 Mercury Montego. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1973 Mercury Montego would be higher. At 4,095 cc (6 cylinders), 1973 Mercury Montego is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1993 Mazda MX-5 Miata (116 HP @ 6500 RPM) has 20 more horse power than 1973 Mercury Montego. (96 HP @ 3600 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 1993 Mazda MX-5 Miata should accelerate faster than 1973 Mercury Montego. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1973 Mercury Montego weights approximately 740 kg more than 1993 Mazda MX-5 Miata.
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, 1973 Mercury Montego (248 Nm @ 1600 RPM) has 117 more torque (in Nm) than 1993 Mazda MX-5 Miata. (131 Nm @ 5500 RPM). This means 1973 Mercury Montego will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1993 Mazda MX-5 Miata.
Compare all specifications:
| 1993 Mazda MX-5 Miata | 1973 Mercury Montego | |
| Make | Mazda | Mercury |
| Model | MX-5 Miata | Montego |
| Year Released | 1993 | 1973 |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 1598 cc | 4095 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 4 cylinders | 6 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 116 HP | 96 HP |
| Engine RPM | 6500 RPM | 3600 RPM |
| Torque | 131 Nm | 248 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 5500 RPM | 1600 RPM |
| Engine Bore Size | 78 mm | 93.6 mm |
| Engine Stroke Size | 83.6 mm | 99.3 mm |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Manual | Manual |
| Number of Seats | 2 seats | 6 seats |
| Vehicle Weight | 955 kg | 1695 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 3960 mm | 5300 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1680 mm | 2010 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1240 mm | 1350 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2270 mm | 3010 mm |
