1995 Mazda MX-5 Miata vs. 1970 Mercury Monterey
To start off, 1995 Mazda MX-5 Miata is newer by 25 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1970 Mercury Monterey. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1970 Mercury Monterey would be higher. At 5,769 cc (8 cylinders), 1970 Mercury Monterey is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1970 Mercury Monterey (163 HP @ 3800 RPM) has 74 more horse power than 1995 Mazda MX-5 Miata. (89 HP @ 6000 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 1970 Mercury Monterey should accelerate faster than 1995 Mazda MX-5 Miata. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1970 Mercury Monterey weights approximately 966 kg more than 1995 Mazda MX-5 Miata. 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, 1970 Mercury Monterey (383 Nm @ 2000 RPM) has 254 more torque (in Nm) than 1995 Mazda MX-5 Miata. (129 Nm @ 4000 RPM). This means 1970 Mercury Monterey will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1995 Mazda MX-5 Miata. 1970 Mercury Monterey has automatic transmission and 1995 Mazda MX-5 Miata has manual transmission. 1995 Mazda MX-5 Miata will offer better control over acceleration and deceleration in addition to better fuel efficiency overall. 1970 Mercury Monterey will be easier to drive especially in heavy traffic.
Compare all specifications:
| 1995 Mazda MX-5 Miata | 1970 Mercury Monterey | |
| Make | Mazda | Mercury |
| Model | MX-5 Miata | Monterey |
| Year Released | 1995 | 1970 |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 1598 cc | 5769 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 4 cylinders | 8 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | V |
| Valves per Cylinder | 4 valves | 2 valves |
| Horse Power | 89 HP | 163 HP |
| Engine RPM | 6000 RPM | 3800 RPM |
| Torque | 129 Nm | 383 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 4000 RPM | 2000 RPM |
| Engine Bore Size | 78 mm | 101.6 mm |
| Engine Stroke Size | 83.6 mm | 88.8 mm |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Manual | Automatic |
| Vehicle Weight | 966 kg | 1932 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 3960 mm | 5720 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1680 mm | 2030 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1240 mm | 1380 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2270 mm | 3160 mm |
