1997 Ford Contour vs. 1997 Nissan Sentra
To start off, both 1997 Ford Contour and 1997 Nissan Sentra were released in the same year (1997). Therefore the support and the availability on parts for both vehicles should be relatively similar. At 2,544 cc (6 cylinders), 1997 Ford Contour is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1997 Ford Contour (200 HP @ 6700 RPM) has 115 more horse power than 1997 Nissan Sentra. (85 HP @ 6000 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 1997 Ford Contour should accelerate faster than 1997 Nissan Sentra. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1997 Ford Contour weights approximately 424 kg more than 1997 Nissan Sentra. So despite on having greater horse power, its additional weight may have an impact towards its acceleration in comparison.
Both vehicles are front wheel drive (FWD). Which offers better traction when its slippery than rear 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, 1997 Ford Contour (231 Nm @ 5625 RPM) has 113 more torque (in Nm) than 1997 Nissan Sentra. (118 Nm @ 4000 RPM). This means 1997 Ford Contour will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1997 Nissan Sentra.
Compare all specifications:
| 1997 Ford Contour | 1997 Nissan Sentra | |
| Make | Ford | Nissan |
| Model | Contour | Sentra |
| Year Released | 1997 | 1997 |
| Body Type | Sedan | Sedan |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 2544 cc | 1392 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 6 cylinders | 4 cylinders |
| Engine Type | V | in-line |
| Valves per Cylinder | 4 valves | 4 valves |
| Horse Power | 200 HP | 85 HP |
| Engine RPM | 6700 RPM | 6000 RPM |
| Torque | 231 Nm | 118 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 5625 RPM | 4000 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Front | Front |
| Transmission Type | Manual | Manual |
| Number of Seats | 5 seats | 5 seats |
| Number of Doors | 4 doors | 4 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1390 kg | 966 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4680 mm | 4290 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1760 mm | 1680 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1380 mm | 1400 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2710 mm | 2440 mm |
