1998 Acura NSX vs. 1989 Mercury Cougar
To start off, 1998 Acura NSX is newer by 9 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, 1998 Acura NSX (291 HP @ 7100 RPM) has 151 more horse power than 1989 Mercury Cougar. (140 HP @ 3800 RPM). In normal driving conditions, 1998 Acura NSX should accelerate faster than 1989 Mercury Cougar.
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, 1998 Acura NSX (304 Nm @ 5500 RPM) has 12 more torque (in Nm) than 1989 Mercury Cougar. (292 Nm @ 4000 RPM). This means 1998 Acura NSX will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1989 Mercury Cougar. 1989 Mercury Cougar has automatic transmission and 1998 Acura NSX has manual transmission. 1998 Acura NSX will offer better control over acceleration and deceleration in addition to better fuel efficiency overall. 1989 Mercury Cougar will be easier to drive especially in heavy traffic.
Compare all specifications:
| 1998 Acura NSX | 1989 Mercury Cougar | |
| Make | Acura | Mercury |
| Model | NSX | Cougar |
| Year Released | 1998 | 1989 |
| Body Type | Coupe | Coupe |
| Engine Position | Middle | Front |
| Engine Size | 3179 cc | 3799 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 6 cylinders | 6 cylinders |
| Engine Type | V | V |
| Valves per Cylinder | 4 valves | 4 valves |
| Horse Power | 291 HP | 140 HP |
| Engine RPM | 7100 RPM | 3800 RPM |
| Torque | 304 Nm | 292 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 5500 RPM | 4000 RPM |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Manual | Automatic |
| Number of Seats | 2 seats | 5 seats |
| Number of Doors | 2 doors | 2 doors |
| Vehicle Length | 4430 mm | 5050 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1820 mm | 1850 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1180 mm | 1340 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2540 mm | 2880 mm |
