1998 Mazda MX-5 Miata vs. 1989 Mercury Cougar
To start off, 1998 Mazda MX-5 Miata 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, 1989 Mercury Cougar (140 HP @ 3800 RPM) has 28 more horse power than 1998 Mazda MX-5 Miata. (112 HP @ 6500 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 1989 Mercury Cougar should accelerate faster than 1998 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, 1989 Mercury Cougar (292 Nm @ 4000 RPM) has 168 more torque (in Nm) than 1998 Mazda MX-5 Miata. (124 Nm @ 5000 RPM). This means 1989 Mercury Cougar will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1998 Mazda MX-5 Miata. 1989 Mercury Cougar has automatic transmission and 1998 Mazda MX-5 Miata has manual transmission. 1998 Mazda MX-5 Miata 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 Mazda MX-5 Miata | 1989 Mercury Cougar | |
| Make | Mazda | Mercury |
| Model | MX-5 Miata | Cougar |
| Year Released | 1998 | 1989 |
| Body Type | Convertible | Coupe |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 1498 cc | 3799 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 4 cylinders | 6 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | V |
| Valves per Cylinder | 4 valves | 4 valves |
| Horse Power | 112 HP | 140 HP |
| Engine RPM | 6500 RPM | 3800 RPM |
| Torque | 124 Nm | 292 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 5000 RPM | 4000 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Manual | Automatic |
| Number of Seats | 2 seats | 5 seats |
| Number of Doors | 2 doors | 2 doors |
| Vehicle Length | 3960 mm | 5050 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1680 mm | 1850 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1240 mm | 1340 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2270 mm | 2880 mm |
| Fuel Tank Capacity | 50 L | 72 L |
