Archived Comparison
One Vega and one Pinto have survived 15,000 miles at the hands of the Car and Driver staff. And each is still running. It was a tough test too, with many of the miles being clocked on the bombed-out streets of New York City (which has road surfaces so choppy and driving conditions so tortuous that several Detroit auto makers test experimental parts on fleet cars operating here) by the full range of staff drivers —from a left-handed sprint car driver to office girls who aren't quite sure which pedal is the brake. And the test stretched over nine months in order to sample the cars' abilities to handle snow, sleet, rain, heat, oppressive humidity and even the occasional hurricane that the New York weather bureau dials up. Yet the cars survived, and did so with no major mechanical failures—an indication of the soundness of their basic engineering.
Still, far more is expected of a car—even two of America's lowest priced cars —than just a capability of self-propulsion for 15,000 miles. Problems were uncovered. When it comes to convenience, comfort and—particularly—driveability, both the Vega and the Pinto have conspicuous shortcomings. Dealer service, too, is rife with fraud. This test will expose a wide range of strengths and weaknesses that all potential owners should consider.
Neither of the test cars was a budget-priced stripper. Instead, we ordered them with options we felt most enthusiasts—drivers who want a good small car, not just a cheap one—would buy. The Vega was a hatchback coupe with crisp, uptown styling that makes it one of the most visually appealing small cars on the market. It was equipped with the optional 110-hp engine, 4-speed transmission, special handling suspension, wide A70-13 tires and all of the comfort and convenience equipment that was available early in the model year (except for air conditioning). Mechanically, it was identical to a Vega GT (introduced after the test had started) with styled wheels and dashboard instrumentation being the only differences between the test car and the version Chevrolet advertises as a sports car. With all of this equipment the price was high — $2847.25 on the window sticker.
Hatchback Pintos were not in production at the start of the test so we settled for the only other choice, a 2-door sedan. But it, too, had every available performance and convenience option; 2.0-liter engine, 4-speed transmission, disc front brakes, A70-13 tires, all of the convenience groups and a Protection Package (huge bumper guards and vinyl-padded body side moldings to prevent door dents) which turned out to be at least as useful as tires in New York City. At $2511.00, the price was significantly lower than the Vega.
Considering the prices, both cars perform well enough in urban commuting and cross country situations to serve as satisfactory transportation for one-car families. They are both rated as 4-passenger cars but are uncomfortable when loaded with four adults—particularly the Vega coupe, which has even less rear seat head and knee room than the 2-door sedan version. Realistically, either the Pinto or Vega should be limited to carrying two adults with the rear seat reserved for children or parcels.
And while both can be used for "general transportation," each has its specialty. The Pinto is exceptionally satisfying, even amusing, as a city traffic car. It's highly maneuverable, visibility is extremely good in every direction except toward the rear corners, and it has the sharp-edged, go-stop-turn feel of a sports car. With this in mind, there are two bargains on the Pinto's option list: the 2.0-liter engine for $50, and the disc brakes, which will set you back $32. Without those two extras the Pinto is just another low-dollar transit capsule—with them it's a real urban flogger's car. The "big" engine is relatively smooth and quiet and very powerful. It also revs like a dentist's drill. The 4-speed transmission which backs it up is right for the task with short, quick throws and a solid, stubby lever. The disc brakes require somewhat higher pedal pressures than we like but they are extremely controllable and stop the car with no directional instability (unlike the standard drum brakes, the discs can easily be held on the verge of lock-up when the need arises). With this equipment, the only thing more capable than the Pinto in traffic is a motorcycle.
But while the Pinto is definitely more fun than the Vega for hard driving, its charm melts away in point-to-point cruising. The ride quality is much harsher than that of the Vega, high speed directional stability is lacking, and the bucket seats, with their poorly-shaped and too-upright backrests, proved to be agony for most of the staff.
The Vega, on the other hand, hits its stride on the open highway. It has good directional stability and the front bucket seats are comfortable for most drivers. There were complaints of excessive heat radiating from the Vega's driveline tunnel—the effect being exaggerated by the softly-padded bucket seats which envelop you in non-breathing vinyl—but it was agreed that the Vega's far superior flow-through ventilation system was more than enough to offset it. (The Pinto's ventilation is flat inadequate unless you open the windows.) As a point of interest, the Vega's flow-through system is augmented by a blower that operates whenever the ignition is on.
While it is obvious that Chevrolet engineers have made a heavy commitment toward occupant comfort in the Vega, the effect of their work has been very nearly cancelled out by the car's one colossal esthetic failure—the engine. Never mind all the talk about the marvelous technology involved in the liner-less aluminum block: From a noise and vibration standpoint, the Vega's Four is unfit for passenger car use. At high speeds, where wind noise is the dominant sound, there is very little to choose from between the two cars, but in traffic, when accelerating up through the gears, the Vega's clattering engine and fruity sounding exhaust are genuinely unpleasant. In addition, the second order engine shake, characteristic of all in-line 4-cylinder engines, is particularly strenuous in the Vega. It's pretty much confined to two periods with peaks at about 2200 and 4100 rpm. A tuned mass damper attached to the rear of the transmission effectively absorbs the high-speed disturbance but the low-speed one still tingles your toes and buzzes the shift lever as you pass through—when we need a Magic Fingers massage we'll pay our quarter, thanks. This, combined with the noise and the rubbery, balky shifter, takes the fun out of low speed and sporting driving.
The decision to order the optional, higher performance engine in what is basically an economy car is not the contradiction that it might appear. In fact, we have concluded that it is a good idea for all but the most inveterate nickle-noses, particularly if you choose a Pinto in the first place. Of the test cars, the Pinto proved to be quicker, with quarter-mile times of 17.7 seconds at 75.0 mph—0.5 seconds and 1.2 mph quicker than the Vega. Both are substantially more powerful than normal store-bought economy cars which makes for easier passing and better acceleration when heavily loaded. Most important, the big engines don't kill fuel economy. At least, not necessarily. In fact, our tests show that the driver has more to do with gas mileage than does the engine. One guy (the left-handed sprint car driver—it had to come out—Ed.) transported himself through a 1000-mile trip in the Vega and averaged 16 miles per gallon. A week later, on a carefully controlled mileage check that included both city traffic and expressway cruising, the same car managed 30 mpg and did so without the benefit of any special driving techniques. It was just driven gently, with early shifts and no wide-open-throttle acceleration. Normally, the Vega averaged between 22 and 23 mpg the way most of the staff members drive.
