For the most part, the Ford Mustang dominates the pony car market because this is the vehicle people most closely associate with this genre of cars. However, though it’s the most popular, there are rides from the classic era of the Mustang that compete with it. One example is the Mercury Cougar. Most people other than car enthusiasts don’t know about this short-lived pony car. However, based on the Mustang, the Mercury only had a few design differences that set it apart. In fact, to the untrained eye, the Mercury Cougar is easily mistaken for the Ford Mustang.

The Mercury Cougar is also different from the Ford Mustang because it offers all the features the Mustang doesn’t. In fact, the car essentially became a luxury car in its later years. The Mercury Cougar came along in 1967 and lasted for a while but changed significantly over the years, which is one of the reasons far fewer people know it compared to the Mustang. The Mercury Cougar ended in 2002 as a sport compact car.

Of course, the 1967 Ford Mustang is a phenomenal car. However, the Mercury Cougar provides many of the same performance specs as the Mustang and offers a much more pleasant experience.

Here’s why we’d buy a Mercury Cougar over a Ford Mustang.

The 1967 Mercury Cougar Engine And Performance Equals That Of The Mustang

1967_Mercury_Cougar_-_27200350917
Greg Gjerdingen(Wikimedia Commons)

The Mercury Cougar is a pretty powerful car. What makes it truly comparable to the Ford Mustang is that the 1967 Cougar, and the few later models, came with practically every engine option as the Mustang. In fact, one of the models even has a Mustang Cobra Jet engine. The 1967 Mercury Cougar has a total of four engine options. The base model Cougar engine is a 4.7-liter V8 with a maximum output of 197 horsepower. The most powerful Mercury Cougar engine for that year is a 6.4-liter V8, with a maximum output of 335 horsepower. The Mercury Cougar is a rear-wheel drive vehicle with manual and automatic transmission options.

The 1967 Mercury Cougar is fast and is pretty much on par with the speeds of the Ford Mustang. The car accelerates from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 7.0 seconds. It does a quarter-mile in 15.1 seconds at 94 miles per hour. The Ford Mustang may be more famous and iconic than the short-lived Cougar, but these two classic cars are pretty even in terms of performance. The great thing about the Cougar is that the vehicle combines excellent performance and a level of style the Mustang didn’t have at the time.

RELATED: A Look Back At The History Of The Mercury Cougar

The Mercury Cougar Exterior Is More Dynamic Than The Ford Mustang

1967 Ford Mustang Fastback
Mecum Auctions

Perhaps the aspect of the Mercury Cougar that makes it stand out from the Ford Mustang the most is its exterior. The Mercury Cougar exterior is much more dynamic and has a longer wheelbase than the Mustang. In fact, the Cougar's wheelbase is about three inches longer than that of the Ford Mustang. Overall, the car is about seven inches longer than the Mustang. While that difference in size may not sound significant, it makes a difference when you see it on the road. In addition, this more extended wheelbase helps provide a much smoother ride in the Cougar than people get from the Mustang, which is another reason we’d prefer it. The upgraded suspension on the Cougar also adds to the smoother ride.

Another difference for the Mercury Cougar exterior is that the car has a much more prominent hood. This gives the car a more dramatic look, whereas the automaker designed the Ford Mustang to be efficient in every way. The car also has a more exciting front grille equipped with hidden headlights. Though the Ford Mustang and the Mercury Cougar are similar, the Cougar is the more well-rounded and attractive of the two cars. If you’re looking for a classic car that’s both sporty and elegant, the Mercury Cougar is the way to go.

RELATED: Here's What Went Wrong With The 1999 Mercury Cougar

The Mercury Cougar Interior Is More Spacious Than The Mustang

1967 Mercury Cougar side view
Greg Gjerdingen(Wikimedia Commons)

The interior of the Mercury Cougar is much more spacious and accommodating than the Ford Mustang. With the Mustang, the name of the game is ultimate simplicity. The car has almost no interior features that add to comfort, nor is the inside of the Mustang very attractive. However, the Mercury Cougar interior has some pretty nifty features for that time. Buyers could also add leather seats and wood grain to the car. One of the vehicle's most impressive features is the extra sound deadening. This not only made the Mercury Cougar quieter on the inside, but it also made the car heavier and more stable. We’d quickly pick the Mercury Cougar over the Ford Mustang for the interior.

The Mercury Cougar may not be the most well-known sports car from the late 1960s and early '70s. However, it’s a car that serves as a sibling vehicle for the iconic Ford Mustang. This means it has the performance, but the automaker wanted to experiment with the idea of a Mustang packed with features and a more pronounced exterior. The result was the Cougar, which people liked despite the car changing over the years and later becoming something different.

Sources: Ford Media, Driving Line