Automotive Reviews
Posts tagged subcompact
2000 Nissan Sentra
Jun 19th
It’s scary; entry-level cars are getting so nice that first-time buyers might start assuming they can’t afford them. The best little cars don’t look or feel cheap any more, even if they are. The 2000 Nissan Sentra is the latest economy car to get the high-quality treatment. Completely redesigned for 2000, the Sentra shares a platform with some Japanese and European models, but the car itself is unique to North America. It was designed at Nissan’s California design studio. Looking like a smaller-scale Altima, the new Sentra is a small car that looks larger than it is, but is larger than it looks. Got that?
Stay with us. The newly redesigned Sentra is definitely a Nissan; it shares a strong front and side family resemblance with its stablemates the Altima and Maxima, although it lacks the aggressiveness of the Maxima. The new Sentra’s longer, taller, and wider than its predecessor, but looks less chunky than past Sentras. Up front, a blacked-out grille is broken by a horizontal chrome bar, like that of the two larger Nissan sedans (and less jarring than that of the Maxima), and the shape of the greenhouse matches that of the Altima so closely that the Sentra looks larger than it is from even a short distance. The “big-car” cues are there; expressive side moldings, round integrated foglamps, and a rounded tail which appears to slope thanks to downward-curved taillights. The Sentra doesn’t look like an awkwardly shrunken Altima, either; it’s an elegant design overall.
Those big-car looks hint at a spacious interior. The Sentra feels as spacious inside as high-roofed compacts like the Toyota ECHO and Ford Focus, but without the tall roof. A handsome instrument panel looks and feels like it’s a class or two above the standard economy car fare. There’s a handy cubby in the top of the dash, and even handier holders in the front door pockets big enough to carry 20-ounce bottles. The steering wheel could have come from a Maxima, but that’s a good thing. Our gripes were limited to low seats which were a little uncomfortable for long legs, and a sound system whose buttons were far too small to operate easily.
Only one thing doesn’t feel elegant about the Sentra, and that’s the 1.8 liter, 126-hp engine that powers the XE and GXE models, which we tested. It’s quiet in town, but on the freeway it’s reluctant to downshift and sounds more labored than it ought to, being an all-new engine. It’s got more power than the previous motor, and is mostly let down by the transmission. The four-speed automatic transmission does a lot of hunting and ratio-dropping to stay at 70 mph on a moderate hill. We’d recommend the available manual, instead. A Sentra SE model is also available with a 2.0 liter four-cylinder, and makes 145 horsepower. Also available is the Sentra CA, which is the first gas-powered vehicle to meet California’s super-low emissions vehicle (SULEV) standards thanks to emissions-reducing equipment in the exhaust and a “smog-eating” PremAir radiator coating.
The new Sentra’s road manners are impeccable. The ride is as smooth as the big-car looks suggest. A front independent suspension and multi-link rear make for friendly handling around town. On the road, it feels like a larger car, thanks to softer suspension bushings and a stiffened body that give the Sentra a solid, confident on par with that of its big brother the Maxima. A Multi-Link Beam suspension at the rear and larger stabilizer bars offer predictable front-drive economy car performance when the road gets twisty. No, it’s not a car-guy car–it understeers too much–but it’s more than competent enough to satisfy the more practical drivers among us. Four-wheel disc brakes are available on the sporty SE model, and ABS is optional on the GXE and SE.
The Sentra’s big-car looks and accoutrements come at a surprisingly ordinary small-car price. The Sentra range starts with a bare-bones XE model, followed by the limited-production, high-economy CA, with GXE and SE as the upper ranges. The GXE adds air conditioning, cruise control, power mirrors, and other things to the standard equipment list, and starts at $14,299. Side airbags, a sunroof, and several sound systems are available. Our test car stickered for $15,697, once the folding rear seat, keyless entry, 15″ wheels, improved sound system, and and map lights had been added. The SE features the larger motor, bigger wheels, and a sport suspension, including a limited-slip differential. That’s right in Focus/Saturn/Civic territory, and the handsome new Sentra is a small-car option well worth considering.
Specifications:
All specs are for the 2000 Nissan Sentra GXE, which we tested.
Length: 177.5 in.
Width: 67.3 in.
Height: 55.5 in.
Wheelbase: 99.8 in.
Curb weight: 2627 lb.
Cargo space: 11.6 cu.ft
Base price: $14,299
Price as tested: $15,697
Engine: 1.8 liter DOHC inline 4
Drivetrain: four-speed automatic, front-wheel drive
Horsepower: 126 @ 6000 rpm.
Torque: 129 @ 2400 rpm
Fuel capacity: 13.2 gal.
Est. mileage: 26/33
6/2009 update: The Sentra’s still a good subcompact choice. They suffer from the Nissan tendency to look “old,” but apart from that they’re solid, often underappreciated vehicles. See: Mazda Protege.
2001 Chrysler PT Cruiser
Jun 19th
Finally, after about a decade of building real-life show cars for the high end of the market, Chrysler has decided to build one for the rest of us. The Prowler and Viper were wonderful toys…if you had $50,000 to burn. If you were of average means and wanted a stylish but quirky automotive statement, Volkswagen’s New Beetle was about the only thing going. Until now. The PT Cruiser brings show-car looks to an affordable part of the market, and creates its own market segment at the same time.
Actually, it’s not a new segment. High-roofed compact station wagons are nothing new–ask Toyota and Nissan, who built thousands of the awkward-looking things in the late 1980s. Some of them even had minivan traits to make them more user-friendly, just like the PT Cruiser does. And still the PT Cruiser manages to be something else entirely, in comparison.
The design of the thing helps. The PT Cruiser is at once familiar and otherworldly, in the way that exotic cars and street rods are. Of course it doesn’t look like anything else on the road; that’s the whole idea. It shares the look of the Chrysler Pronto Cruizer, which toured the auto show circuit in 1998. It’s part Forties street rod, part minivan, and part woody wagon. The sides are sculpted to suggest separate fenders front and rear, and the PT Cruiser’s nose narrows to a prominent grille, which is bisected by a full-width bumper. If it were chrome, it could be 1938. As it is, it should silence the folk who are always writing to Ford and asking them to bring back the Model A. Out back, the PT Cruiser takes on the look of an old panel van, with a smooth, almost art-deco-round liftgate and small oval taillights that ride low and to the sides. Chrome logos and door handles are nice retro-elegant touches. It looks unique, it looks special, and, to our eyes, it looks good. For 2002 Chrysler will up the retro ante, with the addition of “Woodie” and limited-production Dream Cruiser editions. The Woodie is just what you think it is; an option package that adds woodie-style decals to any PT Cruiser. The Dream Cruiser is painted a chrome-yellow gold similar to that of the original Pronto Cruizer show car, and has unique 16″ chrome wheels. Only 7500 Dream Cruisers will be built.
The PT Cruiser’s tall body pays off inside with chairlike seating for front and rear passengers. Unlike most minivans, the rear seats are as comfortable as those up front. The windshield is more narrow and upright than most; it’s not unlike driving an old Saab. Visibility is fine, but the distance to the glass takes a little bit of getting used to. The style continues inside, with elegant black-on-white gauges recessed deep in the dash, body-colored panels in front of the driver and front-seat passenger, and a handsome, modern rendition of a classic steering wheel. But here’s the best part: unlike other fashion-conscious boutique cars like Volkswagen’s New Beetle, there’s a pretty useful car underneath all of that style. The PT Cruiser’s interior is multi-configurable, like a minivan’s. The rear seats can be split, folded, flipped or removed. An optional fold-flat front passenger seat enables the PT Cruiser to swallow longer loads. The cargo cover can be positioned at two different levels, turned vertically, or used as a tailgate party table. Helpful nooks and crannies abound. The PT Cruiser is eager to help out when it comes to erranding.
Erranding seems to be the PT Cruiser’s favorite task. Don’t take those street-rod looks to heart, because the 150-hp, 2.4-liter four under the hood started out powering Neons, and now there’s a lot more vehicle to haul around. The automatic-equipped test car we drove seemed a little sluggish compared to our old Volvo. Once up to speed, the PT Cruiser has no problem keeping up with traffic. Tallish gearing keeps things quiet under the hood. The four-speed automatic can be slow to downshift. Chances are the standard five-speed manual transmission livens things up a little bit.
What it lacks in sheer accelerative power, the PT Cruiser more than makes up in nimble around-town manners. The vehicle’s surprisingly small stature and high-up seating make it easy to dice in and out of traffic, especially in congested urban areas. The PT Cruiser is smaller than its presence makes it seem (it’s almost half a foot shorter than a Ford Focus) and this will be obvious the first time you parallel park one. It doesn’t feel tippy at low speeds, although an overly enthusiastic cloverleaf will have passengers grabbing for the door handles. A unique rear suspension combines a beam axle with trailing arms, which restricts sway at the rear (that queasy, side to side wobble that makes the ride unsteady in other tall vehicles). The ride is a little firmer than that of the average economy car.
Four-wheel antilock brakes and side airbags are optional on the PT Cruiser, but don’t feel cheated. Remember, this is a show car for the rest of us, so the PT Cruiser is equipped and priced like an economy car. The base PT Cruiser comes with ugly hubcaps, AM/FM cassette, power windows, and all of the neat flip-fold options and cubbies we’ve mentioned for only $15,450. Our test vehicle featured side airbags, ABS, and the optional automatic transmission, and stickered for $17,790. Chrysler will load your PT Cruiser up even further with 16″ wheels, leather, cruise control, and a sunroof if you like. The “Woodie” option will add $895 to the bottom line, and the special-edition Dream Cruisers start at $23,170.
Minivan? Station wagon? Retro-modern transport pod? Who cares? The Chrysler PT Cruiser’s goal is to make sure that the rich guys aren’t the only ones to get to buy the jaw-dropping, out-of-this-world cars. And that’s a good thing.
Specifications:
All specs are for the 2001 Chrysler PT Cruiser which we tested.
Length: 168.8 in.
Width: 67,1 in
Height: 63.0 in.
Wheelbase: 103.0 in.
Curb weight: 3112 lb.
Cargo space: 18.3 cu.ft. (seats up) 64.0 (seats removed)
Base price: $15,450
Price as tested: $17,790
Engine: 2.4 liter, DOHV 16 valve inline four cylinder
Drivetrain: four-speed automatic, front wheel drive
Horsepower: 150 @ 5600 rpm
Torque: 162 lb-ft @ 4000 rpm
Fuel capacity: 15.0 gal.
Est. mileage: 20/25
6/2009 update: There’s still something about the PT Cruiser that just makes me smile. The mechanicals are uninspiring, and they aren’t exactly uncommon, but this is still a happy car.
2000 Toyota Echo
Jun 19th
It looks like all those years of slamming Toyotas for being dull and faceless are finally starting to pay off. The new-for-2000 ECHO subcompact is anything but anonymous, and that’s quite a departure for an economy car. Traditionally, small cars are the appliances of any manufacturer’s lineup, but lately appliances have been getting interesting. Toasters have character lines on them, personal computers come in different colors, and the Toyota ECHO is an entry-level car with enough style to ensure that it will leave the showroom floor for reasons beyond its low price.
An all-new design, the ECHO is smaller and priced lower than the Corolla. The entry-level car has been designed with young, first-time buyers in mind.
At first glance, the ECHO looks like a larger car that shrank in the dryer. A short trunk and hood appended to a large passenger area (which has been maximized through cab-forward design and a high roof) lend it a dwarfish look. It sports the very expressive, acute-angle-intensive design theme that’s spreading through Toyota’s once-bland product lineup. The tall roof makes the car look narrower than it is. In spite of the rather awkward overall appearance, the ECHO’s a reasonably attractive car. It has almost no hood; the passenger compartment has been pushed forward as far as it can go. The ECHO’s front end slopes steeply up from a wide lower duct and crosshatched black grill up to the windshield. A deep crease carries the line of the turn signals from front to rear. The ECHO’s profile view is the chunkiest, and a molding around the rocker panels helps to break this up a little bit. The high, flat, vertical tail is also a recurring theme on Toyotas, and suits the very vertical ECHO well. Six-spoke hubcaps on 14″ wheels complete the look. It’s a very expressive, unique-looking small car that’s not going to blend into the background.
Inside, the high roof offers plenty of headroom, of course. Thanks to the truck-sized roof and car-sized floor, getting in and out of the ECHO is easy. The first thing that draws the eye is the unusual, centrally mounted instrument panel. The term “instrument panel” is a little misleading, because the pod contains only a speedometer and a fuel gauge. It’s a nod to the commuter who doesn’t really care about engine speed, battery voltage, or oil pressure. The seats are high off the floor, chairlike, and they’re upholstered in a handsome checkered pattern that is a step above the typical gray econobox interior. Desk jockeys used to sitting in front of a PC will be comfortable in the ECHO, because the view through the windshield is reminiscent of a computerized driving simulator, thanks to the low cowl, extremely short hood, and a slight dip in the windows at the rearview mirrors. Adding to the IMAX theater feeling is a dash that slopes away from the driver and front passenger, and interior trim that dives slightly toward the front of the car. The rounded dashboard features deep crescent-shaped bins on either side of the radio, perfect for holding several compact discs or cassettes each. Another useful shelf is located under the steering wheel, and there’s even a second, smaller glovebox living above the regular one. Large storage bins on the doors will also come in handy, because the optional AM/FM/cassette/CD player provides great sound.
A downside to the extreme cab-forward design is a lack of driver legroom. With the seat set back far enough to accommodate long legs, the steering wheel is out of reach. We spent a lot of time driving the ECHO with our legs bent awkwardly. On the plus side, there’s plenty of trunk space, and the rear seats’ slightly longer cushions are actually more comfortable than those in the front. Four passengers can ride in comfort; although it’s smaller, the ECHO features just as much interior room as its larger sibling the Corolla.
Cramped footwell aside, the ECHO is plenty comfortable and capable on anything less than a road trip. The 1.5-liter, 108-hp engine provides plenty of torque to get the car moving quickly–no flashbacks to dangerously slow Ford Aspires and Geo Metros, here. Toyota’s VVT-i variable valve timing system makes the most of the smallish motor, and enables the ECHO to keep pace with other small cars. The four-speed automatic transmission is unusually refined for a small, inexpensive car; it’s smart enough to stay in a lower gear when it senses that the car is climbing a hill, and doesn’t jump awkwardly from gear to gear.
The high seating position, sharp turning circle and stadium-screen-sized windshield make it easy to take advantage of the little Toyota’s maneuverability. Squeezing into parking spaces and narrow holes in traffic is a breeze. The ECHO enjoys the congestion of the city more than the freeway. On the downside, the car’s light weight and high profile make it somewhat prone to crosswinds, like a minivan. Strong gusts across the freeway make the ECHO nervous, and prone to wandering. When the wind isn’t bothering it, the littlest Toyota’s handling is decent. It’s not a closet racer like the Ford Focus, and feels a little top-heavy in hard corners.
The ECHO is very, very well screwed together. Along with some much-appreciated personality, Toyota has infused the ECHO with the solid, quality feeling usually associated with larger cars like the Camry or Avalon. On the safety front, dual airbags and upper interior impact protection are standard. ABS and daytime running lights are available, as well.
The ECHO is offered in two- and four-door models, and only one trim level. Standard equipment includes wheel covers, a tilt wheel, and an underseat storage tray. Air conditioning, power locks, CD/cassette, a 60/40 folding rear seat, and ABS are on the options list. It may not be loaded down with standard equipment, but the ECHO’s base price of around $11,000 makes up for it. Our test car featured two upgrade packages which included the air conditioning, CD, remote mirrors, and a sport body kit, and it stickered for $14,165. For such a stylish piece of basic transportation, that’s low enough to make the Toyota ECHO worth a look.
Specifications:
All specs are for the 2000 Toyota ECHO, which we tested.
Length: 163.3 in.
Width: 65.4 in.
Height: 59.1 in
Wheelbase: 93.4 in.
Curb weight: 2080 lbs
Cargo space: 13.6 cu. ft.
Base price:
Price as tested: $14,165
Engine: 1.5 liter, twin cam DOHC 16-valve 4 cylinder
Drivetrain: four-speed automatic, front wheel drive
Horsepower: 108 @ 6000 rpm
Torque: 105 ft/lb @ 4200 rpm
Fuel capacity: 11.9 gal
Est. mileage: 31/38
6/2009 update: ECHOs are durable and reliable, almost unkillable little beasties like their predecessor, the Tercel. That also means that they command high-ish prices in the used car market, for the amount of car you’re getting, however. That said, the little bastards will run forever and won’t burn a lot of gas while doing it, and that’s a pretty compelling argument.