Automotive Reviews
Posts tagged subcompact
2003 Chrysler PT Cruiser Turbo
01024 days
I barely even notice PT Cruisers on the road any more; they’ve become a part of the automotive landscape. A welcome part, of course. The PT is one of the most stylish economy cars going, but its retro-modern looks have become somewhat commonplace. But there’s a new one, even if you didn’t notice. For drivers who feel that their PT Cruiser lacks the power to deliver on its hot-rod looks, Chrysler now offers a pair of turbos.
Under the PT Turbo’s familiar triangular hood, there’s now a choice of 180-horsepower and high-output 215-horsepower, 2.4 liter DOHC four-cylinder engines. Chrysler didn’t just drop the powerplant from a larger car into the little PT, either. These engines were designed specifically for the PT Cruiser, not swapped in from larger cars. The 180-horse turbo is an option on Touring Edition and Limited Edition PT Cruisers; the high-output engine is limited to its own special model, the Turbo. A heavy-duty Getrag five-speed transmission is standard equipment in the Turbo, or buyers can opt for the four-speed AutoStick. The increased power is welcome, of course. The PT Turbo’s bigger muscles are most noticeable in passing maneuvers. Standing starts are a bit trickier, as there’s a fair dosage of turbo lag. The five-speed is more fun to drive than the autobox, of course.
With its MacPherson struts up front and a special, low-profile Watts linkage at the rear , the PT Cruiser is capable when the going gets twisty, but it’s far from confidence-inspiring. The PT Turbo’s handling seems to be inspired by the 1940s, just like the styling is. The high body contributes to a lot of toe-curling body roll. The big 17″ wheels are grippy, but they don’t do much to keep the body flat through the corners. Luckily, anti-lock brakes and traction control are standard equipment on turbocharged PT Cruisers.
The styling is subtle, with only subtle badges and a rounded spoiler to differentiate the Turbo from its more frugal brethren. 17″ wheels are unique to the PT Turbo. Chrysler offers lots of customization options, including an extensive “Chrome Package,” which puts brightwork on just about every knob and button in the car. The Flame and Woody packages are also still available.
Inside, there’s an interesting clash of “tough” and “cute” styling cues. The standard body-colored trim has been replaced by racer-style carbon fiber, and well-bolstered performance seats are added. On the other hand, the shift ball is still the same cute sphere that’s found on regular Cruisers, and the jaunty, upright dash still reminds passengers of classic cars. Of course, it’s still a PT Cruiser, so it’s one of the most useful sporty cars going these days thanks to rear seats that tumble and fold like a minivan’s. Not many hot rods can boast a 64.2 cubic-foot cargo area. Sirius satellite radio is a new option, and the PT Turbo comes standard with a moonroof.
The retro design hasn’t changed, but the heart of it has. With the lack of power addressed, folks who passed it up on the first go-around would do well to check it out again. At the top of the PT Cruiser heap, the PT Turbo offers hot-rod performance to go with the PT Cruiser’s hot rod looks, and for less than $23,000 to boot.
Specifications:
All specs are for the 2003 Chrysler PT Turbo.
Length: 168.8 in.
Width: 67.1 in.
Height: 63.0 in.
Wheelbase: 103.0 in.
Curb weight: 3304 lb. (Manual transmission, est.)
Base price: $22,515
Engine: 2.4 liter turbocharged DOHC 16-valve inline four-cylinder
Drivetrain: five-speed manual or four-speed automatic, front-wheel drive
Horsepower: 215 @ 5000
Torque: 245 @ 3600
Fuel capacity: 15.0 gal.
Fuel economy (est.): 21/27
2003 Chevrolet Cavalier
01026 days
When I pulled up to the curb to pick him up, my friend asked, “Didn’t you get one of your test cars this week?” Considering that I had just picked up a 2003 Chevrolet Cavalier, this didn’t seem like a good sign.
The Cavalier has been around, well, forever. Chevy’s bread-and-butter compact has been basically the same car since 1995 or so, and it shows, in both an overly familiar design and a tendency for Cavaliers to be rentacars. That’s not an entirely bad thing, however. Chevy has long made a habit of keeping cars around forever, and the result of this is usually a reliable, durable and inexpensive car with all of the bugs worked out. For 2003 the Cavalier benefits from a mild facelift and a much-needed new engine, but otherwise it’s pretty much the same Cavalier it’s always been.
The face-and-tail freshening was much needed, and modernizes the Cavalier slightly but doesn’t disguise the fact that this body is closing in on being ten years old. The new droopy-eyed face and new big bowtie logo blend nicely with the Cavalier’s domed, mid-1990s body and rounded tail. The new taillights share a round-lens appearance with the Impala for a bit of family resemblance. Our LS Sport model test car featured 16″ chrome wheels and ground effects-type side cladding, as well as fog lights and a discreet spoiler. One advantage the Cavalier does offer over some of its competitors is the availability of two- and four-door body styles.
Inside, the Cavalier has been slightly massaged. Our least favorite element has not changed: the cheap, toylike plastics used in the dash and switchgear. They work well enough, but most other compact cars feel more durable. A leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob don’t do much to spruce up the cheap feeling. The dash is straightforward, and sweeps around to a moderately high beltline. The Cavalier’s roof is low, too; with the optional sunroof, six-foot tall drivers will find their heads brushing the roof. On the plus side, the Cavalier is available with XM satellite radio. On the safety front, side airbags are standard equipment, and in the event of a crash, OnStar emergency service is also available.
Most small cars are inherently nimble, and the Cavalier is no exception. The suspension is a relatively simple MacPherson strut front with a twist beam rear axle. The LS Sport adds thicker stabilizer bars. Coupled with the large wheels, the Cavalier is reasonably smooth around town, with only a hint of harshness. When the going gets twisty, the Cavalier’s not up to hard driving, though. That’s not a bad thing; curvy backroads aren’t this car’s natural habitat anyway.
There’s good news under the hood; GM’s 140 horsepower “Ecotec” 2.2 liter four-cylinder is standard across the board. Shared with Saturn’s ION, the new engine offers quiet operation around town and adequate power on the freeway. It’s an all-aluminum engine, with twin balance shafts in the cylinder block to keep vibration and harshness down. On the freeway there’s a hint of thrashiness, but it’s nowhere near as disappointing as the Cavalier’s old four cylinders were. Five-speed manual and four-speed automatic transmissions are available. We drove an automatic, and were pleased with its performance around town and on the highway.
One plus to the age of the body shell should be a relative lack of bugs to be worked out at the factory, so Cavaliers can be expected to be reliable companions. Another benefit is pricing advantages over the newer competitors. Cavalier pricing starts at a very friendly $16,625 for the LS Sport Coupe. Standard equipment includes the chrome 16″ wheels, four-wheel antilock brakes, a CD player and air conditioning. Our test car was more expensive than expected, thanks to the optional sunroof and XM radio, which pushed the cost to $18,890. For reliable, familiar entry-level transportation however, that’s not bad.
Specifications:
All specs are for the 2003 Chevrolet Cavalier LS Sport Coupe, which we tested.
Length: 182.7 in.
Width: 68.7 in.
Height: 53.0 in.
Wheelbase: 104.1 in.
Curb weight: ` 2617 lb.
Cargo space: 13.2 cu.ft.
Base price: $16,625
Price as tested: $18,890
Engine: 2.2 liter DOHC inline four-cylinder
Drivetrain: four-speed automatic, front-wheel drive
Horsepower: 140 @ 5600
Torque: 150 @ 4000
Fuel capacity: 14.1 gal.
Est. mileage: 24/33
2010 Honda Insight
01033 days
It seems like the Honda Insight was robbed, in a way. The first hybrid-electric automobile sold in the United States should’ve gotten more recognition than it did. Instead, Honda’s perennial rival Toyota fielded its Prius less than a year later, and the four-door sedan went on to become an icon of “green” motoring, while the svelte, two-door Insight faded into memory in 2006.
For 2010, Honda has resurrected the Insight name, and this time the hybrid hopes to make a bigger splash. In the ten years since its original introduction, the hybrid market has exploded, and the cars that were once considered cutting-edge are quickly becoming mainstream. The new Insight faces this reality, most obviously with an all-new five-door, five-passenger body and an affordable $19,800 MSRP.
The new Insight’s design takes cues from Honda’s FCX Clarity hydrogen-powered car, to help tie the company’s alternative-fuel vehicles to a similar look. The obvious resemblance to the newest Prius–right down to the secondary glass window in the vertical tailgate–has been noted by many, though it’s unclear if this is copycatting or simple convergent evolution. After all, both the Insight and Prius are looking to be the most aerodynamic five-passenger vehicles possible, so it’s only natural for them to have similar shapes. The details of the Insight are all Honda; smooth sides with a taut crease at the beltline and strong wheel presentation.
Inside, there’s no mistaking the Insight for anything but a Honda product thanks to the Civic-like seat materials (and the fact that the seats are short and not particularly comfortable) and a cheerful, multicolored instrument panel. The driver’s information display includes Honda’s new Eco Assist screen, which provides instant fuel-consumption feedback for drivers who hope to maximize the Insight’s efficiency, in the form of changing speedometer colors and a fuel economy scoring system that uses plant-leaf graphics to encourage more efficient driving. A compact battery pack lives under the floor, so the rear seat can still fold 60/40. The uplevel Insight EX is available with Bluetooth hands-free phone connectivity, USB audio connector, heated side mirrors and a navigation system. For all of this technological wizardry, however, the Insight lacks personality. It’s very neat-looking, but the overall impression is that of a well-equipped office cubicle rather than a personal space.
Frugal power is provided by 1.3 liter four-cylinder engine coupled to the latest version of Honda’s Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) system and a continuously variable transmission (CVT). This 98-horsepower single overhead cam engine features variable valve timing and is aided by a 10-kilowatt (13 hp) brushless DC electric motor positioned between the engine and transmission. The electric motor provides as much torque as the gasoline engine, so performance remains on par in spite of the small, ultra-efficient engine. The electric motor also boosts performance when accelerating and acts as a generator to charge the batteries when the Insight is braking. During deceleration, some of the engine’s cylinders are deactivated for additional fuel savings. The Insight can also travel short distances on full-electric power, and the stop-start feature which shuts down the gasoline engine at rest is new. The CVT features paddle shifters for graded up- and down-shifts, as well as an ECON mode which optimizes fuel efficiency. In ECON mode, the Insight is crushingly slow, but reasonable power is available in standard drive. There is some payoff to the lack of performance, however: fuel economy is rated at 40/43.
In spite of the space-age design and exciting technological features, the Insight is startlingly dull to drive. The Insight’s MacPherson strut/torsion beam rear suspension is a basic layout by modern economy-car standards, but then the Insight isn’t known for its handling. The handling is predictable and stable, and not much more than that. Anti-lock brakes are standard equipment. Additional safety equipment includes front and side-curtain airbags, anti-lock brakes and available Vehicle Stability Assist with traction control.
Taken head-to-head with the Toyota Prius, the Insight comes up in second place, but that may not be a fair comparison, depending on pricing. MSRPs on the Insight start at $19,800, while the Prius is expected to cost somewhat more. Our test vehicle was an EX model and stickered for $21,970.
Specifications: All specs are for the 2010 Honda Insight
Length: 172.3 in.
Width: 66.7 in.
Height: 56.2 in
Wheelbase: 100.4 in.
Curb weight: 2723 lb.
Cargo space: 15.9 cu.ft. (seats up); 31.5 cu.ft. (seats folded)
Base price: $19,800
Price as tested: $21,970
Engine: 1.3 liter SOHC inline four-cylinder with DC brushless motor
Drivetrain: continuously variable automatic transmission, front-wheel drive
Horsepower: 98 @ 5800 (gas); 13 @ 1500 (electric)
Torque: 123 @ 1000-1500 (gas); 123 @ 1000-1700
Fuel capacity: 10.6 gal.
Est. mileage: 40/43