Plymouth Colt Wagon

New compact mini-van features versatile character

Wilson

TEST DRIVE

MOST VEHICLES can be
classified by category,
(comipact car, mini-van,
4x4, etc.) but the new
Plymouth/Dodge Colt
Wagon is difficult to
categorize.

Part mini-van, part station
wagon, part 4x4, and part
economy car, the Colt Wagon
borrows some of the features of
all of these types of vehicles giving
it a rather unique, and versatile
character.

In many ways, the Colt Wagon
is like a mini-van. With a single
sliding rear side door om the pas-
senger side, a tall body style, a
rear lift-up tailgate, and up te
2,237 litres (79 cubic feet) of
cargo space (with the rear bench
seat removed), the Colt Wagon is
roomy enough for five passengers

44 The Plymouth/Dodge Colt

Wagon, built by Mitsubishi of
Japan, combines the utility of

a mini-van with the economy
of a small car. 99

and can carry a fair amount of
cargo. On the other hand, the
Colt Wagon is quite compact in
its exterior dimensions, and is
reasonably fuel-efficient. With a
choice of two economicai four-
cylinder engines, a short 2,520-
mm (99-inch) wheelbase, and
good outward visibility, the Colt
Wagon is easy to parallel park,
will fit into all parking garages,
and won’t empty your wallet when
it’s time to fill up.

Now that the Honda Civic
Wagon has been discontinued, the
only vehicle that can compare to
the Colt Wagon is the Nissan Ax-
xess. Hewever, the Axxess is
slightly larger and more expensive.
Some station wagons may be con-
sidered an alternative, but most of
them don’t have the ‘tall’ cargo
area, removeable rear seat, and
sliding side door. This puts the
Coit Wagon in the unique position
of having very few competitors.

Like the previous Colt Vista
Wagon, the Colt Wagon is offercd
in front-wheel-drive and all-
wheel-drive models, in three trim
levels, base, SE and AWD. The
all-wheel-drive system is engaged

full-time and most of the power
goes to the front wheels when
travelling on dry pavement. If the
front wheels lose traction, power
is transferred to the rear wheels
via a centre viscous coupling.
Most of the time, the driver barely
senses the AWD system, but when
there is a loss of traction, say in
snowy conditions, the AWD Colt
Wagon offers clearly superior
traction and safety.

However, the Colt’s standard
113-horsepower !.8-fitre four-
cylinder engine with a_ single
overhead camshaft and four
valves per cylinder is not powerful
enough to pull really heavy loads,

Price as tested $17,202
Base price $12,919
Type 3-door,

wagon

Layout transverse
engine/front wheel drive
Engine 1.8-litre 4-cylinder,
SOHC, 16 valves, electronic

S-passenger

front

or for serious off-roading. Nei-
ther is the optional SOHC, 8-
valve 2.4-litre four-cylinder
engine with {16-horsepower. The
Colt Wagon is designed more for
everyday use, or light recreational
use. Maximum permissible trailer
weight for the FWD Colt Wagen
is 680 kg (1,500 Ibs), and the
AWD model is (905 kg) 2,000 Ibs.
A reasonably smooth-shifting
five-speed manus! gearbox is
standard equipment while an elec-
tronically-controlled four-speed
automatic is optional. The
floor-mounted stickshift for the
automatic transmission has a but-
ton for turning. overdrive {fourth
gear) off and on, a good idea for
sity driving. .
Unlike the previous Colt Vista
wagon, the new model is not of-
fered with seven-passenger
seating. I would have thought this
would be a good selling feature,
but apparently not. Standard
five-passenger seating includes
two cloth-covered front bucket
seats and a single or split rear
bench seat. The Colt’s cargo-
carrying capability is quite ver-
satile. The rear seatback can be
folded down, the whole seat can
be tumbled forwards, or the en-
tire seat can be removed. The loud

multi-port fuel injection
Horsepower 113 @ 6,000 rpm
Torque 115 lb-ft @ 4,500 rpm
Transmission 4-speed
automiatic (std. 5-speed man-
ual)

Tires P205/70 Ri4 all-season
radiais

Cargo area 980 1/34.6 cu. ft.,
(max. 2,237 1/79 cu. ft.)

Fuet economy City 10.3 1/100

floor is flat. and the rear liftgate
opens upwards and extends right
down to bumper height to keep
liftcver height at a minimum.
There is no privacy cover for the
rear cargo area, however.

The driver sits higher up than in
a car, and 360-degree outward
visibility is very good. The tall
body style allows plenty of head-
room for both front and rear pas-
sengers. Front and rear legroom is
also generous because the seats are
positioned higher up (legs point
down, not out in front). Lap and
shoulder belts are offered for
outboard rear passengers. Both
rear windows are the flip-out
type, rather than the roll-down
variety. ~

The right-side rear sliding door
is easy to slide open from the out-
side or inside. and makes entry
easy in crowded parking lois.
There is no rear side door on the
driver’s side, however.

The Colt Wagon starts at
$12,9!9 (MSRP), and my _ well-
equipped FWD test vehicle came
to $17,202. That's getting pretty
close to the price of a Plymouth
Voyager or Dodge Caravan, so I
would guess that base models will
be more popular than well-equip--
ped ones.

kms, 27 mpg; Hwy 7.8 1/100
kms, 36 mpg
Warranty Basic 1 yr/20,000
kms, Powertrain 7 yrs/115,000
kms OR Bumper to bumper 3
yrs/60,000 kms

inquire about the Celt Wagon
in January at Jubilee Plymouth
Chrysler, 1177 Marine Br.,
North Van