test
drive

LAST FALL, Chrysler intro:

duced an all-new mid-sized.
V6-equipped sedan called
.. the Chrysler Cirrus.

This ciean-sheet design was
noted for its European-influenced
styling. roomy interior and compe-
tent road manners, earning it an

award for Best! New Family Sedan
of the year from the Automobile
Journalists Association of Canada’
 fAIAC).
Carysler followed the Cirrus
“with a four-cylinder version called
the Stratus. and will be introducing
", another version for.Plymouth deal-

ers this fall, called the Breeze. The .

Cirtus, Stratus and Breeze. replace
. the Dodge Spirit and Plymouth
Acclaim — cars that were roomy.
’ practical and cheap, but had
absolutely. no charisma.

Price us tested: $18,895

WHO TO CALL:

Auto Editor
Andrew McCredie

985-2131 (147)

5 2 - NEWS photo Paul McGrath :
THE 4996 Dodge Stratus compact sedan offers the roorniest
interior: and biggest trunk in its. class. Standard. equipment.
includes a 132 horsepower 2.6-litre four-cylinder engine, air”.
conditioning. and AM/FM stereo’ cassette. Prices start’ at.

$18,200. inquire abcut the Stratus: at Mountview: Motors, 1600. ;

Base price: $13.200 .

Type: four-door, five-passénger, mid- sized sediia

Layout: transverse. front engine/front- -wheel-drive

- Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder: SOHC, 16 valves, sequential multi-
port fuel injection =.”

_ .. And though the new Chrysler
compacts officially compete with
= cars like the Ford Contour. Pontiac
* Grand Am and Honda ‘Accord. their
roomy interiors vault them into the

‘mid-sized class. In many wiys, a>. Boon I. 32 @ 6. 900 Tp. m.

well- -equipped: V6- -engined Cirrus
or Stratus is fair competition for: :
_ cars fike the Ford Taurus and
Chevrolet.Lumina. . :
Chrysler's roomy’ interior was

“made possible by the *cab-forward” ”

‘design; which positions the cat as
far forward as'possible. Note the -
~ forward position of the. windshield ”
and the’short hood. In fact. the
hood i is wider than it is long.”

“In addition. these Chrysler com-

' “pacts have comparatively long (108:

‘Neon). This. 13

inch/274 em) w ‘heelbase S, provid-
ing more legroom than other cars in
their class.”

While the Cirrus is ‘available

, only with a Vé'engine. the: Dodge

Stratus, this weck's test car. offers, a
standard 2.0-litre four-cylinder.’ *
engine (the same one used in the.

2 horsepower. single.
overhead cam unit combined with a
standard five-speed manual trans-

on provides a surpris

-amount of performance

quiet and smooth on the highway.
turning over just 2.300 rpm at 100
kin-h (62 m.p.h.) in fifth gear.
In-addition, fuel economy is
much better than with the V6
engine, averaging 7.8 litres per 100

_ me (37. mp. £.).

For a base price of $18.200, the

1996 Dodge. Stratus comes well-

3.4 litre V-6
dual air bags
tilt steering

Marine Dr., North Vancouver.

equipped. ‘including? sndurd dual’
airbags. air-conditioning. dual mir-
rors, AM/FM Stereo cassette.
control, tilt steering wheel, inter-

“ mittent wipers, ‘cupholders, cloth *

interior, and fold-down rear seat.
However. an automatic. trans-
mission isnot availabie on the base
model equipped with the:2.0-litre
engine. If you want an automatic’
transmission, you must move up to

cruise

the: Stratus ES which comes: witha”

standard 150 horsepower 2.4-litre.”
- dual overhead ‘cam four-cylinder :
engine and a standard automatic
transmission {a manual transmis-'
sion is not available on’the ES):
The base price of the Stratus ESi is
SAQA 1020 re i

The’ ‘fop- -oF the:

“5-SPEED manual transmission

4-whiee! anti-lock brakes

, AM/FM stereo: cassette radio:

Fain ee
stock Re

rear spoiler
and. much more!

9-9 Mon-Thurs
9-6 Fri.-Sat. :
(Closed Sunda