COMPARO TEST EIGHT CARS UNDER $10,000!

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Plus: Mitsubishi Eclipse and Plymouth LasenSaab 9000CD. Dodge Spirit ES. Geo Tracker.Porsche gLL goes flying. Monster trucl'rs.

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COMPARISON TEST

EightforGnCon you "find decent transportation -fo,

less than $10,000? We say yes.

BY WILLIAM JEANES

o "The problem with cars," someone saidover coffee one morning, "is that they costtoo damn much." If you hang around theC/D offices long enough, you'll hear a lotof deep economic theory like that, most ofwhich wafts its way into the ether as thetalk turns to more exciting topics-horse-power and torque, to name two. In this in-stance, however, the discussion continuedand resulted in our latest price-based

compansdoor pric

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cal staff, and we took the cars to Ohio on atwo-day escape and evasion exercise runover the rolling and twisting two-lanesthat so distinguish that state's southeast-ern quadrant. Chansing cars at approxi-matelv 3O-minute intervals save us ampleopportunitv to rate individual cars and tocompare them with the group.

At the conclusion of our trip, we eachfilled out a secret ballot that asked us torate such subjective categories as comfort,utilitv, value, fun-to-drive, and so on. Theresults appear in the chart on page 68.

Our rules did not specify any options-only the price cap. But because comfortwas a rating category and because a lifewithout music is no life at all, radios andair conditioning appeared on every one ofthe entries. After all, driving an inexpen-sive car doesn'l require you to sweat insilence.

At $8382 the Festiva LX was the leastexpensive testee, but it didn't look it. Atiny car with a tiny engine, our top-of-the-line Festiva LX was nonetheless remark-ably well outfitted. Its standard featuresincluded tilt steering, power mirrors, a

rear wiper-washer, a tachometer, and anAM/FM stereo radio with a clock. TheFestiva even sported a set of handsome al-lov wheels.

Next up on the dollar scale, at $9144,came the SubaruJustv RS 4WD. Although

not as well equipped as the Festiva was,the Justl' came equipped with a part-timefour-wheel-drive system. Obviously, thatwould have made the tiny Subaru a strongcontender in a winter driving test. Ourswas a summer drive, however, and theadded weight of the Justy's four-wheel-drive hardware promised to be a burdenwhen we made demands on its diminutivethree-cylinder engine. The Justy looked

good, though, wearing a neat black-and-gold paint scheme.

The Mercury fp2ss1-a Mazda 323 inluxo clothing built in Mexico for saleby Lincoln-Mercury dealers-cost $9631and delivered an American-class luxuryinterior and a long list of standard equip-ment for that money. Mercury has aimedthe Tracer at the high end of the econo-my-sedan market; as a result, the Tracer is

available only in premium-level trim.Adam Agranoff spoke for us all when hecalled the Tracer "definitely the plushestcar of the bunch."

At $9695, Bill Visnic's Volkswagen FoxGL represented the top-of-the-line ver-sion of WV's least expensive car. TheBrazilian-built Fox is based on a six-year-old VW chassis, but extensive develop-ment has ensured that it still feels up-to-date. And, thanks to the low manu-facturing costs in its country of origin, theFox's modest price includes a handsome,well-appointed cabin.

In choosing the $9870 VolkswagenGolf, Andr6 Idzikowski tried a differentploy. Instead of selecting the top versionof VW's cheapest model, Andr6 picked a

base edition of the maker's most modern,most technically advanced econobox. Byforsaking some of the Fox's amenities,Andr6 picked up more room, a betterchassis, and more power. And his Golfwasn't a stripper, either: in addition toA/C and a radio, it included a rear wiper-washer and a clock.

Larry Griffin's Mitsubishi Mirage, ?[$9929, was the new-for- 1989 version ofMitsubishi's smallest sedan. Completelyrestyled, it immediately won praise as oneof the most attractive cars in the group.With four doors and a big cabin, theMirage looked plenty practical. But itsnarrow tires and 81-hp engine didn'tdo much to raise the eyebrows of ourperformance-minded bunch.

Despite being a cousin of the Tracer,the Mazda 323SE, $9954, had a personal-ity all its own. A quiet personality. It hadno tachometer and no clock, despite hav-ing the word "quartz" on its dash, mock-ing you for deleting the clock. Considera-bly more spartan than its sibling, the four-door 323 nonetheless offered easier entrythan the three-door Tracer, and its trunkprovided far better luggage space.

Adam Agranoffs Honda Civic DX, at$9975, ranked as the most expensive ofour cars. This Civic also came without a ta-chometer, but it had all the good thingswe've come to expect from Honda-apoint made by Matthew Smith, who said,"It's tough not to bias yourself in favor ofa car that you're so familiar with."

There, in brief, you have the competi-tors. The winners?Just keep reading andturning pages.

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BEST ECONOSEDAN

WilliamJeanes:MazdaSZSSE

As my entry in the decent-car-for-under-$10,000 challenge, I chose theMazda 323SE, thinking-for reasonswe'll get to in a moment-that it is anexcellent buy. I chose a four-door, be-lieving that practicality somehow offsetsthe indignity of being seen in an inex-pensive car. This led me to add NoDozto my options list, thinking that it wouldspice up small-four-door operation.That concern proved to be needless.

If, at this point, you have inferred thatI had never driven a four-door Mazda323, you are correct. I had driven the323 Turbo two-door and liked it a lot. Itwas fun to drive and delivered consider-able value for the money, offering an in-dependent suspension, a strong engine,and a shifter that was just great.

The Turbo, of course, costs a lotmore than $10,000, but it still stood toreason that the lower-line SE would belikable. Particularly when-and here iswhere the real reason for choosing itsurfaces-Csaba Csere, our esteemedtechnical director, selected one for hismom and walked around the office forweeks telling everyone what a hell of a

bry it was. Ever a sucker for Old WorldHungarian values, I bit.

What I got for my bite is a perfectlypractical, good-handling, hard-runningsedan that has tweed upholstery, airconditioning, carpeting, a split rearseat, alloy wheels, and a decipherableAM/FM radio with a cassette player. Itsworth cannot, to my mind, be seriously

questioned. Nor can its panache-largely because it doesn't have any.The323SE is the kind of sensible car that agenerous shoe salesman buys for a songoing off to college and, on presenta-tion duy, has the dubious joy of seeingthe matriculating offspring's face fall.

The Mazda 323SE is a better car todrive than to turn heads with.

Csaba Csere:Mercury Tracer

Finding a good all-around car with airconditioning and a radio for less than$ 10,000 is about as easy as finding a de-cent pair ofjeans for less than twentybucks. It's possible, but only if you shopcarefully and are discerning enough to

identify quality rather than simply a de-srgner name.

That's why I chose the Mercury Trac-er, the bargain hunter's version of theMazda 323. Designed by Mazda, builtin Mexico, and marketed by Lincoln-Mercury dealers in the U.S., the Traceris a well-kept secret. Twelve 323s aresold for each Tracer, but Mercury offers

more car for the money.Sharing the same port-fuel-injected,

overhead-cam, 1.6-liter engine, thesame fully independent suspension,and equally roomy interior layouts, theTracer and the 323 are without ques-tion the best-equipped cars in this test.The Tracer, however, is far more lavish-ly outfitted than any 323 available forless than ten grand. Among the Tracer'sstandard features-features availableonly on much more expensive 323s-are a tachometer, dual power mirrors,remote fuel-filler and trunk releases, ad-justable height and lumbar supports forthe driver's seat, a clock, a day-nightrear-view mirror, rear-seat headrests,three-speed wipers, and better-qualityupholstery and interior trim.

None of this equipment will quickenthe average enthusiast's heartbeat, butmost drivers will appreciate having suchniceties on board. Try driving at nightwithout a dimmable rear-view mirrorand you'll see what I mean.

The Tracer's beauty is that it offersthe amenities many drivers take forgranted, a technically sophisticated androomy package, and a bargain price.This is one generic nameplate that noneof the name brands can match.

CAR and DRIVER

BEST ECONOSEDAN

Larry Griffin:Mitsubishi Mirage

Live half-dangerously, that's my mot-to. Never having seen a Mitsubishi Mi-rage four-door in anything other thanglossy eight-by-ten form, I picked it as acandidate for best-sedan-under-ten-grand honors. I wasn't being careless,though. I've driven the four-door'ssporty brother, the Mirage Turbohatchback, and it's a killer-a per-fo rmance-and - comfort- and -looks -p er-buck champ. The Mirage Turbo is thebest $12,800 sporty package f've seensince the current VW GTI came out,grew eight more valves, got tinny andnose-heavy, and ran its price to thirteengrand and beyond.

So at ten Gs, the Mirage four-doorseerned a good choice. Several othercandidates clamored for attention, but Ifigured that since the hot Mirage was sogood, the cool Mirage might be coolerthan its competitors.

I can't saf l love its looks. The hand-some three-door hatchback is also avail-able as a normally aspirated model, butin a decidedly peculiar marketing moveMitsubishi sells it only with an auromatictransmission. Well, I never! Thus, the

sedan with a five-speed stick stands in.After driving this nifty Mirsu, I'm sat-

isfied that most grown-ups will cozy upto it just fine. Those with a feel for vis-cous machinery will take the same plea-sure in its controls that I took in those ofthe Turbo. In addition ro its smoothfeel, the four-door offers laudableroominess; pleasing seats, ergonomics,

and trim; a sizable trunk; and a feelingthat it will run without fuss for a notablelength of time. Okay, the tiny-tired four-door's handling may be a wee bit squir-relly in hard driving over tricky roads.But the base Mirage should make ajuicychoice for those who sense how much toask of a car, and how to avoid probingtoo deep.

Rich C"ppos:SubanrJusty RS 4WD

The Ceppos Theory of Thrifty CarBuying is as follows: The ten-grandclass is a veritable Milky Wuy of compe-tent but forgettable little sedans, amidwhich are hidden a couple of wacky, lov-able automobiles. You can buy a so-

called real car and engage in the auto-motive equivalent of thumb twiddling.Or you can search out the brightestlights and spend your hours behind thewheel amused and entertained.

TheJusty RS 4WD proves my theory.It's not a car, it's an alternative transpor-tation mechanism. Real cars, at leastthose in the ten-grand range, don't face

the snows with a keen part-time four-wheel-drive system. Few are equippedwith a growling three-cylinder engine.And fewer still are so efficient.

If all you're looking for in a small caris a low sticker price and enough reli-ability to get to K mart and back, anynumber of low-ball four-wheelers willmeet your meager needs. But think ofwhat a piece of transportation ought todo for you. It should get you whereyou're going come rain, slush, or mush.It ought to be cheap to own and miserlywith the earth's precious fuelstuffs. Itshould be versatile enough to handlethe people-and-cargo hauling in yourlife without srrain. If it's also a kick todrive, then you have something special.

That's why I'm confident the Justywill win the hearts of my flinty-eyed col-leagues. Just punch the button in theshift knob and it's four-wheel-drive un-stoppable. At a tad over nine grand it'scheap to buy. Its hatchback design givesit mini-wagon utility. And though it ad-mittedly gives away some raw perfor-mance, the RS is so small it can scamperfor daylight like a crazed cockroach.

Considering the real-car alternatives,I hereby conclude that this nominationis amply Justy-fied. Ahem.

CAR and DRIVER

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BEST ECONOSEDAN

And the winOur contesta

diversity. We lenor performarbecause a carduce sticker slwithout a tachotained-as lonlmained in ordt

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the cars. Oncroads, the Subgoat, despite I

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o+,t<i)q)c)&+rrct)

f,eO

acceleration, sec

top speed,mph

braking,70-0 mph, ft

roadholding, 100Gft300-ft skldpad, slalom, mph0-60

mph0-90mph t/c-mile

top gear,30-50 mph

top gear,50-70 mph

FORDFESTIVA LX

12.5 50.4 18.5 @72mph

15.9 24.9 91 193 0.67 59.4

HONDAcrvtc Dx

9.6 25.3 17.3 @79 mph

13.5 15.7 108 206 0.77 61.1

MAZDA323SE

10.6 29.6 17.7 @76 mph

13.2 14.4 101 199 o.74 57.8

MERCURYTRACER

10.8 30.7 '17.7 @76 mph

14.3 16.9 101 225 0.69 57.7

MITSUBISHIi/IIRAGE

12.3 u.2 18.4 @74 mph

13.3 15.8 98 209 0.n 58.3

SUBARUJUSTY RS 4WD

12.4 s8.3 18.7 @71 mph

14.3 18.3 90 218 0.65 58.1

VOLKSWAGENFOX GL

12.3 4.3 18.5 @73 mph

15.1 18.6 96 205 0.73 . 59.5

VOLKSWAGENGOLF

9.6 25.3 17.1 @80 mph

14.4 15.5 108 200 0.74 60.1

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pnce,base/as tested engine

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FORDFESNVA LX

$6906/$8382 SOHC 1324cc 4-in-line, iron block andaluminum head, 1 x 2-bbl carburetor

58 bhp @ 5000 rpm/73 lb-ft @ 3500 rpm

90.2 140.5 63.2 55.3 1802 63.213t

HONDActvtc Dx

$8195/$9975 SOHC 16-valve 1493cc 4-in-line, alumi-num block and head, 1 x 2-bbl throttle-body fuel injection

92 bhp @ 6000 rpm/89 lb-ft @ 4500 rpm

98.4 156.1 65.6 52.4 2104 62.713

MAZDA323SE

$7999/$9954 SOHC 1598cc 4-in-line, iron block andaluminum head, port fuel iniection

82 bhp @ 5000 rpm/92 lb-ft @ 2500 rpm

94.5 161.8 64.8 54.7 22 60.6/3

MERCURYTRACER

$8216/$9631 SOHC 1598cc'4-in-line, iron block andaluminum head, port fuel injection

82 bhp @ 5000 rpm/92 lb-ft @ 2500 rpm

94.7 162.0 65.2 53.0 2224 61.8/3;

MITSUBISHIMIRAGE

$8s99/$9929 SOHC 1468cc 4-in-line, iron block andaluminum head, port fuel injection

81 bhp @ 5500 rpm/91 lb-ft @ 3000 rpm

96.7 170.1 65.7 55.1 zgn 61.4/3

SUBARUJUSTY RS 4WD

$8066/$9144 SOHC 9-valve 1190cc 3-in-line, ironblock and aluminum head, 1 x 2-bblcarburetor

66 bhp @ 5200 rpm/70 lb-ft @ 3600 rpm

90.0 139.2 60.4 54J 1842 61.8/3

VOLKSWAGENFOX GL

$8115/$9695 SOHC 1780cc 4-in-line, iron block andaluminum head, port fuel injection

81 bhp @ 5500 rpm/93 lb-ft @ 3250 rpm

92.8 163.4 63.0 53.7 2285 61.0/3

VOLKSWAGENGOLF

$8190/$9870 SOHC 1780cc 4-in-line, iron block andaluminum head, port fuel iniection

100 bhp @ 54OO rpm/107 lb-ft @ 3400 rpm

97.3 158.0 65.5 55.7 2242 62.313

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BEST ECONOSEDAN

proved to one and all that an inexpenslvecar need not lack luxurious accommoda-tions. "To coin a phrase," said Csere, "theTracer is the Cadillac of the $10,000 cars.With its plush upholstery, lavish interiorfinish, and full basket of comfort and con-venience features, it makes every other en-try seem primitive."

On the down side, the car felt-as Grif-fin put it-"a bit worrny" on the twistiescompared to its Mazda cousin. Overall,however, the Tracer rated decentlyenough in the handling category andhighest of all in the ride column. No shop-per with $10,000 to spend should leavethis car off the shopping list.

The Volkswagen Fox GL, with its fourdoors and nicely done Germanic interior,came close to looking and feeling like asports sedan, yet it rated next-to-lowest instyling. Its engine rating hovered in themediocre range, but in virtually every oth-er category the Fox rated quite high."Very nice transitions and balance," saidGriflin. "Good German seats and goodGerman ergos," said this writer. "Class ac-commodations," said Ceppos, adding, "Itdoesn't seem at all like a cheapie." TheFox finished a solid third in our ballotingand belongs on your $10,000 short list.

The Honda Civic, probably to your sur-prise as well as ours, actually failed to winthis C/D comparo. If you read our No-vember road test of the four-door CivicLX, you know what a favorite of ours theCivic has been. "As usual," one of uswrote, "here's a Honda that seems to bethe best-integrated car of the bunch."

The Civic's driveline came in for uni-versal praise, as did its handling and over-all high-level fit and finish. It lost groundonly in two areas: ride and comfort. "Avery entertaining, aggressive sedan withgood power, great looks, and the best en-grne note in the group," wrote Rich

FORD FESTIVA LX ttgNOA:'ennC,.61

tffiRcuRv 731$1ft

CAR and DRIVER

BEST ECONOSEDAN

Ceppos. All told, and this is a refratnyou've heard from us a few times before,the Civic is a hard car to beat for the mon-ey it costs. Or even for more money.

The winner then, as those of you with a

memory for names have surmised, is theVolkswagen Golf. Surprised us, too, ex-cept for Andr6 Idzikowski, the man whonominated it. Its 100-hp engine exceededthe output of the Civic's engine by 8 hp,and it was twenty percent or more aheadof the rest of the contenders. This addedpunch felt good to us-as it invariablydoes-and took the Golf a long way downthe road to victory.

The Golfls shifter drew mild complaintsabout being a bit notchy, but the steetitgand handling were well liked. The Golf ledthe balloting in brakes, handling, ergo-nomics, utility, value (where it tied withthe Festiva), and fun. It finished second inride and comfort (to the Tracer), tied forfourth in transmission quality, and fin-ished third in styling. Its engine, despiteits 10O-horsepower heft, ranked second tothe Civic's smoother powerplant.

The Golf needs to be looked at by moreenthusiasts, particularly those on a bud-get. Many of the qualities that make themore expensive GT so likable can befound in the plain-Jane Golf, and, best ofall, it's a car that is inordinately pleasant tolive with.

As ever, we're proud to announce ourwinner, but we're also moved to express a

note of surprise. Had we not done this$10,000-limit comparison test, we wouldnot have believed that so much automo-tive fun could come from so little money.

Keep that in mind when you take your$10,000 nest egg down to the dealer. Doyour homework and you'll be amazed atthe number of cars you'll find to choosefrom. And you'll be even more amazed athow many you'll find that you like. o

I{

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enginetrans-

mission brakes handlingergo-

nomics comfort ride utility styling valuefun todrive

OVERALLRANNG

FORDFESTIVA LX

22 28 27 22 29 27 22 27 25 35 23 25

HONDAcrvtc Dx

38 38 30 37 33 26 28 33 37 32 35 35

MAZDA323SE

28 26 22 26 30 28 30 29 23 26 24 26

MERCURYTRACER

27 29 25 25 32 36 35 33 28 33 25 28

MITSUBISHIMIRAGE

27 33 25 20 30 27 29 31 29 23 23 22

SUBARUJUSTY RS 4WD

13 21 21 17 23 18 16 26 18 21 11 13

VOLKSWAGENFOX GL

26 33 29 34 31 31 31 31 21 28 29 31

VOLKSWAGENGOLF

3s 29 32 38 37 34 32 37 26 35 36 38

Eight statfers rated the cars in each of twelr categories on a 1-to-5 scals (5 being best). Ths numbers abo\€ ars the simple additions ol their ralings. (For example, if all oight

st;ffers gaw ratings of 5 io a car's brakes, it wouid sarn a total ot 40 points-the maximum possible.) The points in the Owrall Rating column wsre assigned in ths same

fashion; they are not averages or summations of the othgr scores.

CAR and DRIVER