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car and driver ten best - january 1995
The best keep getting better.
BY CSABA CSERE
This is the thirteenth time that we have mustered the far-flung staff of
Car and Driver for the purpose of selecting the ten very best cars
available on the American market. While this goal sounds eminently simple,
culling ten winners from the 40 to 50 excellent nominees gets more
difficult every year, as the world's carmakers constantly intensify their
Sisyphean struggle for market share. For guidance in this difficult
process, we look to the set of simple rules governing this contest.
First, we consider all production cars, minivans, and sport-utility
vehicles that will be on sale in the U.S. no later than the last day of
January 1995--provided, of course, that we can get our hands on a
representative sample in time for our Ten Best evaluations, which are
conducted in mid-September. We don't want to select any winners that aren't
for sale.
To be eligible, a vehicle must have a base price (including freight, dealer
prep, and any applicable luxury and gas-guzzler taxes) no higher than
$46,000--up $3000 from last year. This limit is derived by multiplying the
average transaction price of new cars in America by 2.5--a factor that is
consistent with our past Ten Best pricing limits.
Although our price ceiling eliminates some excellent cars from
consideration, it ensures that the cars on our list will be within reach of
the majority of our readers. Besides, creating excellence on a budget is
the most challenging task in any industry.
With these restrictions in place, we meet to nominate vehicles. Last year's
Ten Best winners are automatically renominated, provided they are still on
sale within the price limit. Then we sift through press kits and review
what we've seen at new-car introductions to identify vehicles that are new
or significantly upgraded for 1995.
This year, 42 vehicles were nominated and later assembled at our secret
test site west of our headquarters in Ann Arbor, Michigan. As usual, we
spent five days wringing out the cars on the surrounding winding roads,
cruising the Interstates to and from our office, and taking side trips into
local towns. During these drives, we pay keen attention to each vehicle's
intended purpose, from how well it stacks up to its competitors to how
large a smile it puts on the driver's face.
After a week of debating the merits of the various nominees--and lobbying
one another to win votes for individual favorites--we finally sat down with
our ballots. Here are the 1995 Ten Best winners.
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Acura Integra GS-R
-----------------
A first-time winner last year, the Acura Integra GS-R captivated us again
with its combination of practicality and performance. After a year with its
rev-happy 170-hp 1.8-liter engine, we still thoroughly enjoy pushing the
tach needle to the 8200-rpm redline.
Time has also given us greater appreciation of the GS-R's practicality. The
Integra's three-door body style neatly splits the difference between a
two-door sedan and a low-slung hatchback. So it can carry four adults--at
least for short distances--while still cutting a stylish profile among the
commuting herds.
The Integra's front-wheel drive provides similar wide-ranging benefits by
combining good slippery-pavement traction with both a well-controlled ride
and handling adept enough to keep up with the single-purpose hot hatches.
That's a sweet combination of driving satisfaction and everyday utility for
a fully equipped price starting just over $21,000.
Acura Integra GS-R
Vehicle type: front-engine, front-wheel-drive, 2+2-pas senger, 3-door coupe
Base price: $21,070-21,870
Engine type: DOHC 16-valve 1.8-liter 4-in-line
Power (SAE net).........170 bhp @ 7600 rpm
Transmission.........5-speed
Wheelbase.........101.2 in
Length.........172.4 in
Curb weight.........2650 lb
EPA fuel economy, city driving.........25 mpg
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BMW 325i/M3
---------------
BMW is not a manufacturer to nap on its laurels. Despite achieving great
success with its 3-series sedans--including three previous Ten Best
awards--the Bavarian automaker keeps rolling out new and even more
desirable versions of its small sedan.
The latest to beguile the American market is the M3--basically a 3-series
coupe with a pumped-up-to-3.0-liter, souped-up-to-240-hp version of the
corporate straight six. The increased power is coupled to a revised chassis
with a tauter suspension and stickier tires, which still somehow manages to
provide a comfortable, refined ride. The result is an engaging car that is
both faster and roomier than any of its competitors, yet that costs well
under $40,000.
For those who don't need an excitement overload, the 325 two-door and
four-door sedans remain plenty satisfying, offering a plusher ride and
BMW's solid build quality at a lower price.
Those who genuinely enjoy the act of driving and still demand a practical
compact sedan will have a tough time finding a better choice than one of
these 3-series Bimmers.
BMW 325i and M3
Vehicle type: front-engine, rear-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 2- or 4-door sedan
Base price: $31,920-36,642
Engines: DOHC 24-valve 2.5- or 3.0-liter 6-in-line
Power (SAE net).........189-240 bhp
Transmission.........5-speed, 4-speed auto
Wheelbase.........106.3 in
Length.........174.5-174.9 in
Curb weight.........3000-3200 lb
EPA fuel economy, city driving.........19-20 mpg
-----------------
Chrysler Cirrus LXi
-----------------
The Cirrus is the first of Chrysler's new JA sedans to debut, and its broad
portfolio of talents bodes well for the upcoming models of the line.
Like all of Chrysler's recent new sedans, the Cirrus provides an unusually
spacious interior. Chrysler's engineers have packaged an amazingly roomy
back seat and a large and spacious trunk in a sedan about as big as a Honda
Accord.
Despite its efficient design, however, the Cirrus is far from a boxy crate.
Its metal skin is sleek and stylish--the prettiest in the class.
Underneath, the Cirrus has a sophisticated control-arm suspension to
provide a winning combination of precise handling and a smooth ride. It's
powered by a 2.5-liter V-6 that makes 164 hp and is coupled to a four-speed
automatic.
At a base price of $19,600 for a completely loaded Chrysler Cirrus LXi,
this car provides tremendous value. When they arrive, the more basic JA
versions are likely to be similarly attractive.
Chrysler Cirrus LXi
Vehicle type: front-engine, front-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door sedan
Base price: $19,600
Engine type: SOHC 24-valve 2.5-liter V-6
Power (SAE net).........164 bhp @ 5900 rpm
Transmission.........4-speed auto
Wheelbase.........108.0 in
Length.........186.0 in
Curb weight.........3150 lb
EPA fuel economy, city driving (estimated).........20 mpg
-----------------
Ford Contour/Mercury Mystique
-----------------
Ford also has a new mid-size sedan: the Contour, and its sister, the
Mercury Mystique. But these replacements for the Tempo and Topaz are very
different than Chrysler's Cirrus.
The Contour is a smaller, tauter car. It has a tighter back seat but more
aggressive road manners. In fact, if you didn't see the Ford's oval logo,
you might easily mistake it for a much more expensive European sports
sedan.
The Contour/Mystique offers an optional 2.5-liter V-6 with double overhead
camshafts and four valves per cylinder developing 170 hp. This V-6 can be
had with a five-speed manual transmission, a feature that is almost extinct
in this segment.
This sporty powertrain is enhanced by a fully independent suspension that
was developed with input from three-time world driving champion Jackie
Stewart. The result is a focused driver's car, which is not standard fare
in this class.
Prices start at under $14,000 for the four-cylinder cars, which are quite
good in their own right. Expect to pay about $18,000 for a nicely equipped
Contour SE--the sports-sedan value of 1995.
Ford Contour and Mercury Mystique
Vehicle type: front-engine, front-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door sedan
Base price: $13,805-$16,190
Engines: DOHC 16-valve 2.0-liter 4-in-line, DOHC 24-valve 2.5-liter V-6
Power (SAE net).........125-170 bhp
Transmission.........5-speed, 4-speed auto
Wheelbase.........106.5 in
Length.........183.5-183.9 in
Curb weight.........2800-3150 lb
EPA fuel economy, city driving.........22-28 mpg
-----------------
Honda Accord
-----------------
For many people, the Honda Accord is the sedan benchmark. We agree, for the
Accord has made our Ten Best list 12 times. This is the second appearance
for the current model.
As always, the Accord offers a very satisfying combination of practicality,
comfort, and refinement that seems to push the right buttons with both
ordinary commuters and demanding enthusiasts.
The big news this year is the long-awaited addition of a V-6-powered
version. This engine, however, does not turn the Accord into a hot rod.
Rather, it provides a modest increase in performance over the four-cylinder
models with a significant leap in silence and smoothness--no small thing,
given that the four-cylinder Accord was one of the most refined machines of
its kind.
Prices for Accords begin at just over $15,000 for the more basic models and
rise to about $23,000 for the premium versions. You won't go wrong with any
of them.
Honda Accord sedan
Vehicle type: front-engine, front-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 2- or 4-door sedan
Base price: $15,180-23,000 (V-6 price estimated)
Engines: SOHC 16-valve 2.2-liter 4-in-line, SOHC 24-valve 2.7-liter V-6
Power (SAE net).........130-170 bhp
Transmission.........5-speed, 4-speed auto
Wheelbase.........106.9 in
Length.........184.0-186.8 in
Curb weight.........3000-3200 lb
EPA fuel economy, city driving.........19-25 mpg
-----------------
Honda Prelude VTEC
-----------------
This the fourth consecutive win for the Prelude and the third for the VTEC
model, which brings the same finely developed hardware to sports coupes
that the Accord brings to family sedans.
The top-of-the-line Prelude is equipped with Honda's 2.2-liter VTEC engine
generating a lofty 190 hp--without a turbo. This engine endows the Prelude
with excellent performance and very smooth power delivery. The thrust is
matched to a well-balanced chassis that stays neutral whether you're
accelerating hard out of an apex or swerving sharply to avoid mid-corner
boulders.
With a base price of $25,350, the Prelude is not a screaming deal. Its
shortcomings include a minuscule back seat and flat-out strange dashboard
styling. But we enjoy driving the VTEC too much to leave it off our list.
Honda Prelude VTEC
Vehicle type: front-engine, front-wheel-drive, 2+2-passenger, 2-door coupe
Base price: $25,350
Engine type: DOHC 16-valve 2.2-liter 4-in-line
Power (SAE net).........190 bhp @ 6800 rpm
Transmission.........5-speed
Wheelbase.........100.4 in
Length.........174.8 in
Curb weight.........2950 lb
EPA fuel economy, city driving.........22 mpg
-----------------
Lexus SC300
-----------------
The SC300 is another three-time winner. In many ways we prefer it to its
bigger V-8-powered brother--which, in any case, exceeds our price limit.
The SC300's 3.0-liter six makes 225 hp, more than sufficient to move this
luxurious coupe quickly, as long as you order the manual transmission. Push
the SC300 hard on a winding road and it performs beautifully right out to
its elevated limits. Only an equally competent driver in a pure sports car
can pull away from it.
The SC300 offers one of the poshest, most attractive interiors on the
market to go with its stylish skin. Its rear seat accommodates adults
without any human origami, and you'll have no problem packing the golf
clubs in the trunk.
By our reckoning, a luxury coupe should provide the comfort of a luxury
sedan, with a rear seat that is at least somewhat usable, and an extra
helping of performance and style. The $41,000 Lexus SC300 serves up all of
those qualities to perfection.
Lexus SC300
Vehicle type: front-engine, rear-wheel-drive, 2+2-passenger, 2-door coupe
Base price: $41,037-42,252
Engine type: DOHC 24-valve 3.0-liter 6-in-line
Power (SAE net).........225 bhp @ 6000 rpm
Transmission.........5-speed, 4-speed auto
Wheelbase.........105.9 in
Length.........191.1 in
Curb weight.........3500-3550 lb
EPA fuel economy, city driving.........17-18 mpg
-----------------
Mazda RX-7
-----------------
The selection of the Mazda RX-7 makes us appear to be tilting at windmills.
In America, the market for pure sports cars is shrinking as the
baby-boomers mature, but that in no way detracts from the appeal of Mazda's
latest rotary rocket.
Dedicated to being as light and compact as possible, the RX-7's curvaceous
bodywork clings to its go-fast hardware and tight passenger compartment
like a wetsuit. The roof sports twin bulges to provide adequate headroom
for the two passengers, and the alloy pedals are drilled for lightness.
As always, the RX-7 is powered by a rotary engine--in this case, with two
staged turbochargers that help extract 255 hp from the 1.3-liter twin-rotor
powerplant. It has perhaps the sharpest steering of any street car, as well
as enough oversteer available to satisfy the most expert driver. Step on
the brakes and the big discs grasp the rotors and effortlessly dissipate
your speed.
In miserable weather or for long trips, the RX-7 is not ideal. But for
Sunday-morning excitement in the mountains, this $37,363 sports car is one
of our favorites.
Mazda RX-7
Vehicle type: front-engine, rear-wheel-drive, 2-passenger, 3-door coupe
Base price: $37,363
Engine type: twin-turbocharged and intercooled 1.3-liter 2-rotor Wankel
Power (SAE net).........255 bhp @ 6500 rpm
Transmission.........5-speed, 4-speed auto
Wheelbase.........95.5 in
Length.........168.5 in
Curb weight.........2850-2900 lb
EPA fuel economy, city driving.........17-18 mpg
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Nissan 300ZX Turbo
-----------------
Nissan's 300ZX Turbo is our other sports-car favorite, making the Ten Best
list for the sixth year. Although not as extreme a sports car as the Mazda
RX-7, the blown 300 provides nearly all of the RX-7's satisfaction and
thrills with a lot more day-to-day practicality.
With its 300-hp, twin-turbocharged, double-overhead-camshaft, 24-valve V-6,
the 300ZX is nearly as quick as the Mazda in a straight line. And the
Nissan doesn't give up much grip or controllability in the corners, either.
It simply isn't as demanding to live with.
With cockpit-adjustable shock absorbers, the 300ZX offers a decent ride. It
is also reasonably free of wind and road noise, has a nicely finished
cockpit, and offers a trunk that can swallow a couple's luggage.
The bottom line is that the $42,000 300ZX is a 155-mph sports car that a
hard-core enthusiast can drive effortlessly as a daily commuter, which is
exactly why we fell in love with it when we put 30,000 miles on one during
a long-term test a few years ago.
Nissan 300ZX Turbo
Vehicle type: front-engine, rear-wheel-drive, 2-passenger, 3-door coupe
Base price: $41,283-43,510
Engine type: twin-turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 24-valve 3.0-liter V-6
Power (SAE net).........280-300 bhp
Transmission.........5-speed, 4-speed auto
Wheelbase.........96.5 in
Length.........169.5 in
Curb weight.........3550-3600 lb
EPA fuel economy, city driving.........18 mpg
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Nissan Maxima SE
-----------------
With the new Maxima, Nissan has confounded the dictate that the price of
Japanese cars must rise as the yen gains in value relative to the dollar.
This new version of Nissan's large sedan comes to market with the usual
improvements in refinement, comfort, and performance over its highly
regarded predecessor, and it also sports a lower sticker price.
This is achieved with clever engineering, as illustrated by the Maxima's
new V-6 engine. Although the new aluminum V-6 carries over the 190 hp and
3.0-liter displacement of the old version, it produces higher torque to
improve performance, operates with less friction to enhance fuel economy,
and has fewer parts to reduce cost. Moreover, enthusiast drivers can
specify this V-6 with a manual transmission--an option that's increasingly
rare in V-6 sedans in this price class.
A new rear suspension is another innovative feature in the new Maxima. In
place of the previous car's independent strut setup, the new model uses a
rigid axle with a unique compound lateral link. This design provides
improved handling, ride, and noise supression compared with the previous
suspension and yet, like the improved V-6, also costs less to manufacture.
Thanks to these and many other minor improvements, the new Maxima rides as
smoothly and quietly as a luxury sedan, accelerates like a sports sedan,
and comes in a package as practical and efficient as a family sedan. That
makes it difficult to pigeonhole this car. Just be assured that a demanding
driver will be hard pressed to find a better sedan for the Nissan Maxima
SE's $22,000 base price.
Nissan Maxima SE
Vehicle type: front-engine, front-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door sedan
Base price: $21,989
Engine type: DOHC 24-valve 3.0-liter V-6
Power (SAE net).........190 bhp @ 5600 rpm
Transmission.........5-speed, 4-speed auto
Wheelbase.........106.3 in
Length.........187.7 in
Curb weight.........3000-3100 lb
EPA fuel economy, city driving.........21-22 mpg
Focus: Mixed Breeds
It may be a while before cultural diversity works its way down to your
block, but it's already in your garage. Many of us Ten Best testers
remarked on the much-improved showing by the Big Three this year: 20 out of
42 nominees. "Yeah, the good ol' You-ess-ovay is back," some gloated.
Sadly, though, the notion doesn't bear scrutiny, unless you figure Canada
as the 51st state. We can thank Sergeant Preston and his dog King for the
Camaro, the Firebird, the Intrepid, and who knows how many axles and engine
blocks. And don't bother draping the flag over those new Chryslers from
Normal, Illinois; too many triple-diamond foundry marks beneath their skin.
So if Made in the U.S.A. tops your buying criteria, check out that
Kentucky-bred Toyota Avalon or those Buckeye-built Honda Accords.
--Fred
M.H. Gregory
Focus: Broken-In Dreams
What happened to the affordable fun cars? Only yesterday, there were cars
costing less than half the median household income (say, in the low teens)
that had The Touch--that satin glow of refinement in the wheel that says,
"This is gonna be fun!" The Sentra SE-R inched up to $15,000, but now even
it's gone. Today, 15 grand buys, what, a Neon? So forgive me for stealing a
glance at the used-car pages. For $15,000, I can slip into a 1990 300ZX,
the first year of the current generation. For $12,500 (less than the
Cavalier, our cheapest Ten Best nominee), I'm gone in a 1991 Eclipse GSX,
with turbo power and all-wheel traction. Heck, for a piddling $8500, I'll
bring home a 1989 MR2, the last year of the tiny original, with the trick
on-demand supercharger. Now we're talking fun.
--Kevin Smith
Focus: American Breakthroughs
The notion that the Cirrus and Contour succeed the Tempo/Topaz and
Spirit/Acclaim is erased with one quick twist of a key. No other Chrysler,
not even the LH sedans or the Neon, has so clearly mapped out, and
outflanked, the sharpest moves of the best imported vehicles. The Cirrus
outsizes our perennial favorite, the Accord, and outhandles it to boot. Has
Ford ever designed a car as mechanically harmonious as the Contour SE?
True, it has inexcusably small back-seat room, but it does a convincing
imitation of the deft moves and whirring six-cylinder magic of the BMW
325i. If this is what we can expect from their nascent globalization, then
Ford and Chrysler will make many palms damp around the home quarters of
Japan's strongest brands.
--Martin Padgett Jr.
Focus: Steering Wheels
I was taught to rest my thumbs lightly on the steering spokes at 3 and 9
o'clock and to use the spoke at 6 o'clock merely as an indicator of
bottom-dead-center--the latter of some consequence when I'd get all crossed
up in the high-school instructor's Impala. Proper three-spoke wheels are
now rare, a casualty of Bibendum-size airbags.
Among our 42 Ten Best nominees this year, only four were equipped with
three-spoke wheels. And three of those had the critical 3-and-9 spokes
cluttered with cruise controls or horn buttons. God, of course, intended
that the whole center hub should act as a pressure-sensitive horn, so that
you don't have to grope when schoolchildren clog your passage. The best
recent three-spoke wheel? Check out Nissan's new 240SX.
--John Phillips
Focus: Collapsing Stereotypes
The time when you could determine a car's origin by its key virtues is long
gone. Who would have guessed that a car with the taut, refined handling and
virile engine of the Contour SE would be a mid-priced Ford. The Toyota
Avalon provides the six-passenger seating that used to be a Detroit
exclusive. The Aurora's seamlessly strong V-8 engine would be equally at
home under the hood of an Infiniti or an Audi. The Nissan Maxima and BMW M3
are priced so attractively that they seem to be the beneficiaries rather
than victims of the internationally weak dollar. The Chrysler Cirrus
delivers a combination of bold styling, efficient space utilization, and
value that once was a Honda exclusive. These days, nobody enjoys such
exclusives anymore.
--Csaba Csere
Focus: A European's View
You Americans don't know how lucky you are. You have the cheapest cars and
cheapest petrol in the world (I pay $80 to fill my 2.5-liter sedan in
Italy). And a rich variety of models. In the Cirrus and the Contour,
Chrysler and Ford have built cars of such precision and refinement that
they should do well everywhere. For value combined with driver enjoyment,
try these before buying a Euro badge.
I desperately wanted to like the Aurora, the Riviera, and the Cavalier. The
Olds is too heavy, the Riviera needs the Northstar V-8, and the Cavalier
lacks handling poise. It's all too obvious that until GM invests in some
fresh platforms, the quality and engineering of its cars will remain
deficient of the apparently inherent competence now taken for granted in
new cars from its domestic rivals.
--Peter Robinson
Focus: Seat Controls
A week spent driving 42 cars had me wondering: Do we really need
electrically powered seats? I'd walk up to a car with the seat adjusted for
some shorty and hang on the switch and wait. And wait some more for the
seat to buzz back into a position that would allow me entry. Contrast this
with the easily operated manual levers on BMW's 3-series cars. You pull the
lever up and, wham, the seat's all the way back. That allows you easy
access to the driver's seat. And then if you need to adjust it a bit
forward, it's a simple task. I know there have been awkward, stiff, and
stubborn manual seat adjustments in the past, but wouldn't it be easier to
get it right than to spend all that money on motors and gears and switches
that--for most people--will be used once, then forgotten?
--Barry Winfield
Focus: Winning Streaks
Beneath the surface of Ten Best is a nifty talent spotter--who's hot and
who's not as a carmaker.
VW and Porsche were darlings until 1986. Both fell off our list in 1987,
and from America's shopping list soon after. In the early years, the U.S.,
Europe, and Japan all grabbed roughly equal shares. But Europe began fading
in 1987, and it now has only one place on the list. The U.S. faded too, as
Japan took nine of the ten spots in 1990 and 1991.
Only one maker has made the cut every year--Honda. GM won more Bests than
Honda early on, while Chrysler claimed only two spots in ten years. But GM
dropped from sight in 1990, except for the Seville in 1992. And Chrysler,
since 1993, has become a regular. That, along with miles in the amazing
Cirrus/Stratus, tells me Chrysler in on a torrid streak.
--Patrick Bedard
Focus: Better Basic Cars
Just four years ago at my first Ten Best test, driving one of the mid- or
bottom-feeder domestics around the 14-mile test loop meant getting
passed--make that wasted--by a humbling assortment of more expensive
foreign machinery. Since then, the "sensible shoes" cars have made
astonishing progress. Three newer examples--the Ford Contour/Mercury
Mystique, the Chrysler Cirrus, and the Dodge Neon--all come with powerful
four-valve-per-cylinder engines, refined multilink suspensions, and stiff,
rattle-free bodies that would have been lofty goals for sports-car
designers just 20 years ago. This time around, keeping up with an
aggressively driven SC300 or Prelude in an affordable domestic sedan was a
rewarding challenge. The speed gap between sports cars and workaday cars is
shrinking.
--Don Schroeder
Focus: Fine Fours
When ordering a new car, most enthusiasts eagerly check any box that will
get them more cylinders and more power. Our Ten Best nominee pool, however,
includes three cars that serve to remind us that there are times when less
engine makes for more driving enjoyment. This year, the Saab 9000, the
Honda Accord, and the new Dodge Avenger all offer V-6 engines as optional
upgrades to excellent four-cylinders. But each of these sixes outweighs the
four it upstages, and none can be had with a five-speed, so none can
significantly outrun its base four-cylinder counterpart. Handling and fuel
economy also suffer slightly with the sixes. All in all, it seems a high
price to pay for smoothness and refinement. I'd check the four-banger box
on these cars.
--Frank Markus
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