The Autos Section (October 22, 1996) As seen in the Central Florida Future Test Drive: 1997 Plymouth Breeze David Swartz Jr. Autos Editor Finding a good new car for less than $20,000 isn't easy. There's a huge selection of models to choose from and selecting the best one is a time consuming and confusing task. We're here to help you out. We will be reviewing cars and trucks that the average college student may be able to buy, so we've put a price cap at 20 grand. This week we tested a 1997 Plymouth Breeze which had a grand total of eight miles on the odometer, and we were very impressed. The Breeze is over a foot longer and five inches wider than its little brother, the Neon, but the Breeze only comes in a four door model. Its tasteful styling and trademark Chrysler/Plymouth egg crate grill makes it pleasing to the eye and the rear end has an almost sporty flair. Although the Breeze lists in as a compact, the interior would suggest otherwise. The cab-forward design of the car puts the windshield well out of arm's reach, and the nice layout of the dashboard gives the illusion of being larger than it really is. Instrumentation was clear, but a little small. A larger speedometer might be a good suggestion. The car we tested rang in at $15,710 after a $500 rebate. But for less than 16 grand, this Breeze has many features in common with much pricier cars: power windows, power door locks, air conditioning, tilt wheel, cruise control as well as a digital odometer. There's also plenty of space in the back seat and trunk, so long trips won't be uncomfortable. The car is powered by a 2.0 liter four cylinder that pumps out 132 horsepower at 6000 rpm with 129/lbs of torque. We were impressed with the performance of this four cylinder, and acceleration was very strong considering the car gets 37 miles to the gallon on the highway. We were unable to time the car's 0-60 due to rain and slick road conditions, plus we'd hate to redline an engine with less than 10 miles on it, but the '96 Breeze has been clocked at 9.9 seconds to 60 mph. Bringing the engine's power down the drivetrain was a five-speed manual transmission. The transmission and clutch worked well, but finding first gear was sometimes a chore since the stick had very short throws between gears. Shifting became easier and smoother with a little practice though. The ride in the Breeze is remarkably quiet for a small car. Wind and road noise were quite subdued and the engine's hum wasn't obtrusive at all. The seats were comfortable and firm with lots of back support. The Breeze gets an A for suspension as well. The ride felt tight and well controlled, but never bumpy or rigid, quite a change from many smaller cars. The power steering felt a little taut and hard to turn, but was not a problem. The steering was sure and steady in fast curves but unfortunately wouldn't straighten up on its own coming out of turns. The Breeze also has a competent braking system that took us from 45 to 0 in a hurry, even with wet roads. Our test car didn't have anti-lock brakes, however, and locked up on the slick pavement, but ABS brakes are an option for an added 600 bucks or so. All in all, the Breeze is a winner. We tried to be picky and point out shortcomings, but they were few and far between. All the right elements are there, and it's still offered at a reasonable price. Since this is the first new car we've reviewed, we're unable to pin down a rating system, but we both walk away from the drive very impressed with the refinement and performance. We'd like to give thanks to Royal Jeep/Eagle/ Chrysler/Plymouth in Casselberry for their great hospitality and help. If you're interested in the Plymouth Breeze, E-mail Brian, president of the UCF Knight Riders Car Club, at ucfkr@pegasus.cc.ucf.edu to learn more about our impression of the car and how to save money when purchasing it. Next week, we'll be putting the Nissan 200SX to the test to see how it Copyright 1996. UCF Knight Riders. All Rights Reserved.