Chrysler`s subcompact front-wheel-drive Eagle Summit sedan and coupe have joint authorship; that is, the four-door sedan is built in Normal at the joint-venture Chrysler-Mitsubishi plant and the two-door coupe is assembled in Japan and imported to the U.S.
We test-drove the three-door hatchback. The massive side rear window gives the styling impression that the coupe is a wagon. When it comes to style, we vote for the sedan, not the coupe.
New for `91 is an upgraded 1.5-liter, 12-valve, 4-cylinder engine that delivers 92 horsepower, up from 81 for 1990. Our test car came with a4-speed manual as standard and boasted 31 m.p.g. city/36 highway.
Base price is $6,949. Standard equipment includes all-season 13-inch steel-belted radials (14-inch tires would improve ride and handling), power front disc brakes, stainless steel exhaust, reclining front bucket seats, trip odometer, floor console with cupholder, full carpeting and automatic front seat belts.
Options included air conditioning at $753, AM/FM radio at $217 and rear- window defroster/tinted glass at $129. Options brought the sticker to $8,048. Add a $328 freight charge.
Neither air bag nor antilock brakes is available.
The Summit hatchback coupe is aimed at providing low-cost, high-mileage transportation, but you sacrifice styling and performance to get it. The Summit four-door sedan offers the same low-cost, high-mileage transportation but in a more stylish, better-performing vehicle.
