chicagotribune.com's view

Detroit marketing types usually speak loudly and carry a big schtick.

Though you can send a kid to college for four years for less money than it takes to purchase your typical midsize sedan, Detroiters insist that today’s vehicles represent “value for the dollar,” which is Motor City jargon for “what the market will bear.”

Every so often one automaker will respond to the public hue and cry that cars are overpriced by slashing the sticker on one model–and removing standard equipment to effect the price cut.

Though we aren’t too sure what Detroit means when it boasts about value forthe dollar, paying less but getting less doesn’t really qualify as the best definition of value.

So now comes Chrysler Corp. promoting value for the dollar in a new compactsedan called the Plymouth Breeze, a wonderfully refreshing name for a wonderfully refreshing philosophy–paying less but getting more, which comes closer to the definition of value for the dollar.

Breeze is the latest member of the compact sedan trio at Chrysler, following the Chrysler Cirrus and Dodge Stratus. Cirrus is the luxury standard-bearer, Stratus the sporty representative and Breeze the high-mileage, low-price delegate.

To appreciate the car, you have to understand that Breeze will never be named the pace car for the Indy 500. The only way Breeze would make it into a collector’s stable would be to drive the collector to the warehouse where his rare machines are stored. Among memorable cars, Breeze will bring on amnesia.

Breeze is pure-and-simple basic transportation in a stylish package that doesn’t look cheap and doesn’t come stripped, thanks to a healthy list of standard equipment including dual air bags, air conditioning, rear-window defroster, AM/FM stereo and tinted glass.

Rather than delete standard equipment to hold down the price, Plymouth chose to limit the options–no V-6 engine, only a 2-liter, 132-horsepower, 4-cylinder; no power seats, only manual control; no 15- or 16-inch tires to upgrade economy car ride and handling, only 14-inch radials whose goal is to help contribute to outstanding mileage (22 m.p.g. city/31 highway with automatic transmission and 25/34 with manual).

This front-wheel-drive sedan is aimed at those more interested in miles pergallon than miles per hour; folks who survive on water from the tap rather than the bottle; who park their own car rather than pull up to a valet; who prefer slipping money into their pocket or purse each payday rather than send the bulk of it off to their lending institution along with the payment booklet.

We tested the 1996 Breeze with automatic transmission, one of the few options available.

Options include anti-lock brakes for $565; automatic transmission with cruise control for $1,050; power sunroof for $695; and a comfort/convenience package with power locks/windows/dual outside mirrors for $665.

I f you smoke, the lighter and “ash receiver” will run $15; if you live in Minnesota, the engine-block heater will cost $30; if you have a baby or need to cart a grandchild, an integrated child safety seat will run $100; if you have to have a full-size spare it will cost $125; if you require entry by pushing a key fob button it’s $170; and if you need to upgrade the standard AM-FM stereo with cassette it’s $275 or $400 if you add cassette and CD player.

You can get a well-equipped car with excellent mileage for about $18,000–or less.

Breeze would benefit if cruise control were dumped from the automatic transmission package because $1,050 is way too much to pay. And it would be nice if, in the interest of safety, ABS was made standard even if it meant making the AM/FM stereo optional to keep the sticker down.