chicagotribune.com's view

First it was the Yugo, followed by the Volkswagen Fox and now the SubaruJusty–mini-cars, tiny vehicles long on mileage and short on price, aimed atproviding an alternative to buying a used car. Still to come are the FordFestiva, Pontiac LeMans and Mitsubishi Precis, to name a few.

Yugo, a Fiat 128 remake, beat everybody into the market at $3,990. Notmuch of a car, but the price attracted about 50,000 people. Volkswagenfollowed with its Fox.

Fox prices start at $5,690 for a 2-door, $6,490 for the 4-door. A lotmore money than a Yugo, but a lot more car. And more people can point toGermany on a map than to Yugoslavia.

Now comes the Justy from Subaru, a vehicle about on a par with the Fox,which means it`s pretty good–and a whole lot better than a Yugo–as well as adecent alternative to a used car. Plus, it has the Subaru name behind it.

Justy comes in base DL version starting at $5,495 and dressed-up GL at$6,295.

Before you go looking for a Justy, you must get your priorities in order. Justy, like the Fox, provides basic transportation and lots of miles betweenrefueling.

It`s not a sports car or a vehicle to cart the family on long hauls. It`s the first car for the entry level or typical used-car buyer, the second orthird car for the family to run errands or commute to work.

The 2-door hatchback Justy is built on a 90-inch wheelbase and is 139inches long (Yugo is 84.6/139 inches, Fox 92.8/163.4). Close-up or far away,in picture or in person, the car appears to be very small–on the outside.Interior room is very good for two adults in front and back despite tinyexterior dimensions.

Justy is powered by a 9-valve (two intake, one exhaust) 1.2-liter, 3-cylinder engine rated at 66 horsepower and teamed only with a 5-speed manual. No automatic until `89 at the earliest. A drawback is that it`s a carburetedengine, not fuel-injected. EPA rating is 38 miles per gallon city, 41 m.p.g.highway. The tank holds 9 gallons.

There`s enough pep off the line so that you don`t get left behind intraffic (0-to-60 in 11.6 seconds), thanks in part to the small dimensions and light weight (about 1,700 pounds). Unfortunately, the 5-speed lever tended to vibrate a good deal in first and second. Another annoyance: From a standingstart on wet roads the steel-belted radials gripped quickly on this front-drive mini, but the rear tires tended to wander.

To promote value and longevity, Justy has galvanized-steel door outerpanels, hood, front fenders, floor pan, drip rails and side door sills, and a wax treatment applied to the lower body from front to rear wheelwells.

Justy features rack-and-pinion steering and fully independent suspension. There`s little road wander or much body roll in corners, and road harshnessback into the wheel or seat is at a minimum–for an economy car. Don`t golooking for hairpin turns or highways under construction. Keep tellingyourself: 38 m .p.g.

The base DL and upgraded GL which we test drove both have folding rearseat, halogen headlamps, remote control driver`s mirror, and fully recliningfront bucket seats as standard. The GL adds split folding rear seats, full-size spare tire, flip-open rear quarter windows, bodyside moldings, bumperguards, rear window wiper-washer-defogger, digital clock, intermittent wipers,and visor vanity mirror.