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Chrysler is making a strong first impression with its new Sebring convertible.

When friends from New York City visited in March, we traveled to the Napa Valley and saw dozens of tourists driving up and down Highway 29 in rental Sebrings. Last month, when I was in central Florida for an electronics show, I was stunned by how popular these new cars were with the rent-by-the-week public.

The Sebring is the new kid in town, plus it’s roomy enough for suitcases and souvenirs.

I didn’t drive a Sebring while in Florida, but I did drive a convertible. Chevrolet’s 1996 Cavalier LS convertible is also fairly new. It arrived in limited numbers last summer, joining the sedan and coupe in the Cavalier lineup.

The Cavalier is going after a different market than the Sebring. It’s a smaller car. It’s also a cheaper car, by several thousand dollars.

According to Convertible magazine, the Cavalier is the most affordable convertible on the market, if you don’t count soft-top sport-utilities like the Geo Tracker and targa-top coupes like Honda’s del Sol.

After driving more than 300 miles in Florida, on two-lane highways through coastal swamp land and on the toll roads and interstates that criss-cross Orlando, I have good things to say about the Cavalier convertible.

Yes, it’s a small car, but the back seat is surprisingly roomy, even for an adult. The 2.4-liter four-cylinder, a new edition to the Cavalier line for 1996, is very peppy. Even with an automatic transmission, it moved the Cavalier and me quickly away from lights and well beyond posted speed limits.

The trunk easily held my luggage and assorted boxes. The car looked great, much nicer than the bland Cavalier sedan, which doesn’t stand out against such notably cute cars as the Neon and the Pontiac Sunfire.

Our test model was bright red with Arctic white vinyl bucket seats. The white interior was cooling in the Florida heat, but fairly painful on the eyes. On the door panels, where you could find white, black and gray surfaces, the car’s interior was truly tacky.

The bucket seats weren’t that comfortable for my large frame, and the lumbar support didn’t help me find an acceptable seating position.

The 150-horsepower engine is a great addition to the Cavalier lineup. It’s now standard on the Z24 coupe and optional on the LS convertible and sedan. (The base engine, a 120-horsepower 2.2-liter four, is merely acceptable.) Gas mileage, at 21 in the city and 31 on the highway, remains quite good. I averaged about 26 mpg, in mixed city and highway driving. The car handled quite nicely, and its size made it easy to park. With the top up, however, rear visibility was poor.

The standard four-speed automatic transmission on this car now comes with /a/ traction system that provides better grip when things get slippery.

Our test car was priced at just over $20,000, and was well-equipped at that price. In addition to an optional CD play er, upgraded engine and automatic transmission, the car included dual air bags, anti-lock brakes, air conditioning, cruise control, remote keyless entry and power windows, mirrors and door locks.

The convertible top worked flawlessly and almost effortlessly. Pull down the lock and push a button and the top electronically descends into the trunk. I was at the Kennedy Space Center just as the sun set one evening. The sky was clear, and long shadows fell from the rocket garden. Having a convertible to take in a moment like that almost made me feel like a tourist.
SPECS
What we drove: 1996 Chevrolet Cavalier LS convertible, a two-door convertible with a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine and a four-speed automatic transmission.

Base price: $17,500

Price as tested (includes options and delivery charge): $20,345

Curb weight: 2,838 pounds

Length: 180.3 inches

Turning circle (curb to curb): 35.6 feet

Standard features: Dual air bags; air conditioning; anti-lock brakes; 2.2-liter engine; theft-deterrent system; folding rear seat; AM/FM stereo; traction control (with four-speed automatic transmission).

Options on test vehicle: Vinyl bucket seats with driver lumbar support; electric rear window defogger; 2.4-liter engine; aluminum wheels; upgraded stereo with in-dash CD player; preferred equipment package including cruise control, tilt steering, variable intermittent wipers, power mirrors, power locks, power windows and remote keyless entry.

EPA figures: 21 mpg (city), 31 mpg (highway)

Test mileage: 25.9 mpg

Fuel: Unleaded regular