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SNOBBERY seems to have taken a fall in Ford Motor Co.’s design studios. Witness the 1988 Mercury Topaz LTS, a welcome departure from the practice of producing well-styled cars for affluent folk and boring stuff for the striving class.

The new Topaz LTS sedan looks nothing like the bulbous compact that Ford brought forth in model-year 1984, when the first Topaz was introduced.

The new model has clean, pleasant, appealing lines. It’s a bit sassy and sexy. By comparison, the original model was a work of automotive celibacy.

Restyling, in this case, includes remodeled bumpers, fenders, quarter panels and tail lamps, and a new grille, hood and trunk lid.

In terms of aesthetics, the front-wheel-drive Topaz is now in the same league with the Toyota Camry, Mazda 626, Honda Accord and Volkswagen Jetta. And it doesn’t lag far behind those competitors in the performance category, either.

In terms of value for dollar, the Topaz LTS is the clear winner. Considering space, creature comforts, serviceability and operating convenience, it simply offers more for the money than any of its above-named peers.

Complaints: Rear visibility in the Topaz LTS is hampered by items designed to reduce injuries in traffic accidents — headrests on the front and rear seats. These pieces need to be reworked in a way that will allow them to do their job without interfering with the driver.

Also, in the test model, there was a low-grade vibration in the instrument panel, a combination buzz-rattle that occasionally proved irritating.

And there were several complaints about those motorized, automatic-closing seat belts in the front cabin. Some people got tangled up in them and cursed the devices.

I recommend that folks buy the Topaz LTS with standard seat belts and the optional driver’s-side air bag, which, together, provide a higher level of safety than automatic belts.

Praise: Despite its few faults, the Topaz LTS is a high-quality five-seater that should be on the shopping lists of most families trying to pinch transportation pennies without sacrificing dignity or those parents seeking a reasonably safe car for teen-age drivers.

Overall craftsmanship and design are excellent. The gauges and controls on the instrument panel are easy to reach and read. Ford’s done a nice job here.

Head-turning-quotient: It doesn’t bring down the neighborhood.

Ride and handling: Good ride. Good speed. Power comes from a 2.3-liter, 4-cylinder, electronically fuel-injected engine rated 100 hp at 4,400 rpm. The car is highway material.

Handling is quite decent, thanks to a fully independent, four-wheel suspension system. Braking on wet and dry roads is excellent.

Sound system: Electronic AM/FM stereo radio and cassette with amplifier and four speakers, Premium Sound by Ford. Excellent.

Mileage: About 23 to the gallon (15.4-gallon tank, estimated 350-mile range on usable vol ume), combined city-highway, running with mixed loads (one to five occupants).

Price: $12,397, including $458 in appearance and convenience options and a $398 transportation charge. Base price is $11,541, and dealer’s invoice price without options is $10,390.23.

Purse-strings note: The less-expensive Tempo GLS sedan is practically identical to the Topaz LTS. Money saved on buying the Tempo can be used to buy the optional air bag, which costs $751.