Car Reviews: 1996 Chevrolet Lumina

Accord, Toyota's Camry and Ford's last-generation Taurus probably wouldn't have made

it into so many driveways. All three compete with the Chevrolet Lumina in the largest,

highest-volume hunk of the U.S. car market. It's a place where success is measured

less on animal attraction than it is on the inner virtues of space and comfort at an

attractive price. And in that sense, Chevy's Lumina rates as one of the most

successful midsize sedans of all.

Consider these specs: At just $16,895 (including a standard $540 destination charge)

to start, the front-drive Lumina comes with over 100 cu. ft. of passenger space, a

beefy V6 and a 4-speed automatic. That's about $100 less than a smaller 4-cylinder

Accord with an automatic, and some $300 south of a basic Camry with a 5-speed you

shift yourself. It's also more than $1000 less than Ford's new entry-level Taurus G.

Yet the Lumina offers similar overall space and standard equipment, along with an

extra 15 hp over the standard Taurus V6.

version. The 4-door Lumina also shares its chassis, its hardware and most of its body

panels with Chevy's sportier Monte Carlo coupe, which starts at $17,225. True to its

family-sedan mission, however, the Lumina is taller, for added head room, and has rear

doors that stretch way back over the wheels to make getting in and out easier.

Like its high-volume competitors, the Lumina breaks no new ground in styling. Its

semi-jellybean shape looks as subdued as Newt Gingrich's gray flannel suit next to the

new Taurus and even the 3-year-old Dodge Intrepid. But like a good suit that's comfy

on the inside, the Lumina's low beltline and rear deck help drivers face the world

outside, view the landscape and maneuver into tight spots without undue

neck-stretching.

Trim options are also suitably basic and uncomplicated. There's the base Lumina Sedan,

which includes air conditioning, power locks, intermittent wipers and a raft of other

accessories. Then there's the LS, which adds such key items as power windows and

mirrors, antilock brakes and a cassette radio.

While you can add those upgrades to base Luminas, the $18,595 LS includes them for

less. It also allows you to opt for rear disc brakes instead of the standard drums,

along with a 3.4-liter twin-camshaft V6 that pumps out 55 hp more than the standard

pushrod engine and another 15 hp over the optional twin-cam V6 in Ford's Taurus.

room front and rear than you'll find in any of the Lumina's competitors save for the

larger Intrepid, which wins by a smidgeon up front. There's also more front headroom

than the Intrepid, and more in back than all but Honda's Accord, which is far smaller

nearly everywhere else. Result: Even though the Lumina isn't long on rear seat

legroom, it's one of the few that can seat six adults for anywhere near the price.

Sit in the driver's seat, and you face a clear, compact instrument cluster with large

round gauges. You also face a sea of gray plastic, though nearly everything on it--from

the high-mounted rotary climate dials to the large radio knobs and buttons--is right

where it should be.

An exception is the Lumina's horn, which requires both a stretch to reach and a firm

push to activate. Another exception is the optional new dual temperature tabs for the

driver and front passenger. Both are tougher to adjust at speed than dials. We also

wonder why Luminas still lack a flash-to-pass feature for the high beams.

In back, even the center -hump+ seat is reasonably comfy, thanks to the Lumina's

generous headroom. Open the trunk, and you get equally generous cargo space that's

within 1 cu. ft. of the full-size Dodge Intrepid's. While both the base and Lumina LS

offer a new integral rear child seat, you can swap it on LS editions for a center

armrest that opens a small pass-through to the trunk. Oddly enough, a fold-down split

rear seat comes only on the less-utilitarian Monte Carlo.

fully independent suspension that prevents bumps beneath the left wheel from jouncing

the one on the right. Supple springs and shock absorbers also contribute to the base

Lumina's smooth ride. The penalty for those soft settings is considerable lean through

tight turns and a fair amount of wallow over dips.

That's where the optional FE3 suspension comes in. Available only on the LS, this

add-on includes firmer springs and shocks that greatly reduce the floatiness base cars

exhibit without ruining the ride. Along with the firmer suspension, our LS test car

had wider, grippier P225/60-16 Goodyear Eagle RS-A tires that sharpen the Lumina's

response to emergency maneuvers and work surprisingly well in the wet. Those are

probably the best reasons to opt for the uplevel LS.

Then there's the twin-camshaft V6--a $1095 LS-only option. While the base engine pulls

smartly off the line, the bigger engine size and two more valves per cylinder help the

larger V6 breathe deeper and rev higher for added power. The result is an instant,

reassuring thrust at the highway speeds where the basic V6 runs out of breath. And

unlike some multi-valve engines, the Lumina's is relatively smooth and quiet, pulls

powerfully around town and purrs contentedly on plain old 87-octane gas.

What's more, both powertrains now have 100,000-mile platinum spark plugs, 5-year

coolant and lifetime transmission fluid for the maintenance-averse.

Extended seat time in both the base and LS Lumina also revealed what may be this car's

one drawback--its front seats. Even the uplevel buckets on the LS are too soft in the

center, and offer little side support through deer-in-the-road manuevers. We tried

raising, lowering, tilting and reclining the $300 power driver's seat to

compensate--all to little avail. But considering the Lumina's low price, you should

have enough left over for a lifetime supply of foam seat wedges.

that can mean an often-bewildering array of picks. Still, some meet specific needs

better than others.

Honda's relatively short, nimble Accord is the logical choice for those who value

sporty handling over space. Toyota Camrys offer added room and a more potent optional

V6. Unfortunately, pricing for Camrys so-equipped begin where many of their

competitors top out.

Perhaps the ultimate combination of space and handling at a reasonable price is

Dodge's Intrepid and--with the new $18,545 G model--Ford's revamped Taurus. The jury's

still out on whether the new Taurus will be the long-ball homerun the old model was.

Nevertheless, it's a bold statement in a market where safe is more prevalent than

sexy.

Then there are those who prefer a car that's good in many areas, instead of great in

one or two. A sedan that's big and roomy without being hard to park, and tasteful

without being conspicuous. If that's you, Chevy's got your favorite flavor.