Our Aspire coupe provided a pleasant blend of comfortable ride, adequate performance and no surprises. It's an easy car to drive, with light, positive clutch action and acceptable acceleration. Power steering is available only with the automatic transmission, but the effort is light enough, even at parking-lot speeds, that we don't view this as a serious flaw.One negative control element that we noticed was the aspire's shifting, which was a little rubbery and not as precise as it could have been. Basically, it just takes some getting used to. The only real drawback to a car with only 63 hp is in passing on 2-lane highways, a process that requires planning and a long, straight stretch of road.
On the other hand, we were impressed by how quietly this little car went about its business. Like all small engines, the aspire's 1.3-liter 4-cylinder makes noise when pressed, but in ordinary operation, it's surprisingly subdued. Similarly, the aspire's aero shape and flush glass do a good job of keeping wind noise to a minimum.
Fuel economy is also a plus. We averaged 40 mpg in all-around driving, a very respectable performance and exactly what you'd want in a car whose primary reason for being is to keep expenses to a minimum. Next Page