1997 Chrysler LHS Interior Review at Automotive.com
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1997 Chrysler LHS Review: Interior

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1997 Chrysler LHS Review

A big luxury sedan with sporty undertones.
Interior
The interior is gloved in rich, tasteful leather, complemented by attractive,

contrasting, leather-grained vinyl with wood accents.

Depending on whether five- or six-passenger seating is needed, Chrysler

LHS offers a choice of front seats. The bucket seats come standard, while

a 50/50 split bench seat is optional for no extra cost.

Our test car was fitted with the bucket seats, which are supportive,

plush and sumptuous, yet not so soft and spongy you feel like you're floating.

There's plenty of lateral support for cornering, but the side bolsters

aren't so tall that it's hard to get in and out. These seats are one of

the reasons many buyers preferred the LHS over the New Yorker.

Other folks like the 50/50 split bench front seat because it permits

seating for three in front or because they simply prefer traditional bench

seating. Both types of seats feature eight different adjustments, most

of which use power controls. Dual cup holders and folding armrests add

to the comfort.

There's plenty of room in the LHS.The front seats are roomier than a

Lexus ES300, Infiniti J30 or Mercedes E-class. They are comparable to a

Lincoln Continental, though not as roomy as the more expensive Seville.

The rear seat offers enough space for some truly extravagant lounging,

even with a couple six-footers up front. There's more room in the back

seats of an LHS than in a Continental, Seville, ES300, J30 or E-class.

Baggage for five should fit in the cavernous trunk. The LHS matches

the Continental's impressive cargo space and offers substantially more

room than all the above competitors.

The instrument panel is well laid out, with gauges that are attractive

and easy to read. Radio controls are within easy reach. The Infinity premium

sound system with cassette and compact disc players provides dynamic tonal

quality. Not used as often are the heating and air conditioning controls,

which are a little more difficult to reach without leaning forward. The

small buttons divert attention away from the road more than they should

and they all look alike, making adjustments more difficult.

The overall interior fit and finish was significantly better than we've

noticed in past years, but it still isn't quite the match of a Lexus or

Mercedes-Benz.

While Chrysler has made no major, visible changes to the LHS this year

we did sense the company has been quietly working to overcome one of the

car's other weaknesses. In year's past, we found that the LHS was not the

quietest car in its class, particularly for rear seat passengers. Some

added insulation, particularly around the rear wheel wells has tamed the

problem. Next Page



1997 Chrysler LHS