Ride quality is solid, not too firm. We found a daylong 400-mile drive wasn't unusually tiring.
Handling and steering are good in the LX and EX, considering the car's height and its tallish tires. The alloy wheels that are optional on EX are no different in their dimensions from the standard steel wheels, so they deliver more in looks than performance. When pushed, the car eases into understeer (plowing), which is common for front-wheel-drive economy cars. We found the brake pedal a bit mushy, but not enough to cause concern.
The Spectra5 and the sporty SX sedan come with a strut-tower brace to stiffen the unit-body, and heavier-duty springs and shocks biased more for handling and less for ride comfort. Their P205/50R16 tires (compared with P195/60R15 tires for the LX and EX) should sharpen steering response and pump up cornering power. Next Page