Overview:
The Cirrus LXi is “cookie cutter” but it won’t kill the budget. Good old American ingenuity. What began at the turn of the 20th century with Henry Ford’s Model T and later the Model A, continues with companies like Chrysler. Well, Ford’s only came in one color back then – black, and cost was affordable enough for anyone at about $800. Chrysler makes cars that are still aFordable and they come in some pretty nice colorstoo. If you don’t need the snob appeal of a pricey car like the Infiniti Q45 that we talked about recently, you can have two Cirrus’s and bankten grand. For most of us on limited budgets, two Cirrus’s and ten grand in the bank might just be a better decision.
As you know, Chrysler was nearly in the toilet until Lee Iacocca bailed them out not so many years ago. They surely know how to compete in this tough car market and Mercedes-Benz must agree since they are now a part of Chrysler, or is it the other way around. Pretty interesting times, eh?
My engineer friend, Merkel, helps me to get real and keep my perspective. He reminds me of “We the people…” in America who are so bombarded with media hype that we can’t be bothered with “just the facts, nothing but the facts”. We’re often blinded to the truth by being told over and over again how we need or can’t live without what we’re being sold. “People are getting smarter”, says Merkel. Perhaps, but a bad guy in the 30’s said “Tell a lie often enough and people will believe it” would have done better for the world if he’d become an advertising executive. Dad told me “Don’t believe anything you hear and only half of what you see”. You were right dad.
Well, here are a few facts you can believe. Cirrus was first introduced in 1995 as a midsize and the most affordable Chrysler they make. It is essentially unchanged from 1997. And finally, the Cirrus has some pretty impressive competition that you will surely want to investigate. The Buick Century, for example, is nearly identical in features, and since people buy on emotion the Buick may look better to you. Let’s be honest, some us wouldn’t be caught dead in a foreign car or visa versa, just because it’s built THERE. Don’t tell anyone that some VW’s are made in Mexico, some Mercedes are made in America and some Cadillac’s and Ford’s are made in Germany. Life is getting so complicated you can’t bitch about anything. Next thing you know they’ll be building cars in Africa.
Is nothing sacred?
The competition:
Buick Century $18,215 – $19,575, Chevrolet Malibu $15,670 – $18,620, Dodge Stratus $14,840 – $17,665, Honda Civic $10,650 – $16,480, Hyundai Sonata $14,749 – $18,549, Mazda 626 $15,550 – $23,240, Mercury Mystique $13,960 – $17,270, Volkswagen Jetta $14,595 – $20,955.
Good News:
Priced well. Best rating in problems per 100 cars of the competition listed here, per JD Powers. Couldn’t find any Bad News.
Bad News:
See Good News.
Standard Equipment:
2.5 liter 168 horsepower V6 engine, 4 speed automatic trans, dual air bags, front disc with rear drum ABS brakes, keyless entry, rear child door locks, power speed sensitive rack & pinion steering, air conditioning, power windows & door locks, cruise control, tilt steering column & leather wrapped wheel, AM/FM cassette radio, fold down rear seat, fog lights and dual power / heated side mirrors.
Gas Stats:
19 City and 28 Highway MPG.
Pricing:
MSRP is $19,460
