Handling was pretty good due to its 4-wheel independent suspension. The steering wheel was relatively stiff making for accurate turn-in but not too stiff to a point
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| The optional 4-speed automatic transmission was sufficient, but I'd personally opt for the 5-speed manual. (Photo: Alexandra Straub, Canadian Auto Press) |
where it compromised my comfort. The optional 4-speed automatic transmission was sufficient for the test drive, but I would have preferred the 5-speed manual as it would have made harnessing the Optra5's power possible. In addition, the automatic transmission came with a gated gearbox (not a personal preference of mine). Although such shifters are supposed to be more "sophisticated," I didn't like it. It required some force to put the lever into each gear and was fussy when shifting from drive to park. It also didn't help that I dislocated my right shoulder that week and was forced to use my left arm to put the car into gear. Such is life.
In the city, the automatic was fine because it allowed for mainly throttle-and-brake driving. But on the highway, especially accelerating up a hill, or at least
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| The 2.0-liter, 16-valve, DOHC, 4-cylinder produces a fairly decent 119 horsepower. (Photo: Alexandra Straub, Canadian Auto Press) |
trying to, the engine became loud at the high revs needed to accomplish the task. Still, the 2.0-liter, 16-valve, DOHC, 4-cylinder produced a fairly decent 119 horsepower at 5,400 rpm and 126 lb-ft of torque at 4,000 rpm. In addition, when I wanted to accelerate quickly, whether on the highway or in the city, the transmission would sometimes jump, making the shift a little jerky. As you can tell, I was not that impressed. Some of the other aspects of its personality, however, were impressive. Transmission aside it was a fun car to drive. Its practicality also scored points in my books. There was sufficient headroom and legroom in the front and the back, decent visibility out the front and side of the hatchback and favorable
fuel consumption at 10.6 L/100 km (22 mpg) in the city and 7.3 L/100 km (32 mpg) on the highway.
