Driving Impressions

There's no question that the Autostick makes the Vision TSi more fun to drive than its LH counterparts with a regular automatic transmission. Set the shift lever in Autostick mode and you just waggle the shifter to the left for upshifts, right for downshifts. It's easy to get used to, and there's no clutch pedal hassle. If you want to let the car shift for itself, you simply switch back to full automatic mode. Good steering and handling have been LH strong suits from the beginning. The Vision is very agile, particularly for a sedan of its size, and it attacks tight corners with very little body roll. Though firm, the ride is comfortable, even on bumpy road surfaces. Original LH models, particularly those with stiffer suspension packages, could be a trifle harsh on nasty pavement, but Chrysler has softened the hard edges. Our Eagle TSi tester was also relatively quiet at most speeds. Here too Chrysler has made improvements over the years, though some noise is still noticeable over rough pavement, transmitted to the interior through the suspension. We liked the performance of our TSi's 3.5-liter V6, made more enjoyable by the Autostick transmission. Though the basic 3.3-liter V6 is adequate for getting around town, it won't knock your socks off, by any stretch. The 3.5-liter V6 lends a lot more verve and much better punch for passing on rural highways. There is a minor penalty in fuel economy for the TSi engine. The base engine is rated at 20 mpg city and 28 mpg highway, while the more potent engine gets 18 miles per gallon in the city and 26 miles per gallon on the highway, though these numbers are still respectable for a large car.

Final Word

Unlike with most other models, the Vision's price has hovered in the same range over the past few years. For the 1995 model year, Chrysler actually dropped the base price. The base ESi starts at $19,245 running up to $23,190 for a fully loaded model; a typically equipped ESi costs about $19,795. The TSi starts at $23,835, runs upward to $26,875, with a typically equipped model costing $24,385. Intrepid prices are a trifle lower, Concorde prices a trifle higher. Although it offers essentially the same benefits as Intrepid and Concorde, the Vision hasn't enjoyed the same sales success as the other LH cars, which means that rebates and other customer incentives are often offered. Add frequent rebates to competitive pricing, and the Vision's appeal increases. You'd be hard-pressed to beat its combination of roominess, performance and style in this price class.