Driving Impressions

If a combination of good looks and practical transportation fits your driving needs, the base Probe is a fine choice. Its 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine does an adequate job of pulling the 2700 lb. car along, delivering good fuel economy and a reasonably smooth, quiet ride. It can be teamed effectively with either a 5-speed manual or 4-speed automatic transmission. Moreover, the base Probe blends a smooth city ride with good highway manners. From inside, you won't be bothered by much wind or tire noise, and the engine settles down to a muted hum at cruising speeds. We have to say, though, that our Probe GT test car was much more fun to drive. The 2.5-liter V6 offers sparkling performance with minimal loss in fuel economy (the EPA figures for the V6 are 21 mpg city/26 mpg hwy., but the real-world difference between Probe engines is less) and a big gain in flexibility. The manual transmission is our first choice for the GT; the automatic, though perfectly acceptable, dampens the car's sporty nature. A couple of minor points detract from the GT's fun rating. First, you have to accept the engine's preference for high-rpm operation. At low revs, it feels sluggish (one good reason to avoid the automatic transmission) and doesn't come alive much below 3000 rpm. And the clutch in our test car was annoyingly numb, making slip-free shifts difficult. These, however, are minor issues. What earns the GT a glowing report is its behavior on the road. The base model is nimble enough, but the GT is agile, darting around in a way that will bring a smile to any driver's face. Steering is light and positive, body roll is kept well in check and most front-wheel drive traits - such as a torque-induced tug at the steering wheel during hard acceleration, and a tendency for the front wheels to plow in high-speed turns - have been muted. The downside is a stiff ride. The GT can't be called harsh, but it's not as smooth over rough surfaces as the base model. In normal-to-heavy use, the GT's 4-wheel disc brakes are excellent. ABS is standard on the GT, optional on the base model. Extremely hard usage - at near-racetrack speeds - will induce some fade, but by then you may already be seeing red lights flashing in your rear-view mirror.

Final Word

By and large, the Ford Probe is a most sensible sport coupe. It provides the style expected of the genre, is well built and doesn't extract the expected penalties in comfort (at least for front-seat riders). We'd advise careful consideration before choosing the base model, however. The initial savings (about $2500 over the GT's base price) and fuel economy pale when you factor in the bigger Engine's delightful responsiveness, the cost of adding the optional ABS that is standard on the GT and the lack of amenities such as a sunroof and leather seats. But we can see no reason not to buy the Probe GT. And any number of good reasons why you should.