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It's hardly a secret that the Japanese lead the automotive little league. Heck, their entire reputation was built on them. As any corporate climber knows, you have to start from the bottom to make it up top, and the continued mastery of cars like the first $1,700 Corolla eventually led to acceptance of the $60,000 Lexi we see today. Each of Japan's auto companies offers one small runabout, and all except Isuzu send one here.
Now that all seven have been spoken for, it's time to look at the stateside counteroffensive. Looking back, the Big Three have made history legends with a few famous nameplates of its own, haven't they? Vega? Pacer? Pinto? They're nothing if not famous.
But fame and talent are two different things, and the greatest domestic accomplishment came and went with less notice than was probably deserved. Marking an all-new car and brand-new brand, 1991 saw the birth of Saturn and its family of SL sedans, SC coupes, and SW wagons. They nailed three aces in the hole by being fun to drive, reliable, and worth a lot at resale time, yet all anyone could talk about was how unpainful Saturn dealers were to deal with.
Twelve years later, the S-series was redesigned into the 2003 Ion. Paving the way for the imminent release of the related Chevrolet Cobalt (replacing Cavalier), GM is counting on the Ion to get them through decade's end, at which point it may be the only small American car left.
Revisions over the Saturn S-series start with the usual growth spurts. Height and wheelbase are up a bit, length extends to a class-leading 184.5 inches, and weight jumps by more than 300 pounds. Interior and trunk space are now competitive. The two Saturn-exclusive engines get pushed aside in favor of one. Thankfully, it's a good one: GM's thoroughly modern "Ecotec," made of aluminum with dual overhead camshafts and 16 valves, with 2.2 healthy liters making 140 horsepower and 145 pounds-feet of torque. The suspension has been simplified by either meaning of the word. Unlike the parts stratification of the S-series, all Ions are sprung by the same setup: struts in front, while at the rear, the Ion has followed the Sentra and Corolla's lead into the cheap abyss of beam-axle design. Transmission choices actually expand from two to three, and the two that people will actually be buying (the automatics, of course) are unique and appealing. The conventional automatic matches its manual counterpart with five speeds instead of the usual four, and the other option is a Continuously Variable Transmission, ending the Civic HX's eight-year monopoly on CVT availability.
With the unloved wagon gone, body styles drop from three to two, even though the number of doors holds constant at four. Saturn took their 1999 "three-door coupe" idea and ran with it, creating a four-door coupe to compliment the four-door sedan, nevermind that "coupe" is defined as a car with one portal on each side, and nevermind that part of the point of a coupe is to do away with unsightly cut lines, which the Ion Quad Coupe certainly has. Still, it's one more choice. Saturn followed a cue from the world of the wealthy by positioning the mechanically-identical coupe as the upscale model. While sedans are available in levels 1, 2, and 3, no level 1 coupe exists, and the CVT is a coupe exclusive. Even at equal levels, the coupe costs hundreds more.
The only difference between the three Ions that affects driving is wheel size: Ion 1s, 2s, and 3s come with 14, 15, and 16-inchers, respectively. Ion 2 adds what most people consider the basics: air conditioning (optional on Ion 1), AM/FM/CD, power locks, and a height-adjustable driver's seat, as well as the possibility of power windows, cruise control, and keyless entry (all part of the Power Package). Ion 3 adds that Power Package plus silver-face gauges (replacing black), an MP3 player, and the option of leather. The way to get side-curtain air bags, antilock brakes, and traction control is all together on the Safe and Sound Package (optional on Ion 2 and 3), which also buys GM's OnStar communications system.
The fairly inspired engine and advanced transmissions make a case for the Ion, but being ahead of one's time isn't always an advantage, as the Ion's electric steering proves. Its flaws can be felt within seconds of a test drive, such as the awkwardness of steering wheel angle not always corresponding with change in direction. And in trying to be different, GM borrowed Toyota's worst idea in years by sticking the speedometer and tachometer in the dashboard's center, extending the offense from style to function. Both would have been greatly improved if GM had just used its Pontiac approach: analog readouts where they belong coupled with a heads-up digital display on the windshield. As it is, every speed check on the Ion entails glancing not only downward but also to the right, which takes the eyes even farther away from the road ahead and feels as unnatural as the steering. That's the Ion for you: always electrifying, sometimes shocking.
For a truly energized Ion, try 2004's new Red Line. 12 psi of supercharged pressure boosts horsepower and torque to a nice, round 200, approximately simulating the output of a 3-liter engine. Brakes get upgraded to discs all around, wheels get pumped to 17, steering is quickened, ride height drops, and the suspension is stiffened, though unchanged otherwise. The $20,950 price puts it slightly ahead of Japan's non-turbo sport compacts, and the same can be said about its speed.
The next and last of America's compacts can be found at Dodge, though for how much longer is unknown. If you want to say "hi" to Neon, say it soon, since rumor has it that the next Neon will be based on the Lancer, much like Dodge Colts of yesteryear. As part of a corporate family that includes a Mercedes-based Chrysler Crossfire, a Mercedes-based Dodge Magnum and Chrysler 300C, and Mitsubishi-based Dodge Stratus and Chrysler Sebring coupes, it's a likely rumor.
The Dodge Neon made quite a splash back in 1995 as a key player in Chrysler's mid-‘90s comeback lineup; this generation bowed for 2000 as a sedan only, with one transmission of each kind, and essentially one 2.0-liter engine making 132 horsepower. A twin-cam version of this engine is found in the sporty Neon R/T model (which also gets brake, wheel, and suspension upgrades) but is paired only to the 5-speed, meaning few buyers will ever see it. Seems like a strange marketing strategy considering its 150 horsepower isn't all that special these days, and pointless now that there exists an even higher-performance Neon. The two mechanically identical Neons with available automatics are called SE and SXT, the latter adding the full load of creature comforts like air conditioning, power mirrors, power front windows, power door locks, remote keyless entry, AM/FM/CD player, tachometer, and 15-inch alloys. Like the Ion, the Neon keeps things basic.
Unlike the Ion, it also gets the basics right - something that couldn't be said until recently, when the Neon's automatic at long last gained a fourth gear. Not much holds surprises here, whether speaking of the hardware, the conventional interior, or the price. But there's one Neon that leaves all convention, and all competition, choking in its dust. New for last year, the Neon SRT-4 stormed into the sport compact scene with 215 horsepower, which has already been upgraded to 230. At 0-60 in 5.4 seconds, the SRT-4 is nothing less than the fastest front-drive production car on sale in the Western world, if not the planet. And take the "sale" part literally: $20,995. To match the Neon's acceleration is to spend $25,170 on an Impreza WRX, and to beat it takes $30,574 for a Lancer Evolution. All cars south of 25 grand can say "bye" to Neon. Pontiac was right: the muscle car lives - at the Dodge dealership, unfortunately.
Rounding out the distinct trio of homegrown cars is, well, an immigrant. Sure, America's blue oval company paid for its development, but they didn't pay us. Credit for development of the Focus - much like the Contour, Mystique, and Cougar that preceded it - goes to Ford of Europe, with allegedly some input from Mazda and Volvo, who use the new Focus as the basis for the 3 and S40. Complicated origins cause complicated cars, and the Focus is less focused than the other domestic entries. The 2005 model offers four body styles - "ZX3" 3-door hatchback, "ZX4" 4-door sedan, "ZX5" 5-door hatchback, "ZX5" 5-door wagon - which sets a record. (Why no ZX2 coupe instead of two 5-doors?) Combined with the trim lines, there are 12 Focus models to choose from, with two different engines and three different suspension configurations.
It's easier than it sounds, I think. The general Focus hierarchy, from bottom to top, goes S, SE, SES. SE adds AC, power everything, MP3 CD player, and keyless entry while SES adds a telescopic steering wheel with audio controls, cruise control, a 6-disc CD changer, and 16-inch wheels. The wagon lineup subtracts the S and the sedan lineup adds the specialty ST model to serve as the Focus flagship. All models except the ST share a 2.0 engine making 136 horsepower, 133 torque (subtract 6 and 4 in CA, MA and NY). Low-end S and SE models have a "European Inspired Suspension" as the starting point. High-end SES models and all wagons step up to an "Enhanced European Suspension," adding a rear stabilizer bar. The elite ST gets a "Performance Tuned Suspension" and all-disc brakes to compliment its exclusive 151-horse 2.3 Mazda engine, now nicknamed "Duratec" instead of "Zetec." Like Dodge, Ford reserves its most competitive model for those willing to row their own gears.
No matter how it's sliced, the Focus is a marvel of packaging efficiency. While far from the longest, widest, or tallest, its 108.1 cubic inches almost approaches EPA "midsize" territory. Trunk space tops even the Saturn (and a Honda Accord), and its 14-gallon gas tank is on the high side. Maybe it really is what's on the inside that counts.
And the Old World education seems to have done wonders for driving dynamics. I have yet to hear anything short of a glowing review of the Focus' sporty, comfortable feel, which is probably its greatest competitive advantage. It may not have a steroid-injected version like the Ion and Neon do, but it's the most rewarding to drive at normal speeds. And even if most Foci are limited to one engine, it's at least right-sized and fairly efficient. The interior is well laid-out and doesn't scream "cheap" like the others. Instead of gimmicks like Saturn's bizarre dash layout, Ford emphasizes tasteful style and offers coveted features such as making MP3 audio standard on almost all models - something no one else does as of yet. Between Ford and GM, it's clear which company has a firmer understanding of the highly-targeted youth market.
Overall, most advantages point in the Focus' favor - a statement whose truth extends past the boundaries of this group. While some question terms like "global car," there's little question that this one competes on a global level. Whether Ford's accomplishment is cause for a flag-waving celebration is another question altogether.
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