The aggressively-styled Eagle Talon sports coupe has roots two hours down the road in Normal, Il. Both Talon and its automotive twin, Mitsubishi's Eclipse, are built at Mitsubishi Motors Manufacturing of America's assembly plant in the central Illinois town. Talon and Eclipse are nearly identical, although Eclipse is available as a convertible. Eagle is Chrysler Corp.'s import-fighting division, designed to attract foreign-car loyalists into the Chrysler fold. In the 1997 model year however, Eagle markets just two vehicles; the two-door Talon hatchback and four-door Vision (automotive twin to the Dodge Intrepid). Like most two-door, four-seat sports competitors, Talon handling and steering are spirited, its exterior design eye-popping while back seating is best left for the smaller, preteen crowd. Unlike most rivals, the four-seat Talon is available with permanently engaged, all-wheel drive; a system that requires no knobs or gears to activate superior road gripping characteristics since it's always on duty. Talon this season is marketed in four trim levels: an all-new, lower-cost base edition, mid-level ESi, high-end TSi top-of-the-line, all-wheel drive (AWD) TSi. Base prices range from $14,059 to $20,271 and well-equipped TSi editions sell for over $25,000. Talons not featuring all-wheel drive come standard with front-wheel drive. This pricing range provides Talon with a relatively wide marketbase. Shoppers with modest cash supplies desiring a sporty looking set of wheels can turn to the low-cost four-cylinder base model while those yearning for sportiness and performance of a more powerful engine can step right into a TSi. Talon offers two powertrains: Base and ESi editions get Chrysler's 2.0 four-cylinder engine delivering 140 horsepower while the two TSi offerings receive Mitsubishi's turbocharged four-cylinder engine providing 210 horsepower. Standard equipment is very limited in Base editions, but grows when moving up the trim level ladder. All Talons include five-speed manual transmissions, variable assist power steering, dual airbags, remote fuel gauge lever, intermittent wipers and dual remote mirrors. Air conditioning is optional in all editions. Anti-lock brakes are also optional, and not offered in Base editions. We test drove a top-of-the-line AWD TSi. With a base price of $20,271, the total price bumped to $25,256 after factoring in air conditioning, remote keyless entry, compact disc player, six-way power seats and power sunroof. The $25,256 figure also included a $535 destination charge. Inside, front-seat riders sit rather low to the ground in comfortable bucket seats. Leg room is a bit tight, as is headroom for drivers standing over six feet tall. With bucket seats positioned all the way, legroom vanishes for anyone thinking about riding in the back seats. Circular speedometer and odometer gauges are easy to view, but the fuel gauge is uncharacteristically small. The dashboard incorporates a wrap around 'cockpit' design with a semicircle feel. The manual transmission knob sometimes blocks access to the stereo, which sits low on the dashboard. Incorporating dual radio control and volume buttons on the steering wheel would be a welcome addition. A single cup holder and ashtray, located between the front bucket seats, have flip-top covers, so they stay hidden until they're ready to use. A flip-top storage bin is found behind the cup holder and ashtray. The exterior's good looks benefit from the 45 degree back window, serving as the hatchback top. The ESi, TSi and TSi AWD editions feature a lift-gate mounted rear spoiler at the window's base. While this adds to an aggressive image, the spoiler features prominently when looking into the rearview mirror. Base editions do not include a rear spoiler. Our turbo engine provided plenty of pickup, especially with the manual transmission. Interior wind noise is noticeable when traveling at highway speeds. Fuel economy checks in a 23 miles per gallon city, and 31 mpg highway with Talons featuring manual transmission and the Turbo engine. Our test car, with just 900 odometer miles, registered 22 mpg in combined driving. |