1996 Chevrolet Lumina Review

Chevrolet's affordable, feature-laden Lumina is moving fast to recapture the glory years, when Chevy dominated the family sedan market with nicely priced, big four-door models.

Reluctantly aging dads could even order big V-8s to turn those sedans into family hot rods--or at least into cars ideal for towing the family boat.

Those fuel-thirsty V-8s are long gone, and the family car market shifted years ago to roomy, front-drive mid-size sedans with engines that have fewer than eight cylinders. Meanwhile, minivans and sport/utility vehicles virtually have replaced the full-size four-door.

Chevrolet was lost in the mid-size shuffle. Its boxy, 1980s Celebrity and stodgy early 1990s Lumina V-6 sedans were buried by Ford's slick new Taurus V-6 model and--of all things--Honda's four-cylinder Accord.

The Lumina was replaced in 1995 by a redesigned model. It still carried the Lumina name, but had sleeker styling, more power and dual air bags.

No V-8 was offered, but the reluctantly aging dads could get a lusty, sophisticated 3.4-liter, double-overhead-camshaft, 24-valve V-6.

The 1995 prices were surprisingly low--starting at $15,760 for the entry-level model and undercutting the top-selling Taurus by a cool $2,000. People sat up and took notice.

The quiet, nicely built 1996 Lumina, which has seen sales increase a hefty 22 percent in the 1996 model year, still is a bargain--although its price recently rose by $200. The base model stickers at $16,555, while the high-line LS model I recently tested costs $18,555.

You get a lot for the bucks. The base Lumina has a 3.1-liter V-6, whose horsepower has been increased from 140 to 160, and standard four-speed automatic transmission, power steering, air conditioning, power door locks, AM/FM radio, tilt wheel and outside mirrors.

The LS adds anti-lock brakes (a $575 option for the model), power windows, tachometer, cassette player and power mirrors. You can order the LS with the 3.4-liter, 215-horsepower V-6, but most opt for the base engine.

The smooth, quiet 3.1-liter V-6 provides fairly strong performance (0-60 m.p.h. in 9.5 seconds), although the car has an old-style pushrod engine.

The $1,095 3.4 V-6 is a ready answer for those wanting more punch, making the 3,372-pound Lumina a gutsy runner.

The base engine generally works well with the smooth-shifting automatic. But the transmission refuses to kick down into passing gear at 65 m.p.h. for quick 65-75 m.p.h. maneuvers on highways. With the 3.1 V-6, I often had to drop inconveniently a little below 65 to trigger the downshift. Some transmission fine tuning is needed.

Estimated economy with the 3.1 V-6 is an impressive 29 m.p.g. on highways--and 20 in the city. The car delivers 17 and 26 with the 3.4 V-6.

The Lumina has a big, easily loaded trunk, which is always an asset for a family sedan.

It comfortably seats four tall adults, or five in a pinch, although a tall driver will wish his seat moved back a little farther. It's a six-seater with a front bench seat, but that's a squeeze situation.

It is easy to get in or out, and my model's big, comfortable front bucket seats offered above-average side support for a family model. Instrumentation is easily read, and the nicely located large controls work smoothly. But the interior looks cheaper than it should because upper section door-panel fabric only marginally resembles the lower material.

On the plus side, the Lumina's separate right and left temperature controls for heating and air conditioning are typically found only in costlier cars.

A supple, all-independent suspension and fairly long 107.5-inch-wheelbase help provide a smooth ride. The steering could be more precise, but there are no handling quirks and braking is decent for a family hauler. The base Lumina is less agile than the LS 3.4 V-6 model, which has a sport suspension and lower-profile, 60-series tires.

In all, the Lumina offers plenty of raw value and is mighty appealing for the bucks.