2000 Plymouth Breeze Review

Chrysler Corp.'s Plymouth Breeze shows that Detroit hasn't lost the marketing skills that once made it the envy of the world's automakers.

The recently introduced mid-size Breeze is basically the same as the above-average Chrysler Cirrus and Dodge Stratus front-wheel-drive sedans, which debuted for the 1995 model year.

But the Breeze's base price is $14,060. Compare that with $17,560 for the Cirrus and $14,485-$16,110 for the Stratus.

Chrysler knows this is a value-oriented decade, with most car buyers looking for the lowest possible price. The Breeze thus should click with those folks and lure people who haven't considered the Plymouth nameplate.

Once highly popular, the Plymouth brand has suffered from weak recognition and a slim model lineup for decades--a situation Chrysler is trying hard to turn around.

The Breeze, which I recently tested, is being marketed as a value-oriented auto with less options than the Cirrus and Stratus. This new Plymouth isn't as refined as some rivals and some of its vinyl panels look cheap. But it is far from stripped.

Standard are air conditioning, AM/FM stereo with four speakers, power steering and brakes, tilt wheel, dual remote mirrors, folding rear seat, remote trunk release and rear-window defroster.

To Chrysler's credit, it gives the Breeze sports-sedan instrumentation, including a tachometer, and fairly wide 70-series tires on decent-size 14-inch wheels. Other automakers give ``value'' models minimal instrumentation and tiny wheels and tires, which result in marginal handling and braking.

Safety is hot with car buyers, so the Breeze has standard air bags and meets 1997 federal side-impact standards. Anti-lock brakes are a $565 option, and a $170 security package contains a remote keyless entry system with alarm.

Likely the most popular option will be the $1,050 four-speed automatic transmission, which includes cruise control. Also optional are a $100 integrated child seat, $695 power sunroof and a $665 option package that contains a driver's seat height adjuster and power door locks and windows.

The Breeze is visually distinguished from the Cirrus and Stratus mainly by a crosshatch grille and different taillights.

The Cirrus has either a 150-horsepower four-cylinder or 168-horsepower V-6. The Stratus also offers those engines, but has a base 132-horsepower four-cylinder from the smaller Dodge/Plymouth Neon.

That overhead-camshaft, two-liter Neon motor is the only engine available for the Breeze.

The upside of the 16-valve motor is that it provides surprisingly strong acceleration when the Breeze has its standard five-speed manual transmission. The downside is that the motor is noisy when pushed and performance with the power-robbing automatic is marginal. It's asking too much of a 132-horsepower engine to give the fairly hefty 2,931-pound Breeze lively performance with an automatic.

However, the engine offers good EPA-estimated economy: 25 m.p.g. in the city and 36 on highways with the manual and 22 and 31 with the automatic. Breeze owners won't spend much time at gasoline stations.

Like the Cirrus and Stratus, the Breeze is roomier than cars costing thousands more, easily seating four 6-footers and providing lots of trunk room. The reclining front seats are comfortable and offer good support, and the dashboard has an intelligent design.

The rigidly built Breeze has a four-wheel independent double-wishbone suspension that provides a supple ride and nimble handling. The steering is accurate and quick, and the brakes do a good job.

There is lots of cabin noise in the Breeze, especially at highway speeds. But the car offers plenty of fun, flair, roominess, equipment and economy for a terribly attractive price.