Saturn

   I've talked about how much I love my Jeep Cherokee. I also love my 1996 Saturn SC-2. It's a small 2 door economy coupe. But unlike most economy cars of the time, it had many standard features not to be found on it's competition. The engine has average power, only 120 hp from a 4 cylinder, and is not roomy at all. I think the back seats are there only for insurance purposes. Which, by the way, it's a four seater. It has 2 individual seats in he back. For styling, it has a pointed nose with pop-up headlights leading to a raked back windsheild and a spoiler on the trunk. It has independent rear suspension and 4 wheel disc brakes. A traction control system control wheel spin. Most small front wheel drive cars have one short front axle and one long axle. This causes torque steer. If you take off hard without holding the steering wheel, the car will turn one direction or another. In the Saturn, there is a live axle from the tranmission to a bearing block, then both axles can be equal length. This eliminates torque steer. Even though in the car, you feel like you are almost sitting on the ground, there is quite a bit of ground clearance. The underside of the car is very clean, with nothing hanging down below the floor pan. The power window are extremly fast. I've never seen windows go up and down that fast. The handling is amazing. Nothing like most cheap, small American cars.
   Now my Saturn is nearing 200,000 miles. It has a lot of valve rattle and burns a bit of oil. Still it can get 37+  mpg on the highway. I don't know how much longer it will last, but I will drive it until it quits.