A pleasant example of Japanese small cars in the early '90s, Summit combines competent road manners with a comfortable ride. Especially in 92-horsepower form, the 1.5-liter 4-cylinder engine revs smoothly and provides adequate acceleration. Performance and fuel economy suffer with automatic, of course. Five-speed manual shift delivers better gas mileage and slightly quicker acceleration than an automatic transmission, but shift action of the 5-speed might be loose and crude on some models. Even so, the 5-speed won't sap as much strength as a 3-speed automatic, delivering quieter, more fuel-efficient highway cruising. The 1.6-liter dual-cam engine, available only in 1990, was a lively one. Front-seat space is fine for a subcompact. Rear leg room is good, too, though the hatchback could stand a bit more. Head room is scarce back there for anyone taller than 5-foot-10 or so. On the plus side, usable trunk space is above average. Visibility and controls are excellent.

Value for the Money
Overall, this is a well-rounded subcompact, available at attractive prices. Built better than most domestic competitors of similar vintage, Summits lack the high level of refinement and assembly quality that can be found on such rivals as the Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla, Nissan Sentra, and Ford Escort.