1994-1997 Ford Aspire: Road Test

Performance is adequate around town, but on the highway there's not enough torque for safe passing. Acceleration is feeble with automatic--worse yet with the air conditioner running. With 5-speed manual is a bit better. Often, though, when you floor the throttle the Aspire just seems to be making noise, instead of accelerating significantly. The engine is loud and annoying during hard acceleration, turning raucous when worked hard. In addition, Aspire's automatic transmission shifts with a jerk at times, especially when pushing the gas pedal hard. Fuel mileage with manual shift is impressive. You can expect more than 30 mpg in urban driving, and over 40 mpg on the highway. But the automatic transmission is not nearly as frugal. An Aspire grips the road fairly well, is reasonably stable, and responds quickly to the steering wheel. Turning that wheel can be a battle, however, unless the car is equipped with power steering. Around town the Aspire feels nimble, but on the highway and expressway on-ramps it lacks composure. Even in mild cornering, the small tires squeal in protest. Visibility is excellent to all directions, and the dashboard has a modern, convenient design. The Aspire's tall roof gives everyone adequate head room, but rear-seat passengers are more cramped. Front seats are quite supportive in general, but lack upper body support. Cargo space is tight with the 2-door but better with the 4-door.

Value for the Money
Aspire is an adequate basic car, but something like a Dodge/Plymouth Neon or a Chevrolet Cavalier won't cost much more, and these are better and more substantial automobiles.