1994 Lumina Euro Reviews

Overview:

Through its first six years, Chevrolet's Lumina was a half-step behind the midsize sedan establishment-Ford Taurus, Honda Accord, Toyota Camry, Mazda 626, Nissan Altima and Mitsubishi Galant. 

But with its first major redesign, the Lumina has closed the gap. The '95 Lumina employs the same basic chassis as its predecessor-in fact, the wheelbase is identical-but it sports all-new sheet metal, a redesigned interior and extensive suspension revisions. 

The net is a car that's much more in step with its competitors, and perhaps even ahead in a couple of important areas-particularly the all-important dollar-value category. 

The new line of Lumina sedans starts at $15,995, a price that includes a $525 destination charge. Compare that with a Camry, for example, and Lumina's got the advantage by a substantial margin. The Lumina's base price also undercuts the basic Ford Taurus', though not by as much. 

And that basic Lumina. is no stripped down loss-leader. All Luminas include air conditioning, an AM/FM radio, power locks, automatic transmission and an anti-theft system as standard equipment. 

We test-drove a Lumina LS, which is the upscale trim level for the sedan portion of the family. (Chevrolet has revived the Monte Carlo name for the Lumina coupes: the Monte Carlo LS and the hot-rod Monte Carlo Z34.)

In addition to the standard features of the basic Lurnina, our LS included anti-lock brakes (ABS), low-speed traction control, power windows, power mirrors, a remote keyless entry system and a premium CD system. 

Our LS was powered by General Motors' corporate 3100 3. 1 -liter V6, which replaces the previous 3.1-liter V6 and puts an additional 20 hp under the hood. This is now the base Lumina engine there are no four-cylinder engines left in the line-up and the most powerful Lumina engine continues to be the 210-hp, 3.4-liter V6, a $960 option. 

All Luminas include a four-speed automatic transmission with overdrive as standard equipment, the latest generation of GM's computer-controlled automatics that coordinate engine and shift management for nearly seamless operation. First the good news: We found very little to dislike about the the '94 Chevrolet Lumina Euro Sedan. In fact, some characteristics-including impressive power-train response and credentials-pleased our test team a bunch. 

Now the bad news: There's little, if anything, about this front-wheel drive, four-door sedan that qualifies it for the leading edge of the midsize sedan category. 

In keeping with Chevy tradition, the Lumina Euro Sedan presents the midsize shopper with good-to-excellent value. Our test vehicle had an MSRP of $18,432. In return, the Lumina Euro provided a responsive 3.1-liter V6, a smooth four-speed automatic transmission, an absolutely superb Delco/Bose AM/FM stereo and a host of power assists. The same price included one of the surest stopping four-wheel anti-lock braking systems we've tested, some nice interior touches and ample passenger and cargo room. It also included ride/hand1ing characteristics that put the Lurnina Euro Sedan on the threshold of the sporty category. 

Still, this car left us with the feeling of being neither underwhelmed nor overwhelmed. In terms of materials technology and styling, Chevrolet obviously is still committed to setting itself apart in the minivan market. Its 1994 Lumina Minivan remains, to the best of our knowledge, the only offering in its class with an exterior composed largely of advanced, dent-resistant materials. Its bullet-like, severely sloped front end-shortened for '94 to appeal to a larger audience--still gives this minivan the appearance of one of Europe's high-speed trains. 

It is also a vehicle that fancies itself as something of an automobile. The Lumina Minivan we tested did stand apart from its enormously successful Chrysler and Ford competitors, but the real surprise, unpleasant or otherwise, was that it didn't drive in accordance with how it looked. Instead of an agile, silky, car-like performance, we experienced the operating characteristics of a firm-riding, hardcore minivan-with handling capabilities to match. 

Which is not to say that the Chevy Lumina Minivan didn't provide the convenient creature comforts, ample passenger and cargo capacity, and other amenities that minivan buyers demand. Considering our test vehicle's final MSRP of $23,136, it well should. 

That price reflects a nearly endless list of options: seven-passenger seating with built-in child seats, a 3.8-liter V6 engine, complete power assists including a six-way driver's seat and one-touch side-door opener, an AM/FM stereo with a CD player, front/rear air conditioning and loads more. 

Still, we were surprised that the Lumina's suspension and steering refinements fell a bit short of this vehicle's decidedly unique composition and styling.