1995 CHRYSLER LHS Review - Base Price $30,190
A crowd pleaser with pizzazz
Introduction
You could call this car the crowd pleaser, because when the Chrysler New Yorker concept car made its debut at the Detroit auto show a few years back, it was quickly voted as best-in-show. A year later, the New Yorker and its sportier LHS cousin returned as production models and once again drew standing-room-only crowds.
The Chrysler LHS, in particular, is proof-positive that you can still serve up the type of roominess, comfort and luxury that American buyers have traditionally favored, yet dial up the type of performance and handling that appeal to today's younger, affluent buyers.
Best of all, you don't have to do much haggling to roll out of the showroom in a fully equipped LHS sedan. Just $30,190 (just being a relative term) will get you virtually every feature available except for a CD sound system (that's a $169 option).
The generous list of standard equipment includes a power moonroof, traction control, leather seats and heated power mirrors.
If you've priced any of the imports lately, especially those from Japan, you'll recognize this as a bargain - a big one. Speaking of big, the LHS is one of the roomiest cars in its class, with plenty of space for rear passengers to stretch out - even if there happens to be a hefty 6-footer in the driver's seat.
With its 3.5-liter V6 engine, the LHS we took for a test drive proved to be surprisingly quick and nimble. Though this vehicle does have its deficiencies, it is certainly one to put on your own list of cars to test drive.
Interior
Thanks to Chrysler's cab-forward design philosophy, the LHS engine compartment has been pushed forward, offering even more room for up to five passengers. This is one car in which everyone will find room to stretch out.
The LHS look is a well-integrated blend of modern and traditional, with an emphasis on the luxurious, from the deep burlwood trim to the plush, gathered Italian gray leather of our test car.
The bucket seats are great to sink into, but they're also firm enough to keep you from slumping down during a long drive. They could use a little more lateral support, though: In hard turns, you might find yourself hanging on to the steering wheel or door handle to keep from pitching out of your seat.
The message center located over the radio is a trifle tacky. Another weakness is the instrument panel: It's designed to wrap around and flow into the sculpted doors, but there are exceedingly wide gaps between the doors and the panel.
On the other hand, Chrysler did a good job of integrating the passenger-side airbag into the dashboard. Amazingly enough, few cars have gotten this right, so the airbag usually looks like it was appliquTd as an afterthought. Instead, Chrysler paid careful attention to make sure all the pieces come together in a completely integrated package.
Chrysler's older models were saddled with some of the cheesiest switches and cheapest-looking instrumentation in the business. Thankfully, this is not so on the LHS.
This car's gauges are large, bright, and well-positioned, with both the speedometer and tachometer clearly visible through the steering wheel.
There's a knob, not a button, for the radio volume control, and both the sound system and automatic climate-control system are placed within easy reach at the front of a thickly cushioned center console.
An overhead console provides additional information - the direction in which the vehicle is headed and the outside temperature - as well as storage space for sunglasses and a garage door opener.
In addition, there is plenty of storage space stuck in every available nook and cranny of the LHS. Now if Chrysler designers would only make the cupholders big enough for a large drive-thru soft drink!
Walk-Around
The LHS bears a resemblance to - and borrows the same basic chassis from - Chrysler's LH midsize sedans (Dodge Intrepid, Chrysler Concorde and Eagle Vision). Only a few years ago, when Chrysler was in the financial well, wags dubbed these LH vehicles the automaker's "last hope." Of course, these days we know they were a success, with the LHS a big-car complement of that success.
Big doesn't have to mean ungainly, though. Despite its considerable length - more than 207 in. bumper to bumper - the LHS is a surprisingly graceful vehicle with obvious European influences, but it boasts a styling signature that is uniquely Chrysler.
There's plenty of glass, from the steeply raked windshield to the arcing rear pillars reminiscent of a classic Jaguar. The rear window spills into a trunk large enough for a foursome's golf clubs.
The LHS's cathedral-style aluminum wheels are not only eye-catching, but they enhance the luxurious, stately look of the vehicle. To complement them, our test car bore a bright platinum finish.
For 1995, the most visible change on the LHS is the new divisional badge that has replaced the traditional Chrysler Pentastar emblem on the classy vertical chrome grille.
In the bad old days when all Chrysler products looked alike - they were basically just boxes on wheels - the New Yorker attracted an aging, blue-collar buyer. Although Chrysler planners like to think they have aimed the redesigned New Yorker at a younger, more contemporary audience, the LHS, with its sportier look and feel, is the crossover car, the one that's finally getting import owners considering a look at Detroit cars again.
Impressions
It may be big, but the LHS is no land yacht. The ride is silky enough to please traditionalists, but this car's sophisticated suspension maintains a firm grip on the road, as we discovered during some exceedingly aggressive driving through the hills and dales of California's Sonoma Valley. Sure, we could make the tires sing, but it took some effort to get them to break traction.
We've never met a luxury car that couldn't use a V8 engine and the power that goes with it, but the LHS's 3.5-liter, 24-valve V6 is more than competent. Mated to Chrysler's electronically controlled 4-speed transmission, it's the same powertrain offered as an option on the LH sedans. And it doesn't have to do all that much more work in this vehicle: Although the LHS is nearly 7 in. longer than the Concorde sedan, it weighs only 50 lb. more.
Noise is the LHS's one real problem. Wind-noise isolation is adequate, but the vehicle tends to pass a lot of road noise, primarily through the trunk and rear wheel wells.
Though it's not necessarily overwhelming, it does create a thrumming and boominess that one wouldn't - and shouldn't - expect from a vehicle in this price class.
Incidentally, Chrysler officials are well aware of this problem and are in the midst of making some fixes. There's a distinct possibility that a quieter LHS will roll off the assembly line later this model year.
Summary
If you crave the attention that comes with a BMW or Mercedes-Benz nameplate, you may have a hard time considering a car like the Chrysler LHS. But that would be a mistake.
The LHS may not be the best in its class on every single count, but then again - pardon our sports analogy - you don't need to win every event to capture the decathlon.
During the course of our test drive, we found Chrysler's premium sedan to be attractive, luxurious and a tremendous value for the dollar.
If you're looking for a reason to buy American, the Chrysler LHS offers a great excuse - without any compromises.
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