Throughout our performance trials, we continued to marvel at the solid value and good sense that went into the engineering of this car. Particularly impressive was the amount of power and responsiveness our driver was able to elicit from the 2.5-liter, 100-hp, four-cylinder engine.Do a little comparison shopping and you'll find that this 2.5-liter eclipses the engines in many comparably sized and priced cars by a comfortable margin. It offered adequate-to-good acceleration from a standing start, it was reassuring during passing trials at 50 to 70 mph, and it turned in an overall pleasing response.
In addition to supplying respectable EPA ratings of 21 city and 29 highway, this car's power plant, teamed with its three-speed automatic transmission, never sounded as if it was being over-taxed - even at the height of our cruising. A few more words about noise are in order: At higher speeds, wind and road noise got through to us at audible-though not disturbing-levels. We also detected a whine, possibly coming from the engine or front-wheel drive shaft.
The front disc and rear drum brakes produced satisfying stopping power with a minimum of lockup in all but near-panic tests, even without the benefit of optional anti-lock brakes.
Cornering and handling in this front-wheel drive sedan were stable and nimble. The Acclaim's power rack-and-pinion steering performed impressively, and only railroad tracks and good-sized potholes transmitted any real vibration, thanks to gas-charged rear shock absorbers that buffered impact.
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