1999 Plymouth Breeze Review (continued)
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Walkaround

The sedan segment is a staid lot. Line 'em up and you'd have a hard time telling most apart without taking a close look at the name badges. Not so with the Breeze. Like all the Chrysler cloud cars, it is a stylish standout. The aggressive, steep-sloping hoodline gives the Breeze a constant sense of motion and grace.

Better yet, the eye-pleasing look has a functional side. The automaker calls it cab forward" design. You move the wheels close to the car's corners, minimize the engine compartment and devote the rest to passengers and cargo. The Breeze offers a big trunk and lots of rear-seat passenger space. That's certainly a plus when you're working up the value equation.

Out of sight, but not out of mind, Plymouth has taken steps to improve the '99 Breeze, reducing noise, vibration and harshness and upgrading ride comfort. All in all, the car doesn't look like something you'd have to make excuses for, and there are no apologies to be made when you take it for a drive, either."

Interior Features

The Breeze may be what they like to call decontented" these days, but it still offers a surprising range of standard features, including air conditioning, dual air bags, intermittent windshield wipers and a rear-window defroster.

But it's roominess that makes the Breeze a stand-out in its class. The Breeze has nearly as much room as most midsize 4-doors, even though it is officially classified a compact sedan. You'll also find tremendous cargo space inside the cavernous trunk, enough for a golf foursome-and a picnic lunch.

The Breeze audio system was an especially nice touch. It comes with a cassette player and a CD upgrade is available. The Expresso package is a particularly popular version. It comes with unique interior fabric, badging and an AM/FM cassette stereo.

Fit and finish has been improved since the 1996 introduction of the Breeze. Door gaps have been tightened and everything seems to be put together better than we remembered when we first drove the car a few years back.

Back in the old days, a stripped sedan was likely to come with cheesy cloth bench seats. Forget about it. These comfortable buckets are attractive and supportive in all the right places.

Safety features include dual front airbags and anti-lock brakes. For parents, the integrated rear child safety seat is a real plus. And the security package includes remote keyless entry, panic alarm, illuminated entry and headlight turn-off delay.

Traction control is not on the option list, though, and would be a nice addition. Parents will be pleased to know they can order an integrated rear child safety seat. And there's a theft-deterrent security package available, as well."