European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - August 10, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Friday August 10,1990 the stars and stripes 214 Sli Model tops in Road holding Rover 200 series cars rate i r Page 13 i �?Ttt7wttrr Dave d1efil . Bureau one of the most important bits of information that a prospective buyer should know about the made in England Rover 214 Sli Hatchback is that it has a japanese heritage. Rover better known under the Sterling name in the United states Calls its new 5-door Hatchback 200 series cars a a further stage in collaboration with the japanese car maker Honda. But it seems to be More As there is Little outward difference Between the 200 series and the Honda concerto. The new Rover series includes the 214 is 214 Sli 214 Psi All with Rover designed and developed 4-Cylinder, 16-valve, 1.4-liter engines and the 216 Psi with a Honda made 16-valve, 1.6-Litcr-Enginc. Regardless of heritage this made in England series is one of the Best Ever to come out of the Austin Rover factories. The Anglo japanese marriage is obviously a Good one. The most impressive aspects of the 214 Sli which we recently had on test arc the styling and Quality. For now Rover and Honda have elected to forego the bulbous body styles that have come to dominate cars of late. The smooth clean and certain lines of the 200 series set it distinctly apart from other car designs a. A when the 200-scries cars were launched last october Rover quite naturally praised its new offspring. Unusual however was the Praise the cars received from the sometimes harsh British motoring press noted for its severe criticism of British made automobiles. But where the new 200-series cars were concerned the British press could say nothing but Good about them. Most notable about the 214 Sli Model arc its Road handling attributes. The four wheel Independent suspension is responsible for a smooth and sturdy ride. That teamed with the Power assisted rack and Pinion steering system makes the car practically effortless to drive. It grips the Road Well and there is almost no hint of any Sway or Roll in Sharp or hard cornering. Rover has earned the reputation for manufacturing Quality cars and the test Model we drove was no exception. There Wasny to a screw out of place nor was there a rattle to be  Interior was Well designed and it the Rover 214 Sli Hatchback has Low Hoo line clean design All around Esb t Sis photos Silvo Diehl it a 11 Tim Avn Quot a Ili is the new Rover has wedge shaped look. The 1.4-liter, 16-valve engine develops 95 he. Was accentuated with a of so British Wood fascia trim. The 95 horsepower aluminium use Ries 16-valve engine is no Bam Burner off the line its 1.4 liners seeming to Grimace with the task of moving the 2,300-Pound, Froni whet drive car. There a redemption however in second through fifth gears where there is quite adequate Power. The 214 Sli comes Standard with a five Speed manual Box while the larger engine 216 Psi offers a 1.6-Litcr Honda engine driving through a Honda de signed five Speed manual or a four Speed automatic. An impressive aspect of the car features its service intervals or rather the Lack of them. The factory says the rovers need Only eight hours of servicing in their first 50,000 Miles. The a series engines need service Only once every 12,000 Miles. The 214 Sli gets about 44 Miles per gallon at 55 Mph and about 35 mpg City and Highway combined. Another area worthy of ment Ion about the new 200 series is the Price list. Since their debut last october the list Price of the cars has gone up by More than 10 percent. When they were launched last october the series was the Rover groups five door mid sized flagships. Since then the new 400-series group of 4-door sedans has come onto the Market they arc similar to the 200s, but a bit More elegant. A sportier 3-door variant of the 200 will arrive later this year. Rover says. The tax free base Price of the 214 Sli is about $13,200. The Price does not include a $300 to $400 delivery  cars from $9,999 to o Yugo Low of $4,435 the . Department of Commerce reports that the average new car Price last year for Domestic models hit $14,290 while imports hit $16,575, an Overall increase of 6.2 percent above the 1988  the average new car transaction Cost is Well above the $10,000 Mark a and it has been since 1983 a there Are still Many automobiles that can be purchased for under $10,000, at least where the base Price is concerned. And there is one car that can be purchased for under $5,000. Thai is. The Yugo go plus the lowest priced car on the amen can Market. It Sells Lor Only $4,435. Following is a list of currently manufactured .-specification Domestic and import cars that Cost less than $10,000, and All Are bracketed within their base Price level. Manufacturers suggested retail prices j  been used to bracket the cars in their various base Price ranges. Most of the cars listed Are powered by 4-Cylinder engines although a few have 3-Cylinder engines these Are marked 3 after their Marque. When similar cars Are listed in different Price brackets the difference usually involves 2-door or�?z4-Dnor design the 4-door models generally More expensive. The following cars have base prices of Between $9,000 and $9,999 Chevrolet Cavalier Wagon Chevrolet Corsica it Dodge Colt it Dodge Daytona Eagle Summit do Ford escort if Ford Tempo gl4 Ford Mustang a Honda civic do civic cry of and civic cry Hyundai sonata Mazda 323 protege be Mercury tracer Wagon Mitsubishi Mirage exe Nissan sentry be Oldsmobile Cutlass Calais Plymouth Colt it and Colt do Wagon Plymouth Sundance Pontiac sunbird be Subaru loyale and station Wagon Suzuki Swift it Toyota Tercel deluxe and Corolla de luxe Volkswagen gt1 and Delta  $8,000 and $8,999 Chevrolet Cavalier and Cavalier Al Wagon Kaihatsu charade be and charade so Dodge Shadow Eagle Summit Ford escort sex Sedan and Wagon Honda civic do Hyundai Excel Ges Mazda 323-se Mercury racer Sedan Mitsubishi Mirage Mirage rs4 and Mirage exe Nissan sentry be Plymouth Sundance Pontiac be mans and Pontiac sunbird Subaru fun Justy go 4-wheel-drive 3 and Justy go 4-wheel-drive 3 Suzuki Swift is Toyota Corolla Volkswagen Golf go Fox go and 1 of go sport Yugo convertible. Between $7,000 and $7,999 Chevrolet Geo metro Psi 3 Chevrolet Cavalier Al Kaihatsu charade so 3 and be Dodge Colt go i Ord festival l. Festival and escort puny Hyundai Excel go and go Hatchback. Mitsubishi Mirage Nissan sentry Plymouth Coll go Pontiac  mans. Subaru Justy go 3fun Justy go 3 and go 4-wheel-Dri be 3 Suzuki Swift a and go Toyota Tercel Standard Volkswagen Fox. Between $6, pm and $6,999 Chevrolet Geo metro 3 Kaihatsu charade Sei 3 Dodge Colt Ford festival l. Honda civic Hyundai Excel and Excel is Mazda 323 Mitsubishi precis is and Mirage be Plymouth Colt Suzuki Swift a and Swift go Loyola Tercel and Tercel i./. Between $5,0<m and $5,999 Chevrolet Geo metro i i 3 Hyundai  Mitsubishi Pucis Subaru Justy 3. Between $4, Khz and $4,999 Yugo go plus. The majority of the Domestic car models listed Here May be purchased Dor european or is delivery from cafes new car sales Points on tin various bases in Europe. Many of the import models listed Are sold by Olla us Funis in Europe. A