Nostalgic Subcompact: Plymouth Horizon/Dodge Omni

Plymouth Horizon seen in Portland, Oregon.

Subcompact Culture contributor, Ducati Scotty, found the above-pictured Plymouth Horizin in Portland earlier this week. Every now and then, you run across one of these cars, but rarely are they in this good of shape.

My Craigslist car list

If you're like me, you visit craigslist several times a day. While I often look for car parts, I always peruse the cars/trucks for sale area, too, even though I probably won't actually buy any of the cars anytime soon. But, I suppose if that one perfect car surfaced, I might take action—or at least see if I can find away to make it happen. So when I cruise craigslist, here are some of the vehicles I keep an eye out for.

Dodge Raider/Mitsubishi Montero 2DR
I had considered getting one of these instead of my Suzuki Sidekick. They're small, capable off road, and not terribly expensive. I'm told the V-6 is preferred, since it doesn't have the four cylinder's wonky carburetor.

Toyota Starlet
The rear-drive Starlet hatchback would be a lot of fun.Throw on some sticky tires, a taught suspension, a built 3TC or 4AGE engine, and boom: fun. I keep seeing the same few reappear here in the Portland area, and they look pretty beaten by the drift crowd.

Anything Daihatsu
Honestly, I'm not sure I really want to own  a Daihatsu Charade or Rocky. However, they're rare, and have have that odd factor going for them. I would, however, rock a 4WD Daihatsu kei truck with some nobby tires, which would be for off-highway use only.

Mitsubishi Expo LRV/Eagle Summit Wagon/Plymouth Colt Vista
The Expo LRV was my first ride. I still have a fantasy of getting a FWD version of these tall wagons and throwing in a 4G63 turbo engine from an Eclipse. Major sleeper potential with this one. They're rare, but come up regularly on craigslist.

 

Late '70s/early '80s RWD Toyota Corollas

I've dug these rides for a long time. While I really like the small two-door coupe, just about any of these rear-drive Toyotas would be cool. Again, built 3TC or 4AGE engine would be a hoot. Again, being RWD, lightweight, and popular with the drift crowd, they're had to find at good prices (or hard to find that haven't been beaten).

Mitsubishi Mirage Turbo/Dodge Colt GT
Here's another rarity, but unlike the Daihatsu, I'd own one of these. Really hard to find in the Pacific Northwest, and I'm guessing other parts of the country, too. I'd like the model above or the 1988-1996 version, too.

Chevrolet Sprint Turbo
Another real rarity on craigslist, especially in good shape. Described by Car and Driver as "The ultimate gridlock brawler," the Sprint turbo was made by Suzuki, sold by Chevrolet, and had a 1.0-liter turbo engine. Parts might be difficult, but I still dig 'em and would own one.

Suzuki Swift GT
I fell in love with these cars when they first came out in the 1990s, and swore I'd own one someday. Powered by a 1.3-liter DOHC four cylinder, it's a Geo Metro with more power, some better bodywork, and lots of cool subcompactness. There always seems to be one Swift GT or GTi on craiglist for whatever reason.

ColtVista.com aims to connect Expo, Summit, and of course, Colt Vista fans (yes, they're out there)

Let's face it: There's a website for nearly everything out there. However, there has never been a very good place dedicated to getting information about the Dodge Colt Vista and later Plymouth Colt Vista/Eagle Summit Wagon/Mitsubishi Expo tall wagons; at least not since I shut down the Mitsubishi Expo LRV Pages in 1999 after trading in my '92 Expo LRV. However, there is now a place for those looking for a DSM tall wagon community: ColtVista.com

It's true—there aren't many of us out there that are enthusiastic about these vehicles, but we do exist (yes, I'm one of them). Heck, mine had a custom exhaust, custom intake, and a few other goodies. It was a great vehicle, and I'd love to pick another one up some day as a 4G63T sleeper project.

So whether you want to share a story about your Colt Vista, are looking for parts for your '93 Eagle Summit Wagon, or simply want to connect with other tall-wagon fans, check out ColtVista.com. I already signed up.

Thanks to Subcompact Culture reader "smitty" for the tip.

LINK
ColtVista.com

Slammed '92 Plymouth Colt Vista makes me want to spend money

As you may know, my first car was a 1992 Mitsubishi Expo LRV. I've had a fondness for them for a long time, and always dreamed of buying another one, slamming it, putting on some cool wheels, and doing a 4G63T swap (e.g. a turbo Eclipse engine). This vehicle above has the wheels, the "slammed," and "a swap."

This isn't the first time this car has appeared on Subcomapct Culture. I ran across this vehicle in March, 2010 and swooned—a slammed Expo/Colt Vista/Summit wagon! Awesome. A few months later, the actual car zoomed past me in Tillamook, OR. And low-and-behold, look what pops up on craigslist ...

What'd make the ultimate subcompact rally bomber?

Can you tell I've been bitten by the rally car bug? I loved watching the cars at the rallycross this weekend. I thought about what cars might make a good small rally/rallycross car. Of course, the Subaru Justy is always up there, what with its available 4WD system. However, there are plenty of good FWD options, too. Perhaps a modified older Tercel for a front-driver, or even a Geo Metro or Suzuki Swift. Yes, the idea of a Suzuki SX4 would be sweet, too but it'd be more expensive. Maybe an AWD Mitsubishi Expo LRV/Eagle Summit Wagon/Plymouth Colt Vista? Now that I think about it, there are quite a few cars that'd make awesome subcompact rally beast.

Anyway, what would be your choice for a subcompact rally bomber?

Tricked-out tall wagons

If you've followed this blog for any time, you'll know I have a slight obsession with the Mitsubishi Expo LRV/Eagle Summit Wagon/Plymouth Colt Vista, and I owned a '92 Expo LRV. Turns out some people are indeed tricking them out. Case in point, these two vehicles above, ironically located in Portland (where I live); I happened to run a cross them on Team-2G.com.

There aren't a lot of suspension goodies for these cars (that I know of), but I did run across a guy who fitted EVO 9 bits to his tall Mitsu wagon. Regardless, I'm diggin' the duo above. A few more photos here.

Someday, I'll get another Expo LRV an would love to swap the 4G63T into it.

What's the best wintertime subcompact?

Winter is right around the corner. Heck, some of my friends in Minnesota have already received measurable snowfall. I've got my mismatched studded winter tires ready for my Yaris, and our AWD Suzuki SX4 is just itching for its first trip up the mountain.

The AWD SX4 gets my vote for best currently available subcompact in the the snow, at least in the U.S. It's got all-wheel drive and a "lock" mode that splits power 50/50 to the front/rear wheels—great in the deep stuff.

However, there have been some pretty good small 4WD/AWD vehicles sold in the U.S.:

- 4WD Subaru Justy
- 4WD Toyota Tercel wagon
- 4WD Dodge Colt Vista
- AWD Mitsubishi Expo LRV/Eagle Summit Wagon/Plymouth Colt Vista
- Suzuki Samurai

Let's not discount the ability of some FWD vehicles with a good set of snow tires, too. My old 1979 Honda Civic 1200, with it's 145/80/12 tires was beast in the snow.

So what do you think the best wintertime subcompact is or was?

Nostalgic Subcompact: Dodge Colt, Mitsubishi Mirage, and its other Eagle and Plymouth cousins

Since 1971, Mitsubishi and Chrysler have had a relationship that has produced a number of vehicles. The first collaboration was a subcompact initially called the Dodge Colt, which was a rebadged Mitsubishi Galant. Until 1996, Dodge, Eagle, Mitsubishi and/or Plymouth had a subcompact vehicle called one of many names including Colt, Cricket, Champ, Mirage, or Summit. There were various submodels, too, such as Colt Vista, Colt GTS, Summit Wagon, and they were all different. The one commonality was that the vehicles were engineered by Mitsubishi. The Mirage/Colt, however, never seemed to reach the semi-iconic statuses that the Toyota Corolla or even some of the Datsun/Nissan models achieved. However, these cars, especially the turbocharged versions of the 1980s, were fast, fun, and affordable.

Our family had a 1980 and 1985 Dodge Colt, and a 1992 Mitsubishi Expo LRV. None were the turbo, hot-rod models, but all were reliable, affordable, practical transportation.

Here's a brief history of the Dodge Colt/Mitsubishi Mirage in the U.S., and all of the various sub-branded cars that came from Mitsubishi from 1971-1994.

First Generation: 1971-1978
Beginning in 1971, Chrysler started importing and selling the Mitsubishi Galant under the Dodge Colt nameplate. The first Colts were all rear-wheel drive and offered either a 1.5-liter, 1.6-liter, or a 2.0-liter four cylinder engine mated to a four-speed manual or three-speed automatic at various periods during their availability. (A five-speed trans was available beginning in 1976.) There were two-door coupes, four-door sedans, and a wagon variant. The Colt was a direct competitor to the Toyotas and Datsuns of the time.

Personally, I have not seen many of these on the road. On occasion, I'll see one on craigslist or eBay, but they seem to be pretty rare. It wasn't until recently that I even knew this generation was for sale in North America (aka Plymouth Cricket in Canada).

Second Generation: 1979-1984
Things changed quite a bit for the 1979 Dodge Colt. Chrysler sold the Plymouth Champ (my parents had a red one) along side the Colt, even though they were essentially the same car. The '79 models were available as a three-door at first, and they were pretty darn small, too. This generation was front-wheel drive, and the standard engine was a 1.4-liter; a 1.6-liter was optional. Transmissions were either a four-speed manual, a three-speed auto, or an odd-duck called a "twin stick," which had high and low gears, basically making the vehicle an eight speed.

In 1982, a five-door model became available, and in '83, the Champ name was dropped, meaning both Dodge and Plymouth offered the Colt.

In 1984, Dodge released the hot-hatch Colt GTS, which included a fuel-injected 102 hp, 1.6-liter turbo engine and the Twin-Stick transmission. This little guy pumped out 7.5 lbs. of boost. Nowadays, these are rare birds, too. Dodge claimed a 0-50 time (yes, 50) of 5.78 seconds according to a vintage advertisement I found on the Web.

Although the GTS is the rarest of this generation, I still don't see many Colts/Champs from the '79-84 era at all, and I don't believe there's a huge enthusiast base for these years, either.

Third Generation: 1985-1988
For 1985, the Colt got a bit bigger, and the car was now sold through Mitsubishi dealerships as the Mirage. There were still three- and five-door hatchbacks, but a four-door sedan and Colt Vista wagon were added. A 1.5-liter engine was standard; a turbo 1.6-liter was available, as was a 2.0-liter engine (Vista only). Transmission choices included a four- or five-speed manual and a three-speed auto. The fuel-injected turbo model (G32B) produced around 120 hp (I believe—if anyone knows for sure, post in the comments section), and had a sportier suspension, and other performance-related accoutrements. The normally aspirated engines were available with carburetors or fuel injection, and horsepower ranged from 51 on the base 1.5 with a carb, to 88 on the fuel-injected 2.0 liter found in the Colt Vista.

My family had a 1985 beige five-door hatchback Dodge Colt with a maroon vinyl interior (yes, it was uber hot in the summer). As a side note, the five-door was dropped in '86. We nearly bought a Colt Vista wagon, but ended up buying a Plymouth Voyager instead.

Fourth Generation: 1989-1991
For 1989, the Dodge Colt was redesigned, and again offered as the Mitsubishi Mirage, but also as the Eagle Summit. Initially, the cars were available in three-door hatch and four-door sedan bodystyles. Powerplants included an 81 hp, 1.5-liter, two-valve SOHC four-cylinder (later bumped to 92 with the addition of a third valve); the 1.6-liter turbocharged 4G61t four cylinder, producing 135 hp; and a 1.6-liter, normally aspirated 4G61 DOHC engine, which appeared in 1991, in the Mirage GS sedan. The Colt Vista, however, remained relatively unchanged from its original 1985 introduction.

This generation Mirage/Colt has become somewhat of a interesting car for some hot rodders, too. The venerable 4G63T found in the turbo Eclipse/Talon/Laser, has been placed under the hood of a number of Colts/Mirages, making them darn fast. Plus, some people will build up the 4G61, too (see the link to to the 4G61t forums below).

Fifth Generation: 1992-1996
Yet another redesign for the 1992 model year, and another growth spurt. Gone were the turbo engines. Gone were the hatchbacks. The U.S.-market Colt/Mirage/Summit were offered as two-door coupes, four-door sedans, and an all-new Plymouth Colt Vista/Mitsubishi Expo LRV/Eagle Summit Wagon was offered. Coupes came standard with a 92 hp, 1.5-liter SOHC engine (4G91) while sedans got the 113 hp, 1.8 liter, 4G93 SOHC 16-valve engine (the 1.8 liter was optional on coupes in 1994). The wagon came standard with the 1.8-liter, although a 2.4-liter mill (4G64) was offered later.

This generation also gained an airbag in 1994, then got airbags (plural) in 1995.

In 1994, the Dodge Neon was introduced, and replaced the Colt. The Eagle Summit, continued until 1996. The Mitsubishi Mirage was offered until 2002, when it was replaced by the Lancer.

The Colt lived on in many other European, Asian, and Oceanic markets, and is still produced today, in some very appealing trim levels. Then again, in these markets, the hatches never left—nor did the turbo models.

LINKS
Mitsubishi Mirage (Edmunds)
Dodge Champ (Allpar)
4g61t.org (Turbo Mirage/Colt site)
1st/2nd gen Colt/Mirage photos (4g61t.org)

Plymouth Colt Vista Advertisement: Was its mother really a sportscar?

I remember seeing this advertisement in 1992 right after we bought our '92 Mitsubishi Expo LRV (the Plymouth Colt Vista's mechanical twin). I think it must've been a short-lived ad campaign, because I only remember seeing this ad a couple of times. However, I always remembered this slogan and always thought it was pretty cool.

The slogan was pretty appropriate, too. The Vista, one of Diamond Star Motors' (DSM, e.g. Mitsubishi and Chrysler) "tall wagon triplets," had a fully independent suspension, was fun to drive, yet could haul a bunch of stuff. See the link below (or any of the ones in the above text) to see more about the Plymouth Colt Vista.

LINK
Nostalgic Subcompact: Tall wagon triplets—Mitubishi Expo LRV, Eagle Summit Wagon, Plymouth Colt Vista

Nostalgic Subcompact: Tall wagon triplets—Mitsubishi Expo LRV, Eagle Summit Wagon, and Plymouth Colt Vista

Updated 7/3/20: The Mitsubishi Expo LRV (Light Recreational Vehicle) was my first car and was the vehicle that really got me into subcompact cars. It was the first vehicle I ever really worked on a modified (yes, I added some mods to mine ... more on that later). I even ran a Web site called the "Mitsubishi Expo LRV Pages," which included a gallery and forum for this vehicle.

The Tall Wagon
When released to the U.S. market in 1992, the Mitsubishi Expo LRV, Eagle Summit Wagon, and Plymouth Colt Vista triplets were pretty unique to the U.S. market and were closest to a class of vehicle that included cars such as the Nissan Stanza Wagon, the Dodge Colt Vista, the Honda Civic Wagon, and the hard-to-remember Nissan Axxes. However, other than the Axxes, the previous tall wagons had ceased to exist in the U.S. This body style was (and is) popular in other parts of the world, and was sold as the Mitsubishi RVR (Recreational Vehicle Runner) and Space Runner elsewhere. It seemed tall wagons weren't popular in U.S. market, but Mitsubishi was going to give it a go one more time.

All three vehicles were about the same size as a first-generation Scion xB, but featured a sliding side door like a minivan instead of four traditional doors. Under the Mitsubishi brand, there was also the Mitsubishi Expo (no "LRV," just Expo), which was a bigger version with four doors.

Powertrain
The vehicles were powered by a choice of engines. The SOHC Mitsubishi 4G93 1.8-liter engine generating 113 hp. and 118 ft./lbs. or torque. It was available with an automatic or five-speed transmission, and all-wheel drive was an option, too. Fuel economy was rated at 21/26 for the FWD model with five-speed; 18/24 with the AWD and automatic.

Optionally, a SOHC 4G64 2.4-liter engine was available on all models (starting in 1993 in the Expo LRV). This bumped horsepower up to 136, and torque up to 145 ft./lbs. and made the vehicle quite a bit faster. Fuel economy went to 19/26 with the larger engine.

As a side note, the Mitsubishi RVR/Space Runner was available with other engines including a diesel, the non-turbo 4G63 out of the Eclipse, and the turbocharged 4G63T found in the Eclipse and EVO. In fact, there was a version called the Mitsubishi RVR Hyper Sports Gear (at left) that was essentially an Evolution III wearing an Expo/RVR body. Do want.

Chassis
All three tall wagons rode on a 99.2" wheelbase (168.5 overall length) and weighed in at about 2,700 lbs (FWD). The vehicles had front and rear independent suspensions, too, although the suspension was very soft, which didn't help cornering (we used to joke that "LRV" stood for "Likely to Roll oVer"). Rolling stock consisted of 14" steel wheels with an alloy option. However, the ride wasn't bad at all. My '92 Expo LRV had four-wheel disc brakes and ABS, which was optional.

Interior
The interior was the highlight of these vehicles; not because it was ultra-luxurious, but because it was ultra-versatile.

Open the sliding rear door and there was a bench seat that could seat three. When it came time to haul cargo, the bench worked its magic: The back could fold down, it could fold down and flip forward, or it could be completely removed. I was able to get stuff in my Expo LRV that my mom wasn't able to get in her much larger 1997 Montero Sport.

Nothing too special about the front passenger's compartment. Two comfortable, albeit, unsupportive bucket seats up front. The 1992 model year had no airbags but did have the much-loathed motorized seatbelts. In addition, the '92 model year didn't have a tachometer. I believe subsequent years did, though.

In 1995, the vehicles got a passenger's side airbag; 1996 years got dual bags.

In 1992, there were a decent amount of options, too, including cruise, power windows/locks, rear defrost, AM/FM/Cassette, air conditioning, roof rack, power sunroof, rear window wiper, and more.

I remember the vehicle was praised by Car & Driver, and was referred to several times as a great alternative to larger vehicles due to its great cargo capacity.

Regardless of any praise, options, or performance, these vehicles may have proved too niche at the time for the U.S. market ...

The demise of the tall wagon triplets
Things started to fall off for these vehicles early on: 1993 was the last model year for the Plymouth Colt Vista wagon. The following year was the last for the Mitsubishi Expo LRV, although the full-size Expo continued on to 1995. The last to go was the Eagle Summit Wagon, which lasted until the 1996 model year.

The automotive market essentially went five years before another tall wagon came to market: That tall wagon was the PT Cruiser in 2001. Then, in 2004, Scion introduced the xB and xA, which were also tall wagons.

Me and my 1992 Mitsubishi Expo LRV on the way to college in 1996

My Mitsubishi Expo LRV
Unfortunately, I don't have any photos of my old Mitsubishi Expo LRV. I had a ton of them for my old Web site, but no more. My Expo LRV was the "sport" version in Barbados Blue with Gray cladding, and the 14" steel wheels. It was a FWD version with a manual transmission and no tach and no rear windshield wiper. (To get the rear wiper, at least on 1992 versions, you had to get an automatic transmission.)

When I started the Mitsubishi Expo LRV Pages in 1996 or 1997, I believe, I ran across other fans of these vehicles. One person even had begun to modify his. I followed his lead and installed a custom-bent 2.5" cat-back exhaust system with the Midas "high-performance" muffler (e.g. a non-straight-through muffler without fiberglass); I modified the airbox and installed a K&N drop-in filter. At 19 years of age, I thought it sounded great. However, I look back and it did sound like a weed eater. I eventually had a resonator installed in the exhaust system which helped.

After nearly 120,000 miles on my Expo LRV, I traded it in on a 1999 Nissan Sentra SE Limited, which was much cooler. However, it wasn't nearly as versatile. Eventually, I went the way of the tall wagon again in 2005 and bought an xB. However, they say you always remember your first, and my Expo LRV was my first car.

My dream project car has always been to have an Expo LRV with the 4G63 turbo engine from the Eclipse. It'd make a smokin' sleeper. Some day.

LINKS
Eagle Summit/Mitsu RVR/LRV/Vista Tuners (Facebook)

Consumer Guide: 1992-95 Mitsubishi Expo/Expo LRV

Mitsubishi RVR (Wikipedia)

What was your favorite 1980s subcompact?

The 1980s offered a variety of subcompact car choices in the U.S. The early part of the '80s offered up vehicles like the Toyota Starlet and Tercel; the Plymouth Champ (which was essentially a Mitsubishi Colt), and the venerable VW Rabbit. The mid-'80s had vehicles such as the Mitsubishi Mirage, the Chevrolet Sprint, and Ford Festiva. The late '80s subcompacts thinned out a bit, but vehicles like the Suzuki Swfit/Geo Metro appeared as did the Subaru Justy. Heck, you could probably include the Suzuki Samurai in there, too.

In the '80s, my family owned a Plymouth Champ, Mitsubishi Mirage, and a Dodge Omni. Yes, they were pretty neat little cars, but there were a few vehicle that I've always thouth were just uber cool. For instance, a few of my favorites include the late 1980s Suzuki Swift GT; the Chevrolet Sprint Turbo; the Mitsubishi Mirage Turbo; and of course the Subaru Justy with it's three-cylinder engine and four-wheel drive.

So what's your favorite 1980s subcompact? Give your answer in the comments section.