Pick A Low-Mileage Four-Door Hatch: 1986 Chrysler LeBaron GTS vs 1990 Geo Prizm

I was looking back over the week’s winners, trying to decide whether to do a runoff or not, and I started looking at that Mazda 626 Touring Sedan from Monday. That really is a great design and a great idea. Why haven’t more four-door sedans over the years been available with a rear hatch instead of a trunk? As I was pondering that, without even trying, two low-mileage examples of such cars practically fell into my lap, so I decided to show them to you.

Yesterday, we looked at a couple of fun Toyotas (more or less). From the sound of it, a lot of you had a hard time deciding between them, and there were many calls for a “both” option in the poll. And by the way, I apologize for the weirdness with the poll; I don’t know if I did something wrong or if something happened on Crowdsignal’s end, but it’s all better now, and the votes got counted.

When all was said and done, the ’89 Corolla GT-S emerged as a pretty clear winner, and I think I agree. That Vibe will make a great inexpensive used car for someone, but the Corolla is something to take care of and cherish. (Words never spoken about a Toyota Corolla before, I would imagine.) You just don’t see cars like that anymore, and that makes it special. It would be my choice, too.

I have a car-guy confession to make: I’ve never actually owned a station wagon. I’ve come close a couple of times, but never ended up with one. I have, however, had a couple of four-door fastback hatchbacks, and I have a huge appreciation for that bodystyle. These days, I guess the closest thing to them is a Prius, though it isn’t available as a traditional sedan. Come to think of it, one of today’s choices wasn’t either. Anyway, the point is that hatchbacks rule, and we’re going to look at a couple of examples that don’t even have eighty thousand miles between them.

1986 Chrysler LeBaron GTS – $2,500

Engine/drivetrain: 2.5-liter OHC inline 4, three-speed automatic, FWD

Location: Greeneville, TN

Odometer reading: 43,000 miles

Operational status: Runs and drives well

The original Chrysler K cars were many things, but stylish wasn’t one of them. Chrysler seemed to know this, and in 1985, it tried to rectify the situation with the LeBaron GTS and Dodge Lancer models, with tighter suspension tuning and styling that was almost European if you squint hard. More importantly, while they looked like sedans, these cars actually had a hatchback, a design that would carry over to the Dodge Shadow and Plymouth Sundance models a couple of years later.

Under the skin, this car is all garden-variety K car, though. You could get the GTS with a turbocharged 2.2-liter engine, but this one has the non-turbo 2.5-liter. The transmission is Chrysler’s strong A413 Torqueflite automatic, not the most refined unit around, but it’s durable and reliable. This one has a scant 43,000 miles on it – and yes, it has a six-digit odometer, so it hasn’t rolled over – and the seller says it runs and drives well.

It’s as clean inside as you’d expect from a car with only 43,000 miles, and as sloppy as you’d expect from a mid-’80s Chrysler. Don’t get me wrong; I love these cars, but I don’t delude myself about their build quality. Look past the misaligned trim, though, and it’s a pretty comfy car. This is a basic Highline model, with crank windows and no frills, but it does have air conditioning, and the seller says it works fine.

It’s a little faded outside, and there are some paint blemishes, but it’s rust-free. It also appears to be missing all the badges on the back, which makes it look like one of those generic cars used in ads. I always liked the looks of these, though, and they’re definitely more practical than the average K-car.

1990 Geo Prizm Liftback – $3,700

Engine/drivetrain: 1.6-liter DOHC inline 4, three-speed automatic, FWD

Location: Cumberland, MD

Odometer reading: 33,000 miles

Operational status: Runs and drives well

The NUMMI plant I mentioned yesterday started out building the fifth-generation Chevrolet Nova, a badge-engineered Toyota Sprinter. The Nova was available as either a four-door sedan or a five-door “Liftback.” I had a Nova liftback for a while, and it was an excellent little car. In 1989, when GM created the Geo brand for Chevy’s captive imports, the Nova was replaced by the Geo Prizm, based on the next-generation Sprinter. These cars were absolutely everywhere one day, and almost completely gone the next. I haven’t seen a Prizm sedan in many years, and I can’t even remember the last time I saw a liftback.

The base engine in the Prizm was Toyota’s 4A-FE four-cylinder. It’s not the most powerful thing in the world, but it’s reliable and efficient. It drives the front wheels through a basic three-speed automatic. Hey, it gets the job done. We don’t get a lot of details about this one, only that it was well-maintained by an elderly owner. I guess that explains the low mileage.

We also don’t get any photos of the interior, so I can’t tell you anything about its condition. I would hope, with only 33,000 miles on the clock, that it’s pretty much immaculate. Based on the fact that it’s a base model, it’s also probably pretty plain-jane. I can’t even guarantee that it has air conditioning.

It’s clean and shiny outside; I think this car was kept in a garage. I don’t see any signs of rust, but again, the photos aren’t great. The Prizm hatchback isn’t what I’d call a handsome car, but at least it’s more interesting-looking than the sedan. And if it’s anything like my old Nova, there is a ton of room in the back.

Super-low-mileage rare cars like these exist in kind of a weird place in the market. They could be collector’s items, if anybody cared to collect them, but they’re also inexpensive enough that you wouldn’t feel guilty just using them as regular old cars. And with the practicality of the hatchbacks, that wouldn’t be a bad way to go. Which one interests you more? And would you use it as a daily driver, or save it as a classic? I’m giving you four poll options below to make your choice.