1997 Eagle Talon Review
1997 Eagle Talon Review
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Edmunds' Expert Review
by the Edmunds Experts
Pros
- Sporty and inexpensive, the Eagle Talon costs less than many compact coupes.
Cons
- We're not crazy about the Talons new looks. The big emblem on the front fascia needs to be rethought.
What’s new
New front and rear fascias, bodyside cladding, bright new paint colors and "sparkle" wheels and wheel covers are guaranteed to attract attention to this overshadowed model.
Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 1997 Eagle Talon TSi Turbo 2dr Hatchback AWD and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $4.60 per gallon for premium unleaded in New York.
Monthly estimates based on costs in New York
$260/mo for Talon TSi
Talon TSi
vs
$191/mo
Avg. Compact Car
Vehicle overview
The first-generation Diamond-Star coupes won countless awards during their four-and-a-half year run, which began in 1990. They could be had as sporty econocars, turbocharged street racers, and all-wheel-drive sport coupes. A joint development between Mitsubishi and Chrysler, the coupes were built in Illinois and sold under Eagle, Mitsubishi and Plymouth banners.
1995 brought a new generation of Diamond-Stars, and rather than arriving as triplets, they came as Eagle and Mitsubishi twins. The shape is low, wide and provocative. The interior features a sweeping center console and excellent ergonomics. As before, the Talon is equipped with a hatchback and folding rear seats that increase utility. The engine lineup includes a Chrysler 2.0-liter, four cylinder powering the base models, and a tweaked turbo engine motivating the TSi and TSi AWD. Chrysler claims the turbocharged TSi can get from zero to 60 in a speedy 6.5 seconds.
Like the rest of the Eagle lineup, however, the Talon is not selling. After getting beaten in sales 2-1 this year by the mechanically identical Mitsubishi Eclipse, stylists at Chrysler seem to feel that making the Talon bolder in appearance will increase sales. We disagree; the additional bodyside cladding and giant emblem on the hood renders the car comical. Even Pontiac, the long-reigning champion of putting cladding on anything with four wheels, is starting to realize that side skirts and obnoxious plastic doesn't make a car faster or more attractive. If anything, we think that Eagle should have toned down the cars appearance from 1996. Offering a body-color roof, instead of the standard gloss black, and deleting the bright orange reflector from the rear decklid would probably have made the car more palatable to society at large.
Other than our aesthetic quibbles, we like the Talon. It's quick, handles well, and the top-rung model offers the security and stability of all-wheel drive for drivers who regularly pilot rain-slicked or snow-covered roads. We would, however, like to see ABS standard on the TSi and TSi AWD. Chiseling a few hundred more dollars away from consumers for ABS on a sports car seems rather cheap to us.
If you are looking for something quick and sporty with distinctive looks and all-wheel drive traction, this just might be your dream machine. If, however, you are not keen on attracting attention at every stop sign in town, check out the cool and restrained Mitsubishi Eclipse. It's the same candy, but we like the wrapper more.
Consumer reviews
Read what other owners think about the Used 1997 Eagle Talon.
5 star(81%)
4 star(13%)
3 star(3%)
2 star(0%)
1 star(3%)
31 reviews
Trending topics in reviews
Most helpful consumer reviews
5 out of 5 stars
4G63 people dont know what theyre missin
BuDDyLeE, 02/24/2003
1996 Eagle Talon ESi 2dr Hatchback
i bought this car after looking at many
an eclipse, and i couldnt be happier.
the car is absolutly solid & perfect.
the motor is imaculate the interior
still smells brand new, nothing is
faded or cracked. the build
quality, and overall fun factor
involved in driving a 2GNT is
overwhelming. these cars ride on
rails yet are smooth as silk. lighter
than the turbo with … many aftermakret
kits for adding boost. a great car that
i would recommend to anyone, from
grandma to your younger brother or
sister whos learning how to drive.
5 out of 5 stars
LOVE this car!!! :)
Talia, 09/28/2003
1997 Eagle Talon TSi Turbo 2dr Hatchback
This car can kick it! I have the AWD
turbo and LOVE the performance! I live
in the mountains and love to test it
out as I'm never disappointed. ;)
I was told when I bought it to take
good care of it to avoid the previous
years problems and have. I have not had
ANY problems with this car yet.
You have to replace the tires more
often because they're performance, …
therefore softer, but you CAN get an
all season that will last longer.
It can also haul a totally full car
load without difficulty.
The A/C does detract slightly from
performance, but not much.
5 out of 5 stars
Awesome Affordable Sportscar
SkyCladGuru, 04/19/2019
1996 Eagle Talon ESi 2dr Hatchback
Of all the sports cars I’ve owned, the ‘96 Eagle Talon was far and away the most well-rounded sports car of them all. The cockpit wraparound feel at the wheel felt just right the first time I sat in it. The car was so light and nimble you couldn’t help but smile zipping all the way from A to B. With the addition of a great amp & subwoofer in the back the car’s interior became an … acoustically perfect soundchamber. During a time when there was little to get excited about in affordable car market this was a truly unforgettable car. Style and function in spades.
1 out of 5 stars
this is the worst day of my life
COOL, 08/08/2002
1997 Eagle Talon TSi Turbo 2dr Hatchback
Let me tell you a little story about the eagle talon..
first I "chased" an ambulance and because it was a sports car, got my
license taken away. Then when i went up to my weekly trip to the air force
academy, the tires blew faster than a strong wind in a hurricane. These so
called "high performance" tires...not so much. by the way, the radio for some
reason broke and the only … station that would come on was radio disney. last
time I checked, this wasn't the coolest station around the block for the youth
of america. It's like an ex boyfriend...untrustworthy, unreliable, and breaks at
the first sign of difficulty.
We have a limited number of reviews for the 1997 Eagle Talon, so we've included reviews for other years of the Talon since its last redesign.
1997 Talon Highlights
Hatchback
TSi
Engine Type | Gas |
---|---|
Combined MPG | 21 MPG |
Cost to Drive | $260/month |
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place | 13.5 cu.ft. |
Drivetrain | all wheel drive |
Safety
NHTSA Overall Rating
The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration offers independent analysis.
- Frontal Barrier Crash RatingOverallNot RatedDriver4 / 5Passenger4 / 5
- Side Crash RatingOverallNot Rated
- Side Barrier RatingOverallNot RatedDriverNot RatedPassengerNot Rated
- Combined Side Barrier & Pole RatingsFront SeatNot RatedBack SeatNot Rated
- RolloverRolloverNot RatedDynamic Test ResultNo TipRisk Of RolloverNot Rated
IIHS Rating
The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety uses extensive crash tests to determine car safety.
- Small Overlap Front Driver-Side TestNot Tested
- Small Overlap Front Passenger-Side TestNot Tested
- Moderate Overlap Front Test – Original0
- Moderate Overlap Front Test – UpdatedNot Tested
- Side Impact Test – OriginalNot Tested
- Side Impact Test – UpdatedNot Tested
- Roof Strength TestNot Tested
- Rear Crash Protection / Head RestraintNot Tested
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