Review written on 5/1958.
We have eagerly awaited the arrival of the Donut Wilkes-Barre. The day has finally come. We're looking forward to taking this Full Sized Sedan out for a drive. After our recent reviews of the Altoona Diesel, any test drive to make us forget it is welcomed! The real question bouncing around the office is if the Wilkes-Barre is better than the Scranton. You'll have to read to find out.
The first stop for the Donut Wilkes-Barre was the track. I won't lie. I was scared. This Full Sized Sedan is built for performance. Donut cut no corners when designing this vehicle for speed. The vomit stains on the carpet prove that the 122 hp @ 4348RPMs 4778 cc I3 engine roars this rocket to a top speed of 106 mph in an impressive 22.770s 0 to 60 mph. The engine puts out 118 lb-ft of torque making it able to tow 22 lbs which is average for this class. I'm guilty wanting to steal this one for my self. There is not much to say about the Donut Wilkes-Barre when it comes to handling. As a Full Sized Sedan it's below average. As an everyday driver it'll do its job. In summation the Wilkes-Barre is mundane.
Interior build, materials, and features are average for the segment. The Donut Wilkes-Barre's cabin isn't going to amaze. But compared to most other vehicles of this type, it's not going to let you down. It has most of the standard features, and comfort, while lacking in some areas, is decent.
When it comes to cargo, its 37 cu-ft of space is better than most vehicles of its type, but far from the best. We believe there is enough room in the Donut Wilkes-Barre to fill all your needs without over doing it.
The team at Donut cut a lot of corners when it came to building the Wilkes-Barre. It is apparent in everything from the interior to the body panels to the paints to the molding. Its not designed to last. But its not exactly the worst car on the market. You can do better.
The Donut Wilkes-Barre did very well on our dependability tests. We did not have any major issues in long term testing. The minor issues we did have were easy to resolve and not very costly. We believe that the Donut Wilkes-Barre is dependable enough for even the most unknowledgeable owner. It proper care and maintenance, even if done by a shop, the Donut Wilkes-Barre should last a very long time.
Whether or not the Donut Wilkes-Barre is an energy company conspiracy or not is up for debate. What is certain is the Wilkes-Barre awful fuel mileage of 17.1 mpg will certainly drive up energy stocks!
While being safe is important, Donut did not believe it was a priority in the Wilkes-Barre. The vehicle does provide enough safety features to be consider average for its class. It does not add anything more than that however.
In the end the Donut Wilkes-Barre provide decent value for the money. It's not the best car in the Full Sized Sedan segment, but it won't disappoint. You could do a lot worse. If this model appeals to you I see no reason to dissuade you from it.