1998 Dodge Intrepid Walkaround Review at Automotive.com

1998 Dodge Intrepid Review: Exterior

Below is a full, detailed 1998 Dodge Intrepid review and road test from New Car Test ... more

Resale Price: $1,200 - $1,775	/ Used Value Calculator
Value Rating: N/A	/ Maintenance Costs
Fuel Economy: 21 MPG city / 30 MPG highway	/ Engine Specs

Search Classified Ads

Go to Advanced Search

1998 Dodge Intrepid Review

Driving home a winner.

Walkaround

The word sculpture comes to mind in describing the new Intrepid. The body features a bare minimum of trendy snap-on cladding. Instead, there is great nuance to the sheet metal, which rolls and undulates like a work of art.

The 1998 Dodge Intrepid shows that not only can form follow function, but function can follow form. One of the most frequently-heard complaints about the first-generation LH cars was their lack of adequate lighting. Intrepid's new quad beams provide brilliant illumination as well as a classy styling touch. But these sleek, wrap-around cats-eye lenses flow like water into the sweeping hoodline.

Except for the high-end LHS, the original LH sedans were cookie-cutter designs distinguished only by grilles, headlight shapes and other details. One of the top priorities with the new models was to give each car its own identity. To start with, the new cars share almost no sheet metal. The Intrepid and Concorde now look quite different from one another. For this reason, Chrysler is trying to avoid the LH designation.

Review Sections

• Introduction

• Walkaround

• Interior

• Driving Impressions

• Summary & Specifications

Get Your Free Quote on a Dodge Intrepid

Both cars ride on a 113-inch wheelbase, but the Concorde has a longer body. This translates into significantly more rear leg room and a marginally larger trunk. The Concorde's 18.7 cubic feet and the Intrepid's 18.4 cubic feet of trunk space represent significantly increased cargo capacity over last year's models, which provided 16.6 cubic feet.

But the numbers don't tell the whole story. There are many small improvements. Just one example: On the previous models, the trunklid hinge swung into the cargo compartment, crushing anything in its way. Trunk hinges on the new models fold cleanly out of the way. Next Page