Driving Impressions
reviewed by
The Stratus sedan surprised us with its competent road manners and the tight and precise way it functioned. We really liked the stiff yet smooth ride characteristics and discovered it could be downright nimble when steered through a set of curves, or quick to respond when prodded in the passing lane.
Our tests of a Stratus ES edition included a day of driving around Seattle through diverse urban and suburban venues, freeways, downtown streets with stop-and-go traffic, and residential roads winding along the shoreline of Lake Washington.
The V6 engine in the Stratus ES delivered spirited acceleration. Punch it and it goes, whether starting from the gate or overtaking a slower car. This engine, displacing 2.7 liters out of an aluminum block with dual overhead cams and multi-valve technology, delivers 200 horsepower but still earns respectable fuel economy figures. As a bonus, it runs on regular-grade gasoline.
The ES model's electronically controlled automatic four-speed transmission is quiet and efficient. It comes with AutoStick, allowing semi-automatic shifting for better control on winding roads and heavy traffic. Gear ratios for the transmission have been calibrated to produce quick getaways in stoplight derbies and typical stop-and-start in-town driving situations. It makes the Stratus feel more responsive for better freeway on-ramp merging.
We also drove the Stratus SE, which gets the Chrysler 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine carried forward from the predecessor Stratus sedan. Although this 147-horsepower engine musters less power than the V6, it still feels energetic through all the gears. But it's noisy, and to maximize the power you must run the revs high. Still, if the bottom line is a primary concern, this engine might be the best choice.
However, Dodge offers the V6 upgrade on Stratus SE for only $850, which pitches a comfortable mid-size sedan with V6 power for less than $20,000. With fuel economy numbers differing by only a single point per gallon between the two engines, that makes the V6 hard to resist.
Power steering for the Stratus uses a rack-and-pinion device, and it makes the car feel crisp and easy to control.
The Stratus rides smoothly. Its suspension is independent at all corners, with a short and long arm design in front and a multi-link setup in the rear. It feels stable even when dropping the right wheels off the pavement to feel an irregular shoulder. Anti-roll bars come standard to reduce body lean in corners.
Both trim levels use the same suspension components, but wheels and tires differ. The SE has 15-inch wheels, but the ES gets 16-inch wheels and rolls on more aggressive tires. The larger tires feel more stable when turning, and ultimately improve the car's agility.
Next Page