Stratus is a winner!

I bought my Stratus earlier this year as I was looking for
a decent mid size sedan at a reasonable price. Other models I had considered before purchase of the Stratus were
the Pontiac Grand Am, Chevy Malibu and Mitsubishi Galant.
While I had driven all three of the previous mentioned
models, and any of them would've have satisfied my basic
requirements, they just did not have the styling advantage
of the Stratus.

As soon as I saw the Stratus on the lot, I was in love with the styling. I have the Special Edition with chrome wheels,
spoiler and sportier interior with leather bound steering wheel and shifter. Surprisingly, it drove almost identically with the Mitsubishi Galant... smooth, good ride, quiet, comfortable seats. The salesman mentioned that
the Mitsubishi and Dodge (Chrysler) 2.4 engine were
shared in both models at some point which explains some
similarities. While not a "Barn-Burner" engine, it performs
adequately enough in most situations. I have experienced
good gas mileage (which was a shock after owning SUV type
vehicles for so many years) and with fuel costs being what
they are, the 2.4 is a wise choice. This model does also
have the option of a 2.7 liter engine, which I understand
provides superior performance but lower gas mileage.

Other nice features of this model include the seats. Being
a big guy with a bad back... the seating was a prime concern for me which is why my vehicle search was narrowed
down to 4 before I made a final choice. The Stratus has
firm seats which I find are comfortable for long drives
and provide just the right amount of support. There is
plenty of leg room up front and average to above average
in the rear area. In addition to the seats, the 6 CD-in dash stereo system provides clear, powerful sound from the
6 speakers. One feature I have come to enjoy is the steering wheel mounted audio controls. I must admit I did not realize they were there at all until I had perused the owner's manual one evening. They are located on the back side of the steering wheel. Once you memorize what button controls what feature, it works well and again... you
aren't distracted by taking your eyes off of the road since there is nothing to look at... maybe that is why they put
them on the back side of the steering wheel. At first I
thought it odd, but upon further thought, it is a good idea. Air conditioning cools the cabin well.
It was put to the test this past summer as I live in the
desert and some days it reaches 119 degrees. Beware though, the air conditioning really does place a burden on
the motor and your performance is somewhat diminished. Finally, storage is good... large glove box and a center
unit between the seats that will hold quite a few CD's
and the cruise control, power windows, power mirrors, fog
lights, etc all work well. Dash design is very good, controls easy to use and displays are clear.

If I were to pin point items I do not like about this car,
the major thing would be cup holders... they are located
right in front of the CD player which makes for difficulty
in getting to your CDs if you have drinks there and it's
a bit of a reach while driving. Other than that, I'm hard
pressed to find anything else I'm really unhappy with.