Often Overlooked

I took delivery of my 1998 Dodge Stratus (bought used, 10 month old) in July of 1999 and without a doubt it is the best car I have owned to date.

When looking for cars my requirements were pretty basic: room for 5, good performance, and good looks. When you spend lots of time in your car, you need to be very happy with it.

I get most of my information from car magazines, and lately the Internet, before I go out looking. This tends to eliminate many of the other choices immediately so I can concentrate better on the few that make the cut.

The mid-size market accounts for about 50% of all car sales, with the Toyota Camry being #1. That eliminated it for me, simply because it's TOO popular. I didn't want something that everyone else had. Plus the price of the Camry was much higher that I wanted to pay as well. Ditto for the Honda Accord and the Nissan Altima. The Chevy Malibu was too new, so that was out. I wound up looking at the Ford Contour/Mercury Mystique and the Dodge Stratus/Chrysler Cirrus/Plymouth Breeze.

One time in the rear seat of the Contour was enough. No legroom. So a 'cloud car' it was to be. The Cirrus was usually optioned high and priced higher than I wanted. Now it's down to the Stratus and the Breeze. I went with the Stratus for 2 reasons, the color of the car and the willingness of the dealer to work with me over the Internet.

What I love about the Dodge Stratus is that it's a great overall package. The 2.4L engine is very torquey and gives the feel of great power off the line. Yet at cruising speeds (55-75MPH), the car feels very stable, like you are maybe only going 40MPH. A passing manuever on a barren Interstate had me doing 100MPH with ease, yet the car never felt out of control. The seats are great - the rear could use a little more thigh support, but I've yet to find a comfortable back seat in ANY car, and my 5-year old doesn't complain either. I could do a long haul trip in the Stratus with no complaints at all.

Downsides are few. The outside noise can be a little high at times. And the gas mileage is very lame when doing city driving. A daily round trip of about 20 miles, coupled with a couple 50 mile trips yields around 18-21MPG. If I can get the car on the highway with a 100-mile round trip, the mileage reaches 26MPG easily. The stock radio/speakers are poor, but then there is a reason for aftermarket equipment. And the resale value of these cars tends to be a lower than average.

Anyone looking for a roomy mid-size car should take a serious look at the Stratus (or Cirrus or Breeze, for that matter.) It offers a tremendous value and great performance for the money. First-car buyers and students should look at used examples as a way to get into a very decent car for very little money.