Recently, I test drove three cars. I will be reviewing each one and using them as comparisons.
1. 2004 Mazda 6i
2. 2004 Dodge Stratus R/T Sedan
3. 2004 Mitsubishi Galant ES
This is the review for the 2004 Dodge Stratus 4-Door R/T. The dealer I visited had only one of these in stock and was stickered at $24,280 w/optional leather/suede seats, power moonroof, and four-speed automatic w/Auto Stick. After driving the car, here is my take on it.
EXTERIOR
Since the redesign in 2001, the Dodge Stratus is much sharper, sportier, and yet more elegant in appearance. On the R/T model, this design gets better with unique wheels, exhaust, spoiler, fog lamps, and R/T badging. My car was silver. Here are some details about the exterior:
Tires: 17" - Not sure of the size or brand of the tire as it was a night test drive.
Wheels: Alloy - chrome finish optional.
Front: Body-colored grille with chrome trim and curvy attractive headlights. The lights illuminated the road well on my night test drive. The Dodge symbol takes the center and fog lamps further accent the front. The bumpers do not protrude that much, which worries me in low-speed crash damage.
Rear: Horizontal red lights containing one big and three broken up strips of red across the top of the deck. A body-colored non-illuminated spoiler added to the sport definition. STRATUS runs across spaced apart the center of the rear deck. In the top right corner is the emblem: "Magnum 2.7 V6". A chrome-tipped exhaust is part of the R/T package and the emblem "R/T" runs across the sides of the car.
INTERIOR
The interior of the Stratus is a step below the Mazda 6 and Mitsubishi Galant I drove. The materials are much plainer, cheaper, harder, but yet the execution is good. The R/T emblem embraces the right side of the dash. Here are further details:
Air Conditioning: Blown out by a total of four vents (1 driver, 1 passenger, 2 center), these blow quite warm air with little draft. I didn't test the cold air.
Power Windows: The driver's side will AUTO down by one-touch. All windows can be locked by driver. The buttons do feel a little cheap, however.
Power Locks: The driver and passenger has control of these, although they do not self-engage when the car starts, shifts, or gets moving. It must be done manually. The button does feel a little cheap, however.
Power Moonroof: The moonroof controls are overhead on the ceiling and is one-touch open, but NOT one-touch close. There was LITTLE NOISE coming out of that sunroof. Yet the air was coming in and feeling refreshing :)
Trip Computer: Located between the two central A/C vents, this computer tells you outdoor temperature (F or C), miles-per-gallon, miles to empty, and has a time clock. It is easy to navigate through each function.
Overhead: On the roof was the control for the power moonroof and two map lights.
Gauges: The driver's pod consisted of two big ones with smaller semi-circles at either side. On the left was the tach that redlined nearly 7000RPM. The speedometer I think maxed out at 150MPH. Fuel and temperature readings were also shown. The style was a white background with dark blue/black writing and red needles. At night, the numbers were ice blue. The gear indicator is to the right of the odometer. The gauges overall have the sporty appearance needed for this car.
Wheel Controls: The steering wheel has controls for cruise control. You can adjust volume and skip through tracks with controls on the BACK of the steering wheel. These DO NOT ILLUMINATE at night.
Cruise Control: Accessed ON the steering wheel with ON/OFF, SET/COAST, RESUME, ACCELERATE.
60/40 Rear-Folding Seat: Now this is a feature I can not live without. In my 2000 Toyota Corolla, I utilize the rear-folding seats for hauling long items, such as a entertainment center box kit. The seats just pull forward without pushing buttons in the trunk. NICE!
Infinity Sound System: The Dodge setup came in 2nd place out of the 3 cars I drove. It has the quality needed for great sound, but overall doesn't match the BOSE setup in the Mazda 6. There are (4) Premium Speakers in the doors and speakers in the back panel. It comes with an AM/FM Cassette and 6-Disc in-dash CD Player which is at the bottom of the center stack - a more difficult place to reach.
DASHBOARD LAYOUT: On the left side is the driver air vent, then the gauges, then the center stack, then the passenger air vent. The center stack has the two A/C vents with a trip computer in the middle of the two, then the A/C controls, then radio, cigarette lighter, then the CD Changer. Also at the bottom are two cupholders and a little compartment area for whatever.
SPACE/STORAGE
The Stratus came 2nd place for space. While rear seat space was good enough for me (6'0 tall), the front space had some issues. Here are more details:
Front: At 6'0" tall, I didn't haven't to have the seat all the way back! It was only about 3/4 of the way back. Legroom was sufficient as was headroom. PASSENGER SIDE SPACE WAS LESS SUFFICIENT. My legs were very close (by a few inches) to the dashboard and would worry me in a crash. Since the dashboard material is hard, I'd be leary of my legs/knees making contact with this at high speed in a crash. Not to mention, I am closer to the airbag.
Rear: Sitting directly behind the driver's seat 3/4 of the way back, I had "just" enough leg/knee room. I had no awkward movement trying to get out. It doesn't compare to the rear seat space in the Galant, however.
Trunk: The trunk opens by a lever in the underpart of the dashboard on the driver's side. The trunk itself has average capacity for a midsize, but doesn't have as high of opening height as the Mazda 6 does.
Cupholders: There are four. Two in the front at the base of the center stack and two built-in the rear fold-down armrest.
Glovebox: The glovebox is of average size, leaving some space for small things besides the manuals. My Corolla has a much larger glovebox in comparison.
Consoles: There is the center one which has a power outlet and one at the base of the center stack which could hold small items.
PERFORMANCE
The Dodge Stratus R/T model has a specialized suspension and exhaust, thus upgrading its handling and power performance vs. a regular Stratus.
Engine: The R/T has a 2.7L V6 200HP engine. Comparing to the competition, the Mazda 6s as 220HP, the Galant V6 has a 3.8 230HP, the Accord V6 has a 3.0 240HP, the Camry has a 3.0 or 3.3 210-230HP, and the 2005 Nissan Altima has a 3.5L 250HP. While on paper it may seem that Dodge has no power compared to the rest, on the road it feels wonderful. Touching the gas pedal made the car take right off. It made no hesitation to go from 0-60MPH in a matter of seconds. The performance exhaust helps here. The noise of the engine is not much and the exhaust makes a sweet sound. For such power, the gas mileage averaged 24MPG, according to the trip computer. This is not too bad for a performance version.
Transmission: Now this was my favorite part of the car. Not only is it a smooth, well-performing four speed automatic, it also has a manual mode feature that I have NEVER used before. It was simple, once you reach "D", move the lever back and the manual mode will select the proper gear - for instance, at 40MPH it went into 3rd gear (the gear indicator highlights the "3"). To shift upward, move the lever right, and to shift downward, move the lever left. I absolutely loved this feature. It felt just like manual. To me, the manual mode is for someone who doesn't drive a stick very well and who doesn't want to worry about clutch repairs, stalling, or jerkiness off the line. A stick is available on the R/T coupe ONLY.
Ride/Handling: GREAT handling. Precise, though not as tight and sharp as the Mazda 6. No torque steer was evident to me. Tilt wheel moves the wheel up and down to driver's preferences. The ride and handling felt well controlled, and the chassis felt balanced and unstrained. The ride itself is firm, not soft. Highway and smooth pavements were not bumpy, and bumps were somewhat felt, but not as much as my Corolla. I actually prefer firmer rides than cushy rides. Road noise was minimal. Overall, the car was great to drive, but didn't have that "ultimate fun" feeling. In comparison, the Mazda had tighter handling and more "fun" feeling, and the Galant was bouncier and felt like a bigger car.
Brakes: The brakes are 4-wheel DISC. Mine didn't have the optional ABS/Side Airbag package, but I don't need it. The brakes stopped well and had excellent connection and response with my feet. They are smooth brakes, but not cushy brakes.
QUALITY
The interior materials are not soft to the touch and plainer in appearance. The car does, however, feel well put together. The door panels have suede inserts to match the seats on the R/T and the shifter area is not loose. Doors shut solidly. Driving the car feels solid. There were no creaks or rattles during my test drive. The A/C and radio controls were within easy reach and felt solid to the touch. The power windows/locks controls did feel cheap, however. Overall, the interior quality is not as high as the other 2 cars I drove, but it is good enough for me.
SAFETY
The Dodge Stratus has dual front airbags and optional side airbags. The NHTSA rates this car as "Acceptable", which is 2nd place behind "Good".
PRICE
The Stratus R/T I drove had the optional leather and sunroof taking it to $24,280. That is a great price for those features plus the better sound system, 17" wheels, performance equipment, and V6. The Galant had also an Infinity Sound System, but was inferior overall to the Dodge. At $21,654, that car had no leather, but also had no rear-folding seat. The Mazda 6 comes in as the best value at $20,730, with the BOSE system, but no leather or sunroof - two features I can live without. Those seeking even more value, a Stratus SXT which comes with A/C, power windows/locks, cruise, 2.4L 150HP 4-Cylinder, AM/FM CD player, and 16" non-chrome wheels comes in at around $19,000. Rebates are hefty on these cars. I usually see an SXT on sale for $14,000!
CONCLUSION
The Dodge Stratus R/T offers a great value and performance package in one for those seeking a family sedan. It offers a performance exhaust, energetic V6, performance suspension, and features, but lacks the finest of interior quality and is not as fun to drive feeling as the Mazda 6. If one is willing to overlook that, then the Dodge Stratus is a great choice!
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 24280
Condition: New Model Year: 2004 Model and Options: R/T, Leather/Suede Seats, Sunroof, Autostick
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