"You bought a what?" These words sprung from my Chevy-devoted father's mouth upon informing him of my latest vehicle purchase. As a 25 year old adult, my purchases are no longer contingent upon my parents' approval but I do keep in close communication with them and while I don't relate information to them purely for shock value it does appear that way to them. Honestly though, it's just that I do appreciate their 2 cents sometimes. Any of my previous vehicle purchases made outside of a Chevy product warranted an explosive reaction from my father who thought I was buying another make of vehicle just out of spite. Over the years, he's come to accept my passion for Fords (though I did own a few Chevy products in between-shame on me!) because afterall I was still 'buying American'. I now own a Dodge/Chrysler product. I'll leave the rest of my father's reaction to your imagination!

1996 Dodge Stratus
The Dodge/Chrysler Corp. began production of the Stratus in 1995 as a mid-sized 4 door sedan. As of 2001, the Stratus is available as a coupe in addition to the sedan. It has continued to keep in line with Dodge/Chrysler's 'cab forward' design of their vehicles.

I was not intent on buying a Dodge Stratus when I first stepped out the door to start car shopping. I really had no specific vehicle in mind other than it be an SUV or a car with a bit more room than the Pontiac Grand Am I had at the time. I have always found the Stratus to be quite attractive. I love its sleek lines as well as its powerful stance. When I first laid eyes on the shiny hunter green colored Stratus sitting in the dealership lot I knew I had to get more 'up close and personal' with it. So off I went on a test drive...

A Lasting First Impression
I found the acceleration to be smooth and was a bit shocked to find out that there was a little bit of pep behind this beauty. This particular vehicle has a 2.4L 4 cylinder pumping out a tolerable 150 horsepower. Not exactly my idea of a racing machine but then again this is built for comfort, not speed. If you want to put that lead foot to some good use then you may want to opt for the available 2.5L V6 engine. Base model Stratus' are available with a manual transmission and a 2.0 4 cylinder engine with 131 horsepower. (the same as the Dodge Neon's driving force.)

I was quite impressed with the trunk space. This is a big issue for me since I am usually toting large strollers and packages around. The cargo capacity claims to be 14 cubic feet. The trunk in this vehicle is much larger than many vehicles in its class. Just the trunk space alone sold me!

Like most of us, I do a lot of traveling in my car and that can lead to pricey fill-ups at the gas station. You'll be happy to know that the Dodge Stratus won't empty your wallet too often. I have averaged about 34 mpg on the highway and 25 mpg in the city-and this is with A/C running.

I've found the Stratus to be quite roomy. Passenger capacity is 5 though this may depend on whether or not you have car seats in the backseat. I have found that I am able to sit comfortably in the backseat between both of my daughter's car seats, however, I am on the taller side (5'7) so the center hump on the floor tends to keep my legs a little higher than I would like. You can fit 3 car seats in the backseat as well but it will be a tight squeeze! The front bucket seats are padded well and leg room in the front is excellent.

As far as reliability and safety go, I do know that the Dodge Stratus scored 3 Stars (out of 5) in driver's side frontal crash testing which is considered average for its class of vehicle. The 1996 model Stratus does come standard with dual airbags for added protection as does all newer vehicles. Reliability ratings for this vehicle have consistently been 'very good' - 'excellent'. For more information on ratings you may want to check out www.edmunds.com. Mechanically wise, I have not had any major problems with my vehicle thus far. I purchased an extended drivetrain warranty on my vehicle 'just in case', and I highly recommend you do the same when purchasing any used vehicle-when it would be worth it of course. There have been a few minor recalls for this model year so you may want to be educated before you make your purchase.

Is the Stratus the right car for me?
Obviously you can probably answer that question better than I can but the first thing you should do is take it for a test drive. Experience the comfort. Feel how it hugs the road. (ok, I'm getting carried away here!) The Dodge Stratus is appropriate for anyone from the business traveler to the family. It is a roomy midsized vehicle at an economical price. I have heard that resale value is poor for this vehicle so you should take that into consideration before making your decision.

In Conclusion
So, to answer your question dad..I bought a Dodge. At this point in the game, I am quite proud of my purchase and I will recommend this vehicle to anyone looking for an economically priced mid-sized sedan. Just for the record, this doesn't downsize my passion for Fords whatsoever-let's just say a little curiousity got the best of me! :)

Thanks for reading and happy car shopping!
Amount Paid (US$): 7400
Condition: Used
Model Year: 1996
Model and Options: automatic