20 out of 20 people found this review helpful.
Big Car - Small Package
Date of Review: Jun 30, 2001
The Bottom Line: A serious sporty coupe that offers many features at a low price. This car will stand out in a crowd, an excellent choice for those with their 1st "real" job.
The name Dodge brings to mind two things: old muscle cars and seriously tough trucks. What then do we make of the 2001 Dodge Stratus Coupe? Life is full of surprises, and this car is surprisingly fun and refined. A recent redesign and name change (formerly the Avenger) require a re-examination of this sporty coupe for the budget minded.
The Stratus is available in coupe or sedan, with the coupe being offered in two trim levels, R/T and SE. The coupe is by far the best looking. The SE is the base model, while the R/T is the more expensive, sportier version with a 200 hp V-6. The term ?base model? has some negative connotations, most people think a base model will be a poorly equipped car with no frills or comfort features ? not so with the Stratus. At a bargain basement price of about $18,000 MSRP (maybe you can get a better deal), the Stratus SE Coupe includes such amenities as air conditioning, cruise control, power mirrors, power windows and door locks, cloth seats, am/fm cassette, a split folding rear seat, and a 147 hp, 2.4 liter engine.
Granted, most shoppers may not consider a 4 cylinder engine to be a feature, but gas is expensive, and when combined with the 5-speed manual transmission, this little engine is downright fun. The 2.4 liter, Mitsubishi derived engine is also very smooth and quiet ? compare this to a 4 cylinder Saturn or Chevrolet Cavalier, those cars feel crude by comparison. The transmission is equally refined, the shifter slides into each gear position with little effort. Too many American cars have balky manual transmissions that rob the driver of the inherent fun found in shifting his/her own gears. Somehow, the engineers at Dodge have managed to build a manual transmission that seem perfectly suited for both spirited, fun driving as well as decidedly UN-fun, stop and go driving. Many people who live in larger metropolitan areas never get to experience the fun of a shift it yourself gearbox, and that is a shame. The 5-speed found on the Stratus Coupe is so perfectly geared that city driving is not the chore one would imagine. By comparison, the Honda Accord?s 5-speed needs to be shifted more often in heavy traffic as no one gear is the right one for those low speeds ? a constant rowing of the shifter, back and forth is the result. This is a big plus for the Stratus, and makes commuting a little less dreadful. Of course you could just opt for the automatic, but the nature of this racy looking Dodge is more sport and less bland. The lack of a 5-speed manual with the V-6 R/T is a disappointment.
Handling is compliant and feels more akin to a touring coupe rather than a sports coupe, and while this results in some body roll during hard cornering, the lack of firmness is much appreciated on the open road and on uneven pavement ? the Stratus soaks up the bumps like a $30,000 car. The SE?s smaller engine lends to the sportiness, as the lighter weight of that engine helps to control under steer. The only negative aspect of the Stratus? ride is road noise, the power train has been refined to such a point that the only noise one hears while driving is the sound of the tires on the pavement.
Inside the Stratus Coupe are a long list of amenities as well as materials that have a higher than expected level of quality (although rather bland). The dash and console have none of those shiny, hard plastic pieces that usually start to creak and rattle 3 weeks after the car is bought. Seats are comfortable even for long trips. There is adequate support for the back, but the side bolstering on the lower cushion is rather soft, and not in keeping with the otherwise sporty nature of this coupe. The am/fm cassette player sounds great, especially considering this is the base model. Although the Stratus looks like a small to midsize car from the outside, the interior is spacious. Headroom is abundant, as is front and rear leg room. The Stratus is like an optical illusion, it seems to have a swoopy roofline and stubby rear, yet provides the space of a larger sedan.
Overall, the 2001 Stratus SE Coupe is serious competition for cars such as the Honda Accord Coupe, and Oldsmobile Alero Coupe. Keep in mind, the SE is for those on a budget, spend a little more and you?ll get the R/T Coupe with a V-6 (still under $25,000). Frankly, the Stratus SE is one of few cars that can keep you under budget while making you feel as if you overspent.
