2003 Dodge Stratus Coupe

Styling is subjective, so you may or may not agree, but we think this restyled Dodge Stratus Coupe looks "right" from every angle—right size, right shape, and right stance. When a car looks right for its intended role, image and price, you expect to like it. It makes the right impression before you turn the key. And impress us it did, because it drives pretty much as well as it looks.

Styling
Almost all of the Stratus Coupe's exterior has been updated for 2003, including new front and rear fascias, grille, hood, decklid, headlamps, taillamps, fog lamps and side sill moldings. Even the signature Dodge grille is bolder with chrome inserts. "The new 2003 Stratus coupe exterior draws from classic musclecar design cues, which separates it from others in its class," said Jim Julow, Vice President, Dodge Division Global Brand Center. "The strong stance and sleek profile communicate the performance feel of the car, while the new headlamp and taillamp design add a note of refinement."

Power
With its 147-hp 2.4L 16-valve SOHC 4-cylinder engine, the Stratus SXT is not an overly powerful car, yet it never felt under-powered and, in fact, seemed surprisingly torquey and eager with its available 4-speed automatic transaxle. Zero to 60 runs took roughly 10 seconds in informal stopwatch testing. The four comes standard with a 5-speed manual in both the base SE and mid-range SXT models. A 200-hp 3.0L 24-valve SOHC V-6 is optional in the SE and standard with a 5-speed manual in the R/T, the sportiest Stratus. AutoStick, which lets you manually shift the automatic when you choose, is optional in the automatic-equipped Stratus R/T.

Interior
Another pleasant surprise is the space and comfort inside, with a back seat big enough for three (cozy) adults. With 102.6 cubic feet of interior volume and a 16.3 cu.-ft. trunk, Stratus offers people and cargo capacity uncommon for coupes. An all-new instrument panel with white-faced gauges complements the exterior design, and the 60/40 spilt-folding rear seatbacks allow for long items such as skis or snowboards. A new center console provides improved convenience, and steering wheel-mounted radio controls are standard on the R/T model. An auto-dimming rearview mirror with integral compass/temperature display, HomeLink (a trio of buttons programmable to your garage door frequencies) and reading lamps are new options.

Performance
Dodge engineers say they paid close attention to noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) during vehicle development. A single-piece body-side aperture and increased use of sound-absorbing materials help contribute to a smoother, quieter ride for 2003. A special performance suspension with a beefier rear sway bar and rear suspension lateral link bushing, along with performance-tuned shocks and struts for more precise handling is unique to the R/T. Also, just for effect, a deeper exhaust note "announces R/T's performance character."