2004 Dodge Intrepid SXT

The Intrepid gets down the road with smoothness and ease. The ride is comfortable and quiet.

With 250 horsepower, the V-6 in the SXT Intrepid cranks out all the gumption, get up and go any reasonable person could reasonably want or need. By comparison, the 3.5-liter V6 feels not only stronger (it should, after all), but smoother and quieter than the smaller 2.7-liter V6 fitted to the Intrepid SE and some other Dodge and Chrysler products. For the additional power and superior driving pleasure of the bigger engine, plus the long list of standard equipment, the up-level SXT seems to be a better deal than the SE.


The Intrepid gets down the road with smoothness and ease. The driving feel is far better than what large American family cars used to offer, but is about on par with what is expected of today's sedans. The ride is comfortable and quiet, steering feel is easy and sufficiently direct, it goes where it's pointed and, with the big engine, handles traffic without much effort. Figure it about equal in overall feel with its major domestic competitors, such as the Mercury Sable, Buick Le Sabre and so forth, where a smooth, soft and quiet ride of unobtrusive ease is the required norm. As you might expect, it's somewhat less responsive than the typical imports, such as the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry. But, admittedly, the Accord and Camry are smaller, don't offer the enormous interior space of the Intrepid and will probably cost more, besides.


What the Dodge Intrepid offers is a continuation of a decades-old tradition of the big, comfortable, roomy and powerful American family car. That tradition has always included the notion of a lot of car for the money, and the Intrepid delivers on that concept in spades. (www.dodge.com)