Overview & Reviews

Value is a concept that conquers the affections of car buyers every time. Dodge knew this all too well, and made value a cornerstone of its strategy for the Dodge Intrepid, turning out an affordably priced car that offered a lot for less. It proved to be an astute move for the automaker. Introduced in 1993 and retired in 2004, the Intrepid distinguished itself as the division's best-selling car in many of its years on the market.

The word "intrepid" means fearless, and this Dodge proved to be just that when it came to its styling cues. Stodginess and full-size sedans go together like Seattle and pouring rain, but Dodge's designers set out to create an alternative that broke free of this mold. An innovative, "cabin-forward" layout resulted in a steeply raked windshield and short front and rear overhangs. The Intrepid's sculpted look (which became even more striking in second-generation models) didn't necessarily light everyone's fire, but it was, undeniably, a bold standout in a notoriously bland segment.

Practicality came via the Dodge Intrepid's spacious amenities. The Intrepid's cab-forward design and front-wheel-drive layout freed up considerable interior space, and the sedan could seat five adults in comfort as well as haul much of their luggage. Nimble handling was another of the car's assets; the Intrepid had the portly size of an operatic tenor, but you'd never know it from its impressive composure and agility. And Intrepid buyers enjoyed the car's power. Its athletic engines gave the car somewhat of a split personality, enabling it to cross the line from family sedan to value-priced sport sedan with ease.

Buyers had to make a few compromises. Materials quality and fit and finish within the cabin weren't up to snuff. Rearward visibility fell somewhat short, and its engines could get raucous when challenged. Still, a late-model Dodge Intrepid shines as a great pick in many respects for buyers seeking a used car that delivers when it comes to competent handling and capacious passenger and cargo room.

Most Recent Dodge Intrepid

The most recent Intrepid generation spanned model years 1998 through 2004. This car continued on the cabin-forward theme of its predecessor, but offered styling that was sleeker and almost coupelike. It also got an engine upgrade, with two new V6s beneath its hood.

This generation's early Dodge Intrepids were offered in two trims: base and ES. Base models featured air-conditioning, heated mirrors and cruise control. ES models added amenities like keyless entry and a power-adjustable driver seat. In 2000, a new trim, the R/T, joined the lineup. R/Ts catered to performance-oriented buyers, offering a sport-tuned suspension and traction control. The base trim became the SE trim in 2001, and the following year, a midlevel trim, the SXT, made its debut. SXT buyers got the same engine as that of the pricier R/T, without many of the performance features. That changed in 2003 when the R/T model was dropped; the SXT was given a performance upgrade that gave it many of the capabilities of the departed R/T.

Base Intrepids were powered by a 2.7-liter V6 good for 200 horsepower and 190 pound-feet of torque. ES models were available with either the base model's 2.7-liter or a 3.2-liter V6 capable of 225 hp and 225 lb-ft of torque. Intrepid R/Ts got their mojo from a 3.5-liter V6 producing 242 hp and 248 lb-ft of torque. In 2002, Dodge dropped the 3.2-liter engine; replacing it was a 234-hp version of the 3.5-liter V6. All Intrepid models came with a four-speed automatic transmission, and Dodge's "AutoStick" manual-shift feature came standard on the R/T.

A few tweaks were made to the car's appearance and feature content over the years. Chrome badging was added in 1999, along with improved floor carpeting. In 2000, base models got new seat fabric, child-seat anchors were also added, and an in-dash CD changer joined the options list on ES models. The following year, side airbags became available, as well as steering wheel-mounted audio controls and a four-disc in-dash CD changer. In 2003, the four-disc unit was replaced with a six-CD changer.

At the time, our editors were charmed by the Dodge Intrepid -- so much so that in 2000, it scored an Editors' Most Wanted award in the Large Sedan category. We liked the sedan's huge interior, gigantic trunk, communicative steering and pleasing balance of ride quality and handling ability. Cons included a propensity for wind and road noise, low-quality interior materials, disappointing fit and finish and poor outward visibility.

Past Dodge Intrepids

The first-generation Dodge Intrepid was built from 1993 to 1997. Two trims -- base and ES -- were offered. Initially, both were powered by a 3.3-liter V6 good for 153 hp and 177 lb-ft of torque; the engine saw power increases over the years, though, and by the time this generation drew to a close, it offered 161 hp and 181 lb-ft of torque. A four-speed automatic transmission sent power to the car's front wheels. A more advanced 3.5-liter V6, producing 214 hp and 221 lb-ft of torque, was optional.

ABS was made standard in ES models in 1995, and traction control was added to the options list. Intrepids got upgrades to improve noise, vibration and harshness in 1996; the following year, the car benefited from an improved audio system and a refined transmission. At the time, this Intrepid scored good marks for its roomy interior and power from the optional 3.5-liter V6. Downsides included dubious build quality and weak headlight performance.

User Reviews:

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  The 1999 Dodge Intrepid is a piece of junk. - 1999 Dodge Intrepid
  By bubbaman42 - January 29 - 8:02 am

  The intrepid was o k at first but after it got a few thousand miles it started having a lot of trouble.The 2.7 motor is too weak for this car and gives a lot of problems.We had to replace the motor at about 80,000 miles.I am just glad we had a warranty.After that the computer was going out.Sometimes the intrepid would die going down the road and not start for about 10 minutes.One trip it died on me 10 times within a 70 mile trip.A mechanic said a computer for it would be around $1000.00.To me the intrepid was not worth that.The heater fan only worked on high.Some of the windows would not go down.All I can say is the Intrepid was my firdt and last Dodge.

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  The Best Car Ive Ever Owned - 2001 Dodge Intrepid
  By miss_m - December 27 - 12:01 pm

  I went to Dodge to get a new-used car as a Christmas present for myself and after not getting approved for a couple of cars that I was looking at, they had approved me for the 2001 Dodge Intrepid with only 75K miles and a 2-yr warranty. At first, I was not interested. Boy, am I glad that I took a second look at it the next day! After all, I was tired of driving my 1996 Pontiac Bonneville with no heat or air conditioning. With living in the desert, a/c and heat is a must! Besides, after putting about $1,300 worth of new parts and labor into the car, I was tired of dealing with my Bonneville. Im so happy to be a new owner of my 01 Dodge Intrepid!

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  Still Runnung strong - 1995 Dodge Intrepid
  By Anonymous - December 7 - 2:00 am

  Got this car in 2000 used with 70,000 miles on it have done regular maintenance oil change lube job etc, in 2003 serpentine belt broke, 2005 transmission replaced 2009 water pump gone replaced, after all that the car is very good strong ride comfortable and now going into 150000 miles the car is still pulling strong.

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  Drives Great - 2004 Dodge Intrepid
  By b4202i - October 17 - 2:00 am

  Bought this car about six month ago. Replaced brakes, very easy due to four disc brakes instead of rear drums. Having to change tires. It is super clean under the hood. Bought at 112K, have 122K on it now. Havent changed oil in 4K and it is still super clean

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  Electrical problems - 1996 Dodge Intrepid
  By robert - October 14 - 2:00 am

  I have had the car for 5 years with no problems. Now it has 200,650 miles on it. I am having trouble with check engine light staying on and the air bag light stays on now and some how it is connected to the air conditioner and windows they dont work when light is on. Also a mechanic told me the air bag can blow at any time in this condition when driving. this could be very dangerous or cause a deadly accident

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  Not so good - 2001 Dodge Intrepid
  By Chris K - September 25 - 2:00 am

  When I bought this SE car in 2002, it ran great, no trouble at all for 5 years. At 86,000 miles and after spotless maintenance checks and oil changes-- the engine died (2.7L). I found out from many forums online-- that the 2.7L engine was total junk. The oil passages in it are microscopic which leads to oil starvation of the various parts. This is a design flaw! There is no warning! One minute the car is running, the next it stops. In my engine, the timing chain tensioner quit (oil driven)-- the OHC failed, leading to valve breakage-- result, total junk engine. For those of you whose engine is still running- you are extremely lucky! But beware-- your engine could fail at any moment!

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  Best Rear Seat in the Business! - 1999 Dodge Intrepid
  By famguy - September 7 - 10:33 pm

  I bought my 99 Intrepid used, after riding in a co-workers older model and finding a back seat that actually accommodated an overweight adult male. I rented a Chrysler Concorde on a trip east for a family funeral, and spent 3 days driving around my parents plus my sister and the widow. They had no trouble getting into and out of the back seat repeatedly. My middle daughter is 59" and not thin, and she preferred the back seat to the front because she could actually cross her legs without a problem. I always felt virtuous flying down the interstate with the low front end and raked windshield, as the SUV air plows spent $$$ pushing air out of the way. No other "family" car has that back seat

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  Dreading the Day - 2002 Dodge Intrepid
  By keys8864 - August 6 - 7:07 am

  I am dreading the day when I will have to replace this car. There is simply nothing currently on the market that can replace this cars interior space. Also despite its size, it drives like a much smaller car. I currently have in excess of 100,000 miles on this car after purchasing it new in 2002. Mechanically, the transmission had to be rebuilt at 80,000 miles, and have had no other problems. The interior is still excellent with no visible wear (two children). I also replaced the 17" chrome wheels with Vox aftermarket aluminum wheels due to corrosion causing rim leaks. This has been the best 4 door sedan I have ever owned including Volvos, Mercedes, and Toyotas I owned in the past.

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  2.7 is expensive to maintain - 2002 Dodge Intrepid
  By mark f - August 5 - 6:36 am

  Bought ours used and we thought we got a great buy. Then the problems started to hit us. Thermostat went out was $160 to replace it because a normal man without a car hoist cant get to it, REALLY! Then 1 of the 2 ELECTRIC fans that cool the motor went out. Then it kept over heating anyway. Come to find out, its the water pump. It is made to leak a tiny amount of water as it starts to go out. Causing you to over heat. $600 minimum to replace as it is inside the motor. Since they have to take off the timing belt, might as well replace it too, another $125 in parts. My mechanic said to use 5w-20 synthetic oil only! Other oils cause build-up in side the motor causing them to blow!

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  165k and going - 2000 Dodge Intrepid
  By rhetorical tool - July 28 - 8:01 pm

  Purchased new in 2000, only in the shop a couple of times - water pump was biggest thing. Fun to drive, lots of interior room, excellent mileage for the size, nice styling. Still a daily driver.