Overview & Reviews

Introduced in the mid-'90s, the Dodge Stratus was a replacement for the aging and boxy Spirit. It was one of three sedans based on Chrysler's "JA" platform, including the Plymouth Breeze and Chrysler Cirrus. Among these triplets, the Stratus was touted as the sportiest, and it took the role as the midsize car in Dodge's lineup.

The first-generation Dodge Stratus was known mostly for its sharp styling, roomy interior and value. Dodge followed it up with a redesigned model for the start of the new millennium that featured additional safety equipment and a more powerful V6 engine. A coupe model also debuted.

The Stratus had a decent run but ultimately never achieved the superstar status that Dodge had hoped for. In terms of refinement, build quality and reputation for reliability, it couldn't match top import models. Production ended after the second generation. As a used sedan or coupe, the Stratus is a fair choice. Consumers prioritizing price or exterior styling might find it worth a look.

Most Recent Dodge Stratus

The second and last generation of the Dodge Stratus covered model years 2001-'06. Sedan and coupe body styles were offered. Mechanically, there is a fair amount of difference between the two. The Stratus coupe (formerly known as the Avenger) was actually based on the Mitsubishi Eclipse of the time and differed from its Japanese cousin mainly in its sheet metal. The Stratus sedan was still a Chrysler design.

A large trunk and fairly roomy interior, thanks to Chrysler's "Cab Forward" design philosophy, were two of the Stratus sedan's strong points. Another was the car's handling -- it felt sportier than many other mid-priced, midsize sedans of the time. Even so, most used Stratus shoppers will likely be attracted mainly by the price, as the cars haven't really held their value the way Japanese sedans of the same size would. The Stratus coupe could be a good buy for someone who wants a comfy, V6-powered coupe as opposed to a small, high-strung sports car.

In general, coupes were available in base SXT and sporty R/T versions. Sedans came in base SE, midgrade SXT, luxury-oriented ES and R/T guise. Stratus coupes were powered by a 2.4-liter inline-4 producing 147 horsepower; R/T versions had a 3.0-liter V6 rated at 200 ponies. Both engines could be had with either a five-speed manual or four-speed automatic transmission.

The sedans had Chrysler engines. Some models were fitted with a 150-hp, 2.4-liter four-cylinder, but most had a 200-hp 2.7-liter V6. All sedans came with a four-speed automatic transmission.

Past Dodge Stratus Models

The first generation Dodge Stratus was available from 1995-2000. The sedan (there was no coupe) was originally offered in two trim levels: base and slightly more luxurious ES. Base models had a 2.0-liter, four-cylinder engine making 132 hp. Optional was a larger 2.4-liter making 150 hp. For the ES, Dodge offered a 168-hp, 2.5-liter V6.

There were no major changes to this generation, so potential buyers shouldn't feel a need to focus on any particular year. At the time, the Stratus earned high marks for its edgy styling and larger-than-expected interior and trunk.

User Reviews:

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  Buy It! - 2003 Dodge Stratus
  By moparornocar08 - October 25 - 10:39 pm

  Bought the car on Labor Day weekend 06 and have never regretted it. Its a four-door with the R/T package, deep metallic red, looks great, runs great, roomy, comfortable, great gas mileage, has all the bells and whistles (leather, 6-disc cd changer, sunroof, etc.), just an all- around great car. The perfomance is definitely suprising. Ours has the automatic with Autostick and can pass pretty much anything you want to (it can do over 110 in third!). It can at least run with 3 Series Beemers with ease:). Definitely get the V6 if you are considering one, theyre suprising powerful and get good gas mileage (we average at least 30-32). And we always get compliments on the styling. Great car.

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  A good sporty car for the price - 2003 Dodge Stratus
  By R/T fan - October 1 - 1:51 pm

  I got my dark blue (great color) R/T coupe about a year ago and have very much enjoyed it. Has plenty of power without having so much that its wasted, very precise handling with little roll, great looking and pretty good standard 4-cd sound system and moonroof. The shifter is in a great location with excellent feel although the clutch is a little heavy and tricky in first, and bravo to Dodge for actually offering a manual with the V6 version of the coupe (unlike GM Grand Am or Alero which had no manual with V6 nor Toyota for the Camry Solara the Mustang has one but the 03s are primitive and I have yet to find a used Accord V6 coupe with the manual). Great mileage (25/30) too!

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  Good solid car - 2001 Dodge Stratus
  By dab - September 26 - 2:14 pm

  Now over 6 yrs old, has never given much trouble. Have had 2 wheel bearings, one covered by warranty, and heater fan lost 1 speed. Also a tie rod replaced. FM portion of radio just stopped working. Thats it for repairs! Have driven coast to coast. Average mpg lifetime around 31 mpg with 2.4 liter engine/automatic. Original tires went over 76K miles.

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  Nice American Option - 1997 Dodge Stratus
  By greenroom1988 - September 2 - 9:22 am

  The Stratus is a nice car and is the family beater until my sister gets her license. We got it for a cheap 1,500 and it has 160,000 miles on it yet it pulls almost as hard as my Integra did. All the features work and they car held up to abuse from the previous owner.

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  Great Car - 2000 Dodge Stratus
  By Dave - August 30 - 1:23 pm

  I purchased my Stratus used Jan 2001, since then I have put 250,000 miles on it. I have had very few problems and have put a total of 4000 into upkeep and repairs over the last 6 1/2 years. Even with all this mileage I still get 25 mpg highway. Yes it does need some more work but what vehicle wouldnt that has been a real work horse for 42,000 miles a year.

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  Good while still new - 2001 Dodge Stratus
  By TK - August 29 - 8:28 am

  I bought the Stratus barely used and overall it hasnt been a bad car. I have not had a lot of major problems under the hood. However, the air conditioning has been a constant problem since about 60,000 miles. It is repaired and then goes out again soon after. This last time, I took the car to 3 reliable/well known mechanics in the Chicago area who were all unable to determine the cause of the problem. I suppose their could be worse things- as the car runs, but it is very frustrating not to have air constantly. I have come across many others with dodge vehicles who have reported the exact same prob. with ac and have also had difficulty wih getting it repaired.

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  Best new car I ever had - 2004 Dodge Stratus
  By Rick P. - August 28 - 10:00 am

  I bought the 2004 Dodge Stratus on a limb. I had test drove other cars of its class, and just couldnt get the warm fuzzy of spending $20,000 on any of them. I went to my local Dodge dealership, test drove this, and knew right away this was the one. Great handling, sporty looks, very comfortable. I would recommend this car to anyone who is looking for a great car enjoyment/price ratio.

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  Better than my 96 Cirrus - 2006 Dodge Stratus
  By Harold - August 21 - 10:43 am

  Ive just purchased this vehicle last week and it is a significant upgrade over my 96 Cirrus. It seems to have a lot more interior space and a bigger trunk. I was leaning toward a 4 cylinder for gas mileage, and this has it I like the fact it has the LATCH system for car seats for the children and working AC (especially for Florida). The interior is simple and not an eyesore. Controls are easily accessible and understandable. Acceleration tends be loud, but it is a 4 cylinder and not a 6. This vehicle is a welcome addition to my family of 4.

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  My Stratus - 2004 Dodge Stratus
  By Mateo - August 10 - 10:00 am

  Overall A very good car. Good looking however it is a bit underpowered compared to other cars in its class, it needs about another 50 horsepower to be competive. The power steering is way to overassisted for my taste, it leaves no real feel of the road. Braking is good and it handles well once you get used to the power stearing. Parts of the interior feel a bit cheap and the dash is comming apart at the de-fog vent aver about 8 months of ownership. The automatic transmission felt abit sluggish on take- off, thats why i chose the manual.

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  Was a Great Car for Me - 1998 Dodge Stratus
  By JimW8 - July 16 - 9:20 am

  My experience with my 1998 Dodge Stratus (2.4 liter 4 cylinder engine) was very good. The car was completely reliable and gave me only one problem at about 40K miles (transmission cooler hose leaked and was quickly and inexpensively repaired) until it hit 143,800 miles. Then the transmission went bad, so I sold it rather than spend the $1800 to have a rebuilt transmission put into it.