1995 Dodge Stratus review from North America

Nothing serious has gone wrong with this car during the time I or the previous owner have owned it.

Typical things such as fuel pump, belts, battery, etc have been replaced, but there have been no unexpected or chronic problems.

I would hardly call this a "fun" vehicle, but it does have its moments.

The engine and transmission seem to be tuned more towards everyday driving than performance. This is good, because that's the reason my wife and I bought it.

I like to shift early at low rpm and get into higher gears as quick as possible. The optimum shift point for this vehicle seems to be around 3,000-3,500 rpm for perfectly smooth shifts. I have to keep reminding myself of that, because I generally like to shift around 2,500 rpm - there's always a slight "lurch" at anything below 3,000.

The car is very small inside. I am not tall (5'10") and my head almost brushes the ceiling. On sunny days, I don't even need the visor down...actually, I can't put the visor down - it blocks my view of the road. However, the car is perfect for my 4'10" wife.

The cab forward design makes the edge of the windshield seem a loooong ways away - if they had chopped a few inches out of that they could have cleared up some interior space.

Back seat is surprisingly roomy, but three people back there (even kids) wouldn't be comfortable for very long. Consider the car a 2+2.

Stock sound system is great.

Huge trunk space.

Overall craftsmanship of the car seems above average to me. Everything is tight with quality parts and high-density plastics. If you know what I mean, it doesn't "feel" cheap and flimsy when you sit in it or drive it.

Fuel mileage is okay. Then again, I consider anything below 40 mpg as "okay" and anything below 30 mpg as "bad". The Stratus gets roughly around 34 mpg.

I would seriously recommend this car to a family with no more than two kids or to a college student who needs a reliable vehicle. As long as you're not worried about performance, it's great.