Dodge Stratus: the cab-forward sedan of 1995-2006

The Dodge Stratus is a mid-size car introduced by Dodge in December 1994 for the 1995 model year and built on the four-door Chrysler JA platform. Along with its platform mates, the Plymouth Breeze and Chrysler Cirrus, it made Car and Driver magazine’s Ten Best list for 1996 and 1997.

Dodge Stratus at a glance

Based on one source: the English Wikipedia article on the Dodge Stratus.

History of the Dodge Stratus

The Stratus was introduced in December 1994 as the mid-range offering of Chrysler’s JA platform, a trio of cab-forward sedans. It sat between the more luxurious Chrysler Cirrus and the value-oriented Plymouth Breeze, and it was designed to replace the high-volume Spirit and Dynasty in the United States. At launch it came in two trims, the base model, renamed SE in 2000, and the sportier ES. The base car had a 2.0-litre SOHC four with a 2.4-litre DOHC four as an option; the ES had the 2.0 as standard from 1995 to 1997 with the 2.4 and a 2.5-litre V6 optional, the 2.4 became standard on the ES in 1998, and from 1999 to 2000 the 2.5 V6 was the only ES engine.

The Stratus received favourable reviews at launch, though sales did not always match the acclaim. Publications including Consumer Reports often compared it with cars such as the fifth-generation Chevrolet Malibu and praised its interior roominess, noting it was more spacious than rivals like the 1995 Ford Contour. A feature of the JA platform was the high degree of interchangeability between the Stratus, Cirrus and Breeze: the exteriors were broadly similar but each brand had its own front fascia, rear bumper, tail lights and wheels, while the interiors were nearly identical apart from the steering wheel badge.

All three JA cars offered a long list of standard and optional equipment: a four-speed automatic with an optional semi-automatic AutoStick feature on the Stratus and Cirrus, four-wheel independent suspension with double wishbones at the front and a multi-link rear, anti-lock brakes, a tilt wheel, cruise control, power windows and locks and an optional power driver’s seat. Luxury options included leather, a power antenna, a six-CD changer, a sunroof, remote keyless entry and an anti-theft system. A five-speed manual was offered only with the 2.0-litre four; the 2.4 was not paired with a manual, reportedly because its torque could cause wheelspin and drivability problems.

The Stratus had an international career. In Canada it was sold until 2000, after which the Chrysler Sebring took over the lower mid-size sedan role. In Mexico a turbocharged 2.4-litre version was sold with 168 hp and 216 lb-ft and a four-speed automatic with AutoStick. In Europe the car was badged as the Chrysler Stratus, since Dodge was generally reserved for commercial vehicles there, with chrome side mouldings and a Dodge-style grille. A Dodge Stratus won the 1997 North American Touring Car Championship with driver David Donohue, and the Chrysler Stratus raced in the Swedish Touring Car Championship; in Brazil it was also sold as a Chrysler Stratus.

An updated version arrived for 2001, when the Cirrus was rebranded as the Chrysler Sebring and a coupe body style was added to the Stratus range. Production of the Stratus and Sebring at Sterling Heights ended in early 2006 after 1,308,123 sedans and convertibles had been built since 2000. The Dodge Avenger replaced the Stratus nameplate in early 2007 for the 2008 model year, and after the sedan was discontinued Chrysler sold the assembly line and tooling to the Russian concern GAZ, which built almost 9,000 slightly modified cars as the GAZ Volga Siber from 2008 to 2010.

Design and features

• Cab-forward design: one of Chrysler’s three JA-platform sedans of the mid-1990s.
• Three engines: 2.0 and 2.4-litre fours and a 2.5-litre V6.
• AutoStick: a semi-automatic mode on the four-speed automatic.
• Racing success: the 1997 North American Touring Car Championship with David Donohue.

Dodge Stratus versions

• Base and SE: the entry model with the 2.0-litre four.
• ES: the sportier trim with the 2.4 four or 2.5 V6.
• Stratus coupe (2001-2005): the two-door added with the facelift.
• Chrysler Stratus: the European and Brazilian version of the same car.

The Stratus replaced the Dodge Spirit and Dodge Dynasty and was replaced by the Dodge Avenger, while it shared its platform with the Dodge Journey generation of later years. More Dodge models are in the Dodge collection.

Sources

• Dodge Stratus, English Wikipedia: platform, engines, markets, production end