Dodge Stratus

Dodge Stratus: generations compared: what actually changed

Dodge Stratus has 3 generations in these data. Do not read them as three copies of the same car.

Dodge Stratus has 3 generations in these data. Do not read them as three copies of the same car.

1 generation (1995-01-01 to 2000-01-31) is Sedan, 4 versions, tank 60 l, clearance 140 mm. Power tops out at 170 hp on 2.5 AT. There is no 3.0 and no 2.7. Rear brakes on 2.4 AT and 2.5 AT are not measured.

2 generation (2000-07-01 to 2003-12-31) is Coupe, 9 versions. It adds 3.0 MT, 3.0 AT, 2.7 AT, and a second 2.4 family (152 hp, 2429 cm³). Tank is 61 or 62 l. Clearance splits: 150 mm on the 2351 cm³ 2.4 and the 3.0, 140 mm on 2.0, the 2429 cm³ 2.4, and 2.7 AT.

2 generation, restyling (2003-09-01 to 2006-05-31) is Coupe, 7 versions. The 2.0 engines are gone. Two 2.4 pairs sit in the same restyle list and must not be mixed: 147 hp / 2351 cm³ (stop 2005-05-31, 150 mm, tank 62 l) and 152 hp / 2429 cm³ (stop 2006-05-31, 140 mm, tank 61 l). The 3.0 pair also stops 2005-05-31; 2.7 AT runs to 2006-05-31.

What the restyle buys in numbers: 2.4 MT 147 hp kerb drops from 1445 kg (2 generation) to 1390 kg (−55 kg, −3.8%). 3.0 MT kerb drops from 1485 to 1454 kg (−31 kg). 2.7 AT kerb drops from 1510 to 1471 kg (−39 kg). 2.4 AT 152 hp kerb stays 1495 kg. Front brakes on the 147 hp 2.4 and the 3.0 become Ventilated disc; the 152 hp 2.4 and 2.7 AT stay Disc. Top speed on restyle 3.0 AT/3.0 MT is 200 km/h, 6 km/h below 2 generation’s 206 km/h. Restyle 3.0 AT is 200 hp, not 203 hp.

Engines and specs

Use the names exactly. Same name + different hp is a different car.

Engine placement is Front, transverse; feed is Distributed injection (multi-point); valves per cylinder are 4. Compression and bore × stroke: 2.0 9.8 and 87.5 × 83; 2.4 152 hp 9.4 and 87.5 × 101; 2.5 AT 9.4 and 83.5 × 76; 2.7 AT 9.7 and 86 × 78.5; 3.0 10 and 91.1 × 76. Compression and bore × stroke on 2.4 147/149 hp are not measured.

Specific output (hp per litre of displacement): 2.7 AT 74.2; restyle 3.0 MT 68.3; 2.5 AT 68.1; 2 generation 3.0 68.3; 2.0 133 hp 66.6; 2.0 132 hp 66.1; restyle 3.0 AT 200 hp 67.3; 2.4 149 hp 63.4; 2.4 152 hp 62.6; 2.4 147 hp 62.5. The 2.7 is the densest engine; the 2351 cm³ 2.4 is the least dense.

Torque per litre: 3.0 278 / 2.972 = 93.5 Nm/l; 2.4 152 hp 226 / 2.429 = 93.0; 2.7 AT 258 / 2.736 = 94.3; 2.5 AT 230 / 2.497 = 92.1; 2.4 147/149 hp 214 / 2.351 = 91.0; 2.0 132 hp MT 175 / 1.996 = 87.7. Peak torque arrives earliest on the 2.4s (4000 rpm) and latest on 2.7 AT (4850 rpm).

Performance and economy

0–100 km/h (s): 2 generation 3.0 AT 8.6 — the only sub-9 figure. 2.5 AT 9.4. Then a cluster at 9.5: both 2.4 147/149 hp pairs, both restyle 3.0s, both 2 generation 3.0 MT, both 2.7 AT. 1 generation 2.4 AT 9.8. 2.0 MT (both generations) 10. Both 2.4 152 hp pairs 10.5. 2.0 AT (1 generation and 2 generation) not measured.

Top speed (km/h): 210 on 2.5 AT and both 2.7 AT. 206 on 2 generation 3.0 MT and 3.0 AT. 200 on restyle 3.0 AT and 3.0 MT. 190 on 2.4 147/149 hp. 180 on 2.0 MT and all 2.4 152 hp. 2.0 AT not measured.

Same 0–100 of 9.5 s does not mean the same car: restyle 2.4 MT 147 hp (1390 kg, 190 km/h) and restyle 2.7 AT (1471 kg, 210 km/h) share the time and split 20 km/h at the top. 2 generation 3.0 AT is 0.9 s quicker than 3.0 MT with the same 203 hp, 278 Nm, 1485 kg and 206 km/h — the Automatic 4 is the only listed difference that can explain the gap. Restyle 3.0 AT at 200 hp is listed at 9.5 s, 0.9 s slower than the earlier 3.0 AT despite 31 kg less kerb.

2.4 152 hp is 5 hp above restyle 2.4 147 hp but 1.0 s slower to 100 and 10 km/h slower on top, on 105 kg more kerb (1495 vs 1390). Extra displacement (2429 vs 2351, +78 cm³) and extra torque (226 vs 214 Nm) do not buy a quicker car in these figures.

City / highway / mixed consumption: not measured on all versions. CO2: not measured. Eco class: not measured. You cannot rank mpg from this catalogue.

Dimensions and weight

Kerb, kg/hp, gross, clearance, tank:

Payload (gross − kerb) is largest on restyle 2.4 152 hp at 495 kg and smallest on 2 generation 3.0 at 375 kg. 1 generation 2.5 AT carries 530 kg on 1370 kg kerb — the lightest six-cylinder kerb in the set.

Front and rear suspension are Independent, spring on every version. Rear brakes: Drum on all four-cylinders except where not measured (1 generation 2.4 AT); Disc on 3.0, 2.7, and (front/rear both Disc) 2.5 AT rear not measured. Restyle 147 hp 2.4 and restyle 3.0 use Ventilated disc at the front.

Which version to choose

Want the shortest 0–100: 2 generation 3.0 AT (203 hp, 8.6 s, 206 km/h, 1485 kg, 7.32 kg/hp). It is 0.8 s quicker than 2.5 AT and 0.9 s quicker than every other 3.0 and 2.7. The restyle 3.0 AT is 3 hp down, 0.9 s slower, and 6 km/h slower; do not buy it thinking it is the same Automatic as 2000–2003.

Want the best kg/hp with a stick: restyle 3.0 MT (203 hp, 1454 kg, 7.16 kg/hp, 200 km/h, 9.5 s). Versus 2 generation 3.0 MT: −31 kg, same power, −6 km/h. Versus restyle 2.4 MT 147 hp: +56 hp, +64 kg, same 9.5 s, +10 km/h.

Want the highest specific output and top speed in a later Coupe: restyle 2.7 AT (74.2 hp/l, 210 km/h, 9.5 s, 1471 kg, 7.25 kg/hp). Versus restyle 3.0 AT: +3 hp, −20 Nm (258 vs 278), +10 km/h, +17 kg, same 9.5 s, 10 mm less clearance (140 vs 150). Versus 2 generation 2.7 AT: −39 kg, same power, same speed, same time. The 2.7 peaks 300 rpm later than the 3.0 for power and 350 rpm later for torque.

Want a six-cylinder Sedan: only 2.5 AT exists (170 hp, 230 Nm, 9.4 s, 210 km/h, 1370 kg, 8.06 kg/hp). It matches 2.7 AT on top speed, beats every 2.4 on 0–100, and is 100–140 kg lighter than later sixes. You give up 33 hp versus 2.7 AT and 33 hp versus 2 generation 3.0 AT. Rear brakes not measured.

Want the lightest car: 2.0 MT at 1355 kg in 1 generation (133 hp, 10 s, 180 km/h, 10.19 kg/hp, tank 60 l) or 2 generation (132 hp, 10.27 kg/hp, tank 61 l). Versus 2.4 MT 147 hp restyle you save 35 kg and lose 15 hp and 10 km/h. 2.0 AT cannot be ranked on 0–100, top speed, or kerb: all three are not measured.

Want a four-cylinder Coupe with 150 mm clearance: restyle 2.4 MT or 2.4 AT at 147 hp (1390 kg, 9.5 s, 190 km/h, tank 62 l). Manual and Automatic share every listed number except gearbox (5 vs 4). That is the cheapest-feeling swap in the table: 0 hp and 0 s difference. 2 generation 2.4 MT/AT 149 hp is +2 hp and +55 kg for the same 9.5 s and 190 km/h.

Do not pick 2.4 152 hp for “more engine” without reading the clock: 152 hp, 226 Nm, 2429 cm³, 10.5 s, 180 km/h, 1495 kg, 140 mm, tank 61 l. Against restyle 147 hp 2.4 that is +5 hp, +12 Nm, +105 kg, +1.0 s, −10 km/h, −10 mm. Against 1 generation 2.4 AT (same 152 hp) you lose 0.7 s (10.5 vs 9.8) and add 25 kg. The 152 hp 2.4 is the slowest measured Stratus.

Manual vs Automatic on the same engine: 2.4 147/149/152 hp — listed 0–100 and top speed identical, so the 5-speed Manual is not quicker on paper. 3.0 in the restyle — identical 9.5 s / 200 km/h. 3.0 in 2 generation — Automatic is 0.9 s quicker. 2.0 — Automatic performance not measured.

Problems and reliability are not in this dataset. What the numbers do show: every engine is naturally aspirated Gasoline on 92; there is no AWD; there is no diesel; consumption is not measured, so running-cost claims would be invention.

Buy order by the catalogue figures, if you want one line: 2 generation 3.0 AT for the 8.6 s; restyle 3.0 MT for 7.16 kg/hp; restyle 2.7 AT for 74.2 hp/l and 210 km/h in a 2003–2006 Coupe; 2.5 AT if you need the Sedan; restyle 2.4 MT 147 hp if you want the light four-cylinder; skip 2.4 152 hp unless you specifically need that 2429 cm³ long-stroke (87.5 × 101) package and accept 10.5 s and 180 km/h.