Introduced with great success in 1993, the forward-thinking
Dodge Intrepid sedan enters its second year with no exterior changes.
Sales have exceeded company expectations for what is described as a midsize sedan; however, some have noted the substantial passenger roominess and rated it full-size. With this blurred distinction, Intrepid finds itself competing with a range of domestic and imported sedans, including Ford Taurus and Crown Victoria, Chevrolet Lumina and Caprice, and Honda Accord.
Our test vehicle was the standard base model equipped with the 3.3-liter overhead-valve V6 engine that produces 161 hp at 5,300 rpm, up from last year's 153 hp. Intrepid is also available in an upscale ES model that includes some base-model options as standard equipment. This is a common industry p1oy that enables a manufacturer to offer a price leader and a well-equipped version in the same model lineup.
Available for both models is a 3.5-liter V6 that generates 214 hp at 5,800 rpm. Also available is a flexible-fuel 3.3-liter engine that will make farmers and the Environmental Protection Agency happy because it is designed to run on cleaner-burning fuel containing as much as 85 percent methanol, which is made from grain.
The MSRP of our vehicle was $19,429, including the cost of an option package with electronic speed control, an AM/FM stereo with cassette player, power windows and door locks, and four-wheel disc brakes. Standard features include dual air bags and power-assisted rack-and-pinion steering. Steel-belted radial tires are also standard. They're mounted on 15-inch wheels with covers that we considered strange-looking and at odds with the rest of the car.
The most immediate and arresting feature of the exterior design is its cab-forward styling. From top to bottom, the windshield slopes out at least 40 inches, meeting the hood about midpoint over the front wheel housings. The headlights and wraparound amber sidelights are set in an elongated half-moon opening that mirrors the shape of the car itself. It is all stylish and pleasing to the eye.
The bodyside is divided by a 2-inch protective molding finished in matching body color, which in this case was an appealing Emerald Green. Aerodynamic black side-view mirrors are heated, activated when the rear-window defroster is turned on. Door handles are recessed and match the car's color. Black plastic covers the steel surrounding the side windows. It also covers roof support pillars. The rear window complements the windshield and slopes gently to the deck lid, which conceals 16.7 cubic feet of usable carrying space.
The taillights span the rear of the vehicle and wrap around, with two 1-inch bands at the corners. The center of the taillight band is decorated with "Intrepid" in a stylized logo. Backup lighting is centered as well.
Overall, Chrysler stylists thought this car's exterior design through to the last detail.
