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. Next Page