Stratus coupes get an updated interior for 2003, most of which represents an improvement. Coupe SE seats are covered in a new Spade/Saratoga fabric. Coupe R/T offers choice of the Spade/Saratoga fabric or new perforated leather. An all-new instrument panel with white gauges offers a sporty appearance. A new center console is nicely designed for improved convenience, offering a pair of cup holders, but the plastic looks cheap. Handy when trying to find your way are new reading lamps and a new auto-dimming mirror with integral compass and temperature display. HomeLink is now available, which can open garage doors and turn on house lights with the press of a button. Coupes come with rudimentary HVAC (heating and air-conditioning) controls that look like they came from a compact. The coupe's handbrake lever is spindly. Some models offer a new, silvery dash trim for the center dash and door panels that would be better used for a bass-fishing lure. R/T coupe has nice brushed-aluminum trim. R/T also comes with radio controls on the steering wheel.

Sedans come with comfortable seats, but they lack side support, not good for hard driving. R/Ts get power controls for the seats that are straightforward and easy to operate, while the other models come standard with manually adjustable seats. R/T's cloth seats are supportive and comfortable, but don't look great. The sporty leather option looks nicer. The sedan's shifter and hand brake lever feel beefy, a big improvement over the coupe's. The cloth door trim adds little to the interior appeal.

The sedans get a nicer dash than the coupes. The center of the dash features a compass and outside temperature readout between a pair of vents. The available six-disc CD player is a separate unit, located down below the HVAC and stereo controls that is recessed and awkward to reach. It's best to load it up when parked. Buttons for switching disks are awkward to reach, but are big and easily identified.

The sedan's rear seats are not the best in the class. Getting in and out of the rear seats is tight. Once back there, it's uncomfortable. There's little room for adult feet and you sit low in the seat. Worse, the rear seats lack support on the outside edges of the seat bottoms, making you feel like you're falling to the outside. And there's no center armrest. Overall, the back is best for child safety seats and young people who don't notice things like comfort. The rear bench does seat three, however, and the Alcantera inserts in the rear of leather R/T models look nice.

Rear seats feature folding seatbacks split 60/40 for access to the trunk.

The cockpit theme of the Stratus models is reinforced by round analog instruments tucked beneath an arched cowl. Different models rim the instruments with bezels of various colors. Although the dashboard is flat and linear, there's a wrap-around feel to the cockpit.

From the driver's seat you can easily reach window and lock switches mounted on the door. Thanks to the broad and tall expanses of window glass and relatively narrow windshield pillars, the Stratus provides excellent outward visibility for the driver, enhancing safety.

Passive safety measures include three-point seatbelts for all five seat positions and dual-stage frontal airbags. We recommend opting for the side-impact airbags and anti-lock brakes. Traction control is also a good idea for this powerful front-wheel-drive car.