Two drivers piloted the Intrepid around Colorado Springs this past month, and both turned over the keys satisfied, but not overly impressed. The first staffer said the Intrepid was a pleasure to drive (without AutoStick) and noted that although he'd driven faster, more comfortable cars, the Intrepid was as good a blend of power and comfort as one could expect from a sedan. We also discovered a mystery blemish on the corner of the car's right rear bumper. We're not sure if the Intrepid was hit in a parking lot or if a staffer backed into something without realizing it. We wouldn't be surprised if this happened since it's so difficult to see out of the car's rear window to judge the corners. In any event, the bumper itself was not damaged and we are confident that some rubbing compound will remove the remaining paint flecks without marring the car's surface. This incident strengthened our driver's resolve never to buy a brand new car, though.

Our second driver immediately noticed that, with 10,400 miles on the odometer, the automatic shift lever had a slushy feel to it. His main complaint was how difficult it is to tell what gear you're in. Though he could always look at the instrument panel, he would prefer it if Dodge would install some kind of indicator down by the shift lever itself. The PRNDL markings are painted white and do not light up, so our staffer found himself embarrassed when he would hit the gas while the car was in neutral. Kudos to Dodge for building a comfortable car and for decorating the IP with pretty green gauges, though.

Best Fuel Economy: 21.5 mpg
Worst Fuel Economy: 15.4 mpg
Maintenance Costs: $0
Problems: None.