Remember that neighbor, Mr. What’s-His-Name? You know, the guy who lived down the street, kept his house up and yard clean, said “hello” whenever you walked past, and was never any trouble? A rather pleasant fellow, he never stood out, or – for that matter – caused you or your neighbors any worry. He was just there.

Say hello to one of Mr. What’s-His-Name’s vehicular equivalents, the Dodge Stratus SXT. Don’t let the wedge shape fool you, this coupe is as pleasantly innocuous and nondescript as can be. The standard 2.4-liter inline four is surprisingly strong in this application, and the five-speed manual gearbox possesses ratios that make moving up or down the gears nearly worry-free. It may not be the lightest, most direct, or even the most precise gearbox in the world, but – as long as you don’t rush it – it works just fine. Aided and abetted by a clutch that engages smoothly and cleanly, the entire experience is…pleasant and nondescript.

The engine is pretty similar, though it was a surprise to see that the standard 2.4-liter four moves the Stratus around as well as it does. It looks like Dodge’s Mr. What’s-His-Name has been keeping in shape. Nothing too dramatic, mind you, just some mild calisthenics. Enough to make a difference, but not enough to get noticed. Much like the suspension, which has a nicely compliant ride, but allows excessive roll in hard cornering.

The interior follows the same path, though you definitely notice how the steeply raked windshield and sharply curved roofline affect entering or exiting the cabin. And how this combination makes you lean forward to see traffic lights, lean your seat back farther than you otherwise would, and rub the bruise on your temple after you knock your head while getting in the car. Meanwhile, back seat passengers are given the luxury of a tilt-slide right front seat to ease their way, and reasonable head and leg room for what purports to be a sporty coupe. Of course, from that vantage point they often remark on the light colored headliner trimmed with a black plastic cap that covers from B-pillar to B-pillar around the outer edge of the headliner. Or the fact that this same dark plastic covers the A-pillars, but in isolation.