• Year: 2002
• Make: Chrysler
• Model: Concorde
• Trim: Limited
• Body style: 4 Dr Sedan
• Mileage: 171716
• Engine: 6 Cyl. 3.5
• Trans: Automatic
• Exterior Color: Stone White Clearcoat
• Interior Color: Sandstone
• Stock: W5124
• VIN: 2C3HD56G82H230493

The Concorde's brakes are excellent, offering quick, predictable stopping power at the threshold limit. ABS is standard on the Limited, but it's a $600 option on LX and LXi models. We recommend ABS highly; anti-lock brakes allow the driver to maintain steering control during emergency braking situations. Likewise, traction control is standard on the Limited, optional on LX and LXi; traction control enhances driver control by reducing wheel spin under hard acceleration, making the car easier to drive in slippery conditions.

After four years, this design still looks good. The big egg-crate grille, sculptured headlamps and fluted hood demonstrate Chrysler wasn't afraid to step out of the box. Graceful, fluid lines emulate the craftsmanship of classic automobiles. It is a classic, yet contemporary design. It looks sleek compared with other four-door sedans in its class.

The most noticeable design element is its grille, edged in chrome and adorned with a big winged Chrysler medallion. The front fascia was engineered to meet federal impact requirements without the need for a visible external bumper. Sculptured headlamp bezels surround compact projector beams with integrated fog lamps and turn signals. The shape they describe flows seamlessly into the fluted aluminum hood. The sculptured sheet metal features a minimum of body cladding. Instead, there is great nuance to the metal, which rolls and undulates like a work of art.

Viewed from the side, the aerodynamic lower sill complements the large wheels and tires and visually ties the unique front and rear fascias together. A winged Chrysler medallion adorns the deck lid. The model nameplates are centered on the rear fascia. Wrap-around taillamps use a red/amber split to delineate the stop and turn functions. Stainless steel exhaust tips indicate the added power and performance of the Limited model's high-output engine.

Distinctive styling, luxury, roominess, and performance.

The flowing shapes that grace the exterior are carried through inside. Interior surfaces are soft to the touch for a luxurious feel. The quality of the materials is high, much better than the previous-generation (pre-1998) Concorde. Colors match well, and gaps have been minimized. Nowhere is that more obvious than in the space where doors and dashboard come together. On pre-'98 models, this was a yawning chasm. Big doors open wide to aid getting in and out of the seats, though the steeply raked windshield and A-pillars make this a bit awkward. Relatively low side-bolsters on the seats make sliding into place easy.

Concorde's interior design is spacious and creative. The cab-forward concept puts a tight squeeze under the hood but maximizes passenger space. There's lots of room inside. Concorde comes standard with an eight-way, power-adjustable driver's bucket seat with a manually adjustable lumbar support. (A front bench seat is available as a $150 option that increases seating to 6 passengers; it comes packaged with a column shifter instead of a console-mounted shifter.) The standard bucket seats provide good back and lateral support and the detailing of the fabric is world class. Leather seating surfaces come standard on the LXi.

The rear seats are spacious and comfortable. A three-point seatbelt is fitted to the center position for increased safety for that fifth passenger. The trunk offers 18.7 cubic feet of cargo space. The trunk hinges fold cleanly out of the way instead of intruding into the trunk compartment and crushing fragile items. A rear seat cargo pass-through compartment provides an easy way to carry skies and other long objects in the trunk. The lift-over height is high, however, which makes loading up a week's worth of groceries or heavy items a bit more work.

If there's a downside to the Concorde's sleek exterior styling it's the fact that visibility is slightly reduced. It takes some time to get the feel of the front end to know precisely where the front bumper is; you can't actually see the front corners of the car. And it takes a bit of getting used to the view out of the small rear window, too. Fortunately, the Concorde comes with big side mirrors.

Trim rings around the gauges brighten the appearance of the instrument panel. The instrument panel is covered in material that is soft to the touch. Controls are easy to operate. We like having the compass, outside temperature gauge and map lights that come with the available overhead console, which also features a trip computer and a universal garage door opener.

Limited models come with comfortable premium leather-trimmed seats. Personalized memory controls remember the driver's seating adjustments, outside mirror positions and radio station presets. It's a brilliant interior, sleeker and more contemporary than the Lincoln Continental.

An elegant interior, solid acceleration performance and excellent handling complement the appealing looks of the Chrysler Concorde. With its roomy back seats and generous legroom, it can haul four people in comfortable surroundings. Those surroundings are particularly luxurious in the Limited model with its premium leather. Supremely smooth and stable at highway speeds, we could spend many miles in one of these.

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