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Saturday, March 26, 2011
Chrysler 200 sheds rental-car lineage
By Ken Walston
Of the Journal
Chrysler has taken great pains with its new 200 midsize family sedan to shed the rental-car stigma that so tainted its precursor, the unloved Sebring.
With little time (18 months) and funding in short supply, Chrysler was able to largely reinvent the old car, with (mostly) new styling; improved handling and ride; and extensive interior upgrades.
The result is a sedan that finally is able to hold its head up in autodom's most competitive segment. It hasn't leapt to the front of a pack of impressive products — think Honda Accord, Toyota Camry, Ford Fusion, Chevrolet Malibu, Hyundai Sonata — but it's no longer the worst, and that in and of itself is something of a miracle.
Stylewise, the freshened front and rear designs are more suggestive of luxury car than rental car, but still built around the basic profile of the Sebring as determined by budgetary contraints.
The real improvements are under and inside the 200. Step in to the cabin and you'll be greeted by soft-touch plastics and satin-finish metal trim and, in the case of our Limited test model, good-looking and comfortable leather-trimmed seats. Even the switchgear operates smoother than before and feels more robust.
Additional insulation and acoustic glass contribute to surprisingly quiet cabin ambiance, with little wind and road noise.
The suspension received a thorough massaging, netting a more controlled ride and confident handling, while a revised steering system delivers greater precision.
The weakest remaining link in this caterpillar-to-butterfly metamorphosis is the base four-cylinder engine. With only 173 horsepower, the 2.4-liter twin-cam motor is merely adequate. Even with six forward speeds in the automatic transmission, acceleration is relatively leisurely.
Consider the optional, new 3.6-liter V-6 for added oomph with little sacrifice in fuel economy.
Just the fact that the new 200 is worthy of consideration is a promising sign that Chrysler is not only capable of sustaining a comeback, but eager to do so.
2011 Chrysler 200 Limited
VEHICLE TYPE: Four-door, five-passenger sedan
BASE PRICE: $23,745
PRICE AS TESTED: $25,735 (incl. delivery fees)
POWERTRAIN: 2.4-liter, DOHC, four-cylinder; 173 horsepower; 166 lb.-ft. torque; six-speed automatic transmission; front-wheel drive
WHEELBASE/LENGTH: 108.9"/191.7"
CURB WEIGHT: 3,389 pounds
EPA FUEL RATING: 20 mpg city/31 highway (regular grade)
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