Chrysler 200 - New premium midsize from the Pentastar

Chrysler 200 - New premium midsize from the Pentastar

Chrysler 200 - New premium midsize from the Pentastar

Chrysler’s Sebring was a decent enough car, pleasant to drive, with a full load of interior tech. It just never lived up to the standard set by its bigger brother, the 300C, or benchmarks in this very competitive class. Interior quality was also not up to standards and gave a wide space through which journalists drove their criticisms. A redesign and re-engineering of the Sebring brings virtually an all-new vehicle, known from 2011 onward as the 200.

There’s no getting around the Sebring’s left-over roofline, but the rest of the 200 is as elegant as Chrysler deserves. It is the first Chrysler to wear the new chrome grille with wavy inserts and the brand’s updated winged logo without the old-timey ribbon inside. Projector beam headlamps, LEDs at the rear, and delicate sculpting give the 200 an expensive look befitting an entry-luxury car.

Chrysler also promises the plastic-laden interior of the Sebring has been banished to the recyclers. Refined instruments, thickly-cushioned seats, padded door and dash materials, and a new dashboard design raise up the 200. Passenger and luggage space, never a problem in the Sebring, should remain about the same.
The 200 will be powered by a new generation of four-cylinder and V6 engines. Base models come with a 2.4-litre I4 matched to either a four-speed or six-speed automatic transmission. Up-level models come with Chrysler’s new 3.6-litre Pentastar V6 connected to a six-speed automatic transmission. Ride and handling have been improved for more driving feel. Combined with a stiffer body structure, the car should be noticeably tighter and refined.

It will be a few more years before Chrysler gets an entirely-new product line-up, but the 200 proves the company can design some elegant looking sedans that are nice to drive. It will take more than one sedan to prove Chrysler is back to its former glory, but we haven’t seen the next 300C yet. That will be the convincer. Both the new 200 and 300 sedans will be available later this year.