Review: 2011 Chrysler 200

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It's an Enterprise rental...but surprisingly well equipped for one. It's a 2011 200 Touring with the Pentastar V6, 6-speed auto, 17" alloys, sunroof, satellite radio, auto climate control, steering-wheel audio controls, HID headlights. It has about 29,000 miles.

Short version: I am VERY impressed! Interior is good, well-designed and well built. The centre console is a slightly peculiar design, located a bit further back than I like, but has adequate storage and a 12V plug. There is a large cubby under the HVAC controls...it has another 12V plug and is large enough for CD's, phones, a large PDA, maybe even an iPad.

The column is a bit low even tilted all the way up. (Note: it also telescopes.) The seat (cloth, full power with lumbar) is very comfortable and supportive, the ride is smooth even over broken pavement...this would be a superb road trip car. Brakes are excellent, handling is secure.

The stereo is pretty good. Steering wheel controls work well, though oddly, there is no way to turn the radio off, mute the sound, or turn it on with them. The station selected is also displayed in the dash info screen, on the left bellow the temp & fuel gauges...nice touch. Analog clock above the radio is also a nice touch.

Rear seat legroom is a LITTLE tight (note: I have the seat most of the way back) but entirely adequate for most people...only caveat is the somewhat low door opening.

The trunk is very large, though not especially deep...the lid is cantilevered and opens more than 90 degrees to ease loading. One quirk: it opens only with the dash button or the key remote.

Saving the best for last: wow, what a powertrain! The Pentastar turns the 200 into a rocket...even moderate throttle in a tight turn can have the inside front wheel chirping. (When I picked it up, I expected it to be a 4-banger and initially, drove it accordingly.) The combination of the Pentastar's powerband (it will happily climb suburban hills at
Verdict: this car is a home run for Chrysler. Absolutely no complaints except the low column.
 
It is nice to see an updated version of the Sebring.
To me, though, Chrysler wont release anymore than the 300,200 and T&C and in 5 years they will be rebranded as Fiat.
 
These updated versions of the 200 AKA Sebring will cease production next year. And make way for a Fiat based platform for the 2014 model year. Like they did with the Dodge Dart.

They have a few Darts at my local dealer. From what I can tell they are 100% better then the [censored] Caliber that they replaced.
 
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I think that if Chrysler didn't cheap out on the interiors of all their cars in the past that they would have had decent offerings. I haven't been in any of the new ones, but everytime I sat in one of their cars made until Fiat took over, it always left something more to be desired.
 
Many of us who care more about performance and utility are quite pleased with our allegedly spartan interiors. Mine has aged quite well, and I don't need glitz in the interior, as I value the driving experience far more with comfort in second place.
 
Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
Many of us who care more about performance and utility are quite pleased with our allegedly spartan interiors. Mine has aged quite well, and I don't need glitz in the interior, as I value the driving experience far more with comfort in second place.


You and I are pretty much in agreement on the interior of the previous gen 300. But now that I own a 2012 300, there is no denying the improvements in interior material quality, fit, and finish. And the seats are no longer based on the ones from the old Benz E-class, which means they are nearly two inches wider (and a lot more comfortable, IMO). On my 07, I could actually take my left arm off the door armrest and stick it between the side of the seat back and the B pillar. Can't do that on my new one because the seat is so much wider. Of course, this means the center console and armrest are narrower than in my 07.
 
Nice review! Amazing how a previously horrendous car can get so thoroughly updated in a year's time. I sat in a new 200, and loved the interior. Everything was laid out nicely, and I found a position behind the wheel quickly. All the often-touched surfaces were finished nicely. It was a dramatic departure from the old Sebring with its Tupperware-party interior.
 
Originally Posted By: sciphi
Nice review! Amazing how a previously horrendous car can get so thoroughly updated in a year's time.


The one thing Mercedes did right when they had Chrysler was engineer fantastic platforms. Their cost cutting went into the interior and "details." The result was Fiat had good, solid foundations in both the 300 and Sebring/200 to work with. I have no experience with the Sebring or 200, but I can tell you that with the 300 they took a great car and made it better. The improvements in ride and NVH are nothing short of amazing, especially when you consider how good the previous generation 300 was in these areas to begin with. The improvements in interior fit and finish are just icing on the cake.
 
I leased one of these a little over a year ago and with 12K trouble free miles on the clock, it's been a fun car to drive.

Granted the 200 is a fluffed & buffed Sebring, but the Pentastar V6 and 6 sp transmission really transform this car. According to the EVIC, mine gets a little over 32 MPG up to 70 MPH, and in the mid-20s around town. Oil changes are a breeze with the top mounted cannister oil filter and easily accessible drain plug.

My lease expires in time for the replacement 200 based on Fiat/Alfa architecture. Looking forward to getting paddle shifters, back-up camera and heated steering wheel on the next version in 2014.
 
The 200 is a screamin' deal compared to a similarly equipped Honda Accord or Toyota Camry. The price delta between a 200 and a Ford Fusion, Chevy Malibu, Nissan Altima, and Hyundai Sonata is a little closer but the 200 still wins on value.

A 200 Limited with the V6, leather, sunroof, GPS nav, 18" wheels, full power, bluetooth, upgraded stereo, everything can be had around $24,000 transaction price.

I have a bunch of new 4 cyl Touring's under $18k. That's almost $5000 off sticker. A great deal for someone looking at a nice midsize sedan with a 5 yr 100k mile powertrain warranty.
 
my review of the 4 cyl. Didn't like it.
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After reading this thread and seeing a lot on the 3.6L offered in the 200, I decided to stop by and take it for a test drive.

Like mentioned, the interior is really impressive. Everything looks and feels upscale, not to mention it's a very attractive interior. Even the analog clock (something I usually find to be cheesy in cars) looks classy. The dashboard is huge though, it just looks enormous to see over. I guess some wont consider that a con but it stuck out to me.

Back seats are definitely cramped. For a long trip, passengers in the back will be anxious to get out just to stretch. The trunk was pretty big, but not very deep.

Exterior looked pretty good. It had a nice "tungsten" paint option and came with pretty crazy wheels, a bit extravagant for a 200 but nice. The car was optioned out pretty well for a "base" model. Fog lights, premium sound, touch screen audio interface with Sirius (not sure if this one had navigation). The car felt and looked pretty upscale.

The 200 looks sexy straight on and from the back, but from the side things don't blend too well. I guess this has to do with the fact that this car still is, in fact, a Seabring. The main thing is the high roofline.... it doesn't look terrible but it just doesn't match up with the rest of the car.

As far as the ride goes I was impressed overall. The noise level was at a minimum and the exhaust note was great. The 3.6 is a powerhouse for a car like this. I've seen reports of stock 0-60 times in under 6 seconds and 14 second 1/4 miles. The thing definitely packs a punch.

I wasn't thrilled with the 6-speed auto though. There is a good chance this is user error. I have only owned manual transmissions in the past. I do still enjoy driving a good auto trans but I feel like I am not that good with one. You never hear someone say "I can't drive an automatic" but maybe i'm that guy lol.

The only issue with the 6speed is with keeping it in "Drive" and you really step on it, it doesn't react like you'd expect. You can tell it was programmed with fuel economy in mind which is not a bad thing, afterall it gets a respectable 19/30 with 283hp/260tq. Now it has the auto-shift mode which to me is something you'd only use to show off the power to friends and passengers driving with you. I would get tired of that quickly. What would be nice is a "Sport" mode like many autos have these days which will just perform with power in mind and not fuel efficiency.

Overall a lot of car for the money. This thing had a MSRP of just under 26k and with incentives and rebates it comes to 21k. I am willing to bet you could get it a little cheaper too. Test drives are a tease though, it would be nice to get a whole day with a car.
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