Replacing the Sebring, a mid-size sedan notable only for its mediocrity, the new Chrysler 200 will first have to overcome the dismal legacy left to it by its predecessor.
With only 80 Sebrings sold across Canada last year, "we've got nothing to lose" says Reid Bigland, addressing journalists at the vehicle's launch.
In this most competitive of segments, with players that include the much-lauded Chevrolet Malibu, Honda Accord, Ford Fusion and top-selling Hyundai Sonata, the 200 will have to bring plenty to the table in order to compete.
First off, it enters the market with a sticker price $5,000 less than the old Sebring. Fully intending to be the most affordable mid-size sedan in Canada, the 200 is estimated to be priced $1,300 less than the Fusion, $4,400 less than the Sonata, and up to $6,000 less than the Honda Accord. And Chrysler claims it will achieve these undercuts, not with a stripped-down base model, but with an entry-level LX that includes air, remote keyless entry and security, power heated mirrors, ambient LED lighting and 4-wheel Disc ABS with tire pressure monitoring.
Standard is the previous generation's 2.4 litre and 4-speed transmission powertrain delivering fuel economy ratings of 9.9 L/100 km (city) and 6.7 l/100 km (hwy). Fuel economy ratings for the available six-speed transmission are 10.5/6.4.
The new Pentastar 3.6L with six-speed auto is available on the mid-range Touring, and standard on top of the line Limited models, delivering 11/6.8 in fuel economy.
Although the 200 is based on the same platform as the Sebring, all similarity ends there. Virtually every aspect was re-engineered, redesigned and retuned for 2011. Riding 12 mm lower in the front, and 6 mm in the rear, the overall design is conservative, yet far more cohesive than the gaudy mishmash of the Sebring. The tidy faces bears the new corporate grille, similar to the Town & Country, with a redesigned wing-badge atop horizontal chrome bars.
 |
| The 200 is based on the same platform as the Sebring, all similarity ends there. (Photo: Lesley Wimbush/Auto123.com) |
With only 80 Sebrings sold across Canada last year, "we've got nothing to lose" says Reid Bigland, addressing journalists at the vehicle's launch.
In this most competitive of segments, with players that include the much-lauded Chevrolet Malibu, Honda Accord, Ford Fusion and top-selling Hyundai Sonata, the 200 will have to bring plenty to the table in order to compete.
First off, it enters the market with a sticker price $5,000 less than the old Sebring. Fully intending to be the most affordable mid-size sedan in Canada, the 200 is estimated to be priced $1,300 less than the Fusion, $4,400 less than the Sonata, and up to $6,000 less than the Honda Accord. And Chrysler claims it will achieve these undercuts, not with a stripped-down base model, but with an entry-level LX that includes air, remote keyless entry and security, power heated mirrors, ambient LED lighting and 4-wheel Disc ABS with tire pressure monitoring.
Standard is the previous generation's 2.4 litre and 4-speed transmission powertrain delivering fuel economy ratings of 9.9 L/100 km (city) and 6.7 l/100 km (hwy). Fuel economy ratings for the available six-speed transmission are 10.5/6.4.
The new Pentastar 3.6L with six-speed auto is available on the mid-range Touring, and standard on top of the line Limited models, delivering 11/6.8 in fuel economy.
Although the 200 is based on the same platform as the Sebring, all similarity ends there. Virtually every aspect was re-engineered, redesigned and retuned for 2011. Riding 12 mm lower in the front, and 6 mm in the rear, the overall design is conservative, yet far more cohesive than the gaudy mishmash of the Sebring. The tidy faces bears the new corporate grille, similar to the Town & Country, with a redesigned wing-badge atop horizontal chrome bars.
 |
| Riding 12 mm lower in the front, and 6 mm in the rear, the overall design is conservative, yet far more cohesive than the gaudy mishmash of the Sebring. (Photo: Lesley Wimbush/Auto123.com) |