Auto123.com - Helping you drive happy

2002 Chrysler Sebring Sedan Road Test

Get the best interest rate
Khatir Soltani
2002 Chrysler Sebring Sedan - Classic Good Looks in a Value Leading Package

The Sebring sedan is one of those midsize American cars that could easily go unnoticed in today's SUV crazy world. After all, who buys midsize domestic sedans nowadays? Fleet managers of large corporations? Rental car companies? That may be true but no matter who initiated the purchases I happened to notice a lot of the ilk in this morning's rush hour traffic swarm. Mixed in with the Tauruses, Impalas and Sebrings were Accords, Camrys and Altimas, all popular midsize sedans. But how do they compare?

First it's important to qualify and quantify the vehicles in question. Why? Well Ford makes only the Taurus, having discontinued its Contour sedan in North America. The Taurus is quite a bit larger than the Sebring, which is 175 mm (6.9 in) shorter, 61 mm (2.4 in) narrower and 57 kg (126 lb) lighter to be exact. That said the Impala is larger than the Taurus in every respect, except width where they're identical. Where does that leave the Sebring? Definitely on the small side, but slightly larger than Chevy's Malibu. Actually, it's only 8 mm (0.3 in) longer, 30 mm (1.2 in) wider and 71 kg (157 lb) heavier than the GM. With that in mind, if you want a larger Chrysler sedan a variety of options are available, starting with the Intrepid, then the Concorde and finishing with the top-line 300M.

What about the imports? Well interestingly enough the all-new 2003 Honda Accord is actually 31 mm (1.2 in) shorter than the Sebring but 21 mm (0.8 in) wider, while tipping the scales at a scant 85 kg (187 lb) lighter. The Camry is larger than the Accord, but only slightly. That said the Chrysler is still 39 mm (1.5 in) longer, 2 mm (0.08 in) wider and 20 kg (44 lb) heavier than the Toyota. I should also mention there are a great deal more midsize sedans available from Nissan, Mazda, Hyundai, Kia, Volkswagen and now Mitsubishi, among others.
Khatir Soltani
Khatir Soltani
Automotive expert
As a car enthusiast, he tests and compares vehicles from different categories through the eyes of the consumer, ensuring relevant and objective reviews.
  • Over 6 years experience as a car reviewer
  • Over 50 test drives in the last year
  • Involved in discussions with virtually every auto manufacturer in Canada