Chrysler 200

,

2015 Chrysler 200: Watch out Honda Accord

The 2015 Chrysler 200 marks the inauguration of the midsize sedan’s second generation. Introduced in late 2010 as a replacement for the much-maligned Sebring, the Chrysler 200 was named via a keen marketing idea as the smaller and younger sibling of the Chrysler 300. While the new model features a host of new features, 2015 also marks the demise of the previous generation’s convertible option. Like the Sebring, the Chrysler 200 Convertible has now been relegated to used car lots and in leftover fleet purchases for rental agencies. The Weekly Driver Test Drive The 2015 Chrysler 200 was my second straight weekly driver sedan test vehicle. And like the Kia K900 I drove on a 900-mile roundtrip trek to Los

Read more
, ,

Chrysler 200, 2012: Quiet, comfortable cruiser built for moderate speed

Chrysler significantly redid its aged Sebring model for 2011 and renamed it the “200.” The 2012 version with the optional hardtop and strong V-6 make it a pleasant cruising convertible, and it’s virtually unchanged for 2013. The front-drive, two-door Chrysler 200 convertible with its cloth power top starts at $26,995, but you get far more than open-air driving with it. Standard items include a six-speed automatic transmission instead of the dated entry level 200’s four-speed automatic, power driver seat, climate and cruise controls, adjustable wheel with audio controls, keyless entry and power windows and mirrors. The 200 convertible is offered with a marginal 2.4-liter, 173-horsepower four-cylinder or a smooth 3.6-liter, 283-horsepower V-6, which provides fast merging and passing. The four-cylinder

Read more

Chrysler 200, 2011 car review

Gone is the much-maligned Chrysler Sebring. Welcome its replacement, the 2011 Chrysler 200. The midsize sedan debuts in a crowded market featuring many of the most popular vehicles on the road. Available as a sedan or convertible, the Chrysler 200 retains the Sebring’s platform, but not much else remains cosmetically, not the powertrain nor the standard and optional equipment. Stiffer body mounts are new, for example, as are thicker seat cushions to a revised suspension. The Weekly Driver Test Drive In addition to its new exterior design and other changes, new for Chrysler is the 200 featuring a 3.6-liter V6 matched with a six-speed automatic transmission and generating 283 horsepower. It’s called the Touring Edition. It was my test driver

Read more

Chrysler 200, Ford Fiesta among safest rental cars

Car buyers likely consider vehicle safety as part of the purchase process. But is the same consideration as important for those renting cars? The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) is the auto industry standard for determining vehicle safety, whether it’s for buyers or renters. And among cars readily available in major rental agencies, USA Today, via IIHS rankings, reports there are varying degrees of safety. The newspaper reported, 95 percent of 167 different vehicles in rental fleets are rated “good” in head-on collisions, the most frequent type of fatal crash. However, a half dozen 2011 vehicles and one 2010 vehicle had “poor” side-impact crash ratings: Hyundai Accent, Kia Rio, Volkswagen‘s New Beetle, two-door Jeep Wrangler, GMC Canyon, Chevrolet Colorado

Read more

Chrysler 200, 2011 car review

Chrysler performed a major miracle in transforming its so-so Sebring mid-size front-drive sedan into the far superior Chrysler 200 model in only about a year. Such a project usually takes much longer, but faltering Chrysler had to rush things. Many critics are surprised, and some feel it shows that Chrysler promises to be far more competitive under its new Fiat control. The Sebring name is gone, replaced by the “200” name. The 2011 200 logically fits beneath the name given the improved top-line 2011 Chrysler 300. There are three 200 trim levels: the base $19,245 LX, mid-range $21,245 Touring and top-line $23,745 Limited, which I tested. The LX has air conditioning, four-speaker AM/FM/CD/MP3 sound system, cruise control, 17-inch wheels, keyless

Read more

Chrysler 200 gets Detroit, Eminem props in Super Bowl ad

Eminem isn’t prone to pitching products, but beyond the football players and the Black Eyed Peas, the rapper arguably got the most exposure Sunday in his duties in a mini-movie for Chrysler as well as lending his name and Claymation image to Brisk ice tea. In the second of his two commercials, Eminem promotes the new Chrysler 200 during an homage of Detroit images and testimonials to those who live and work in the beleaguered city. The two-minute ad, reported the most expensive Super Bowl spot in history (an estimated $9 million), begins with images of the city appear. The grisly voice over (Kevin Yon) starts with: “I gotta question for ya. What does a town that’s been to hell

Read more