Car blogs

No matter how much water had flowed under the bridge, television’s Dr. Fraiser Crane never passed up the chance to take a dig at Maris, his brother Niles’ spouse and, eventually, ex-wife. He once quipped that the petty, neurotic, domineering doyenne of Seattle was “bleached, 100-percent fat-free and best kept in an air-tight container.” So it seems is the...




No matter how much water had flowed under the bridge, television’s Dr. Fraiser Crane never passed up the chance to take a dig at Maris, his brother Niles’ spouse and, eventually, ex-wife. He once quipped that the petty, neurotic, domineering doyenne of Seattle was “bleached, 100-percent fat-free and best kept in an air-tight container.”

View full sizePhoto by James Gaffney/The Times-Picayune

So it seems is the inability of some critics to let go of their favorite Pet Car to Hate, the Sebring, which ceased production. Beginning this year, it has been replaced, rebranded and reborn as the all-new Chrysler 200. Sure, comparisons understandably are bound to be made between the two vehicles, but in what seemed like a case of unnecessary roughness, one chap went so far as to note that unlike the Sebring, in the 200 “none of the pieces snapped off or cut me.”



Time out.



European tourer . . . sorta

Granted, the Sebring in many ways was a joke of sorts and the consensus among many consumers was the car in its convertible incarnation was decent enough to rent on holiday, but you were just as glad to drop off the keys by the end of your trip.



That was then. The Sebring has left the building. Taking its place is the mid-cycle (Chrysler-acknowledged) rush job of a refresh the automaker undertook in an effort to wipe away memories of the Car That Never Could and lure back consumers looking for an affordable, compact mid-size sedan.



A few cynics gleefully point out the roofline is still “too Sebring” for their liking (a total rebody of the car is rumored for 2014).

View full sizePhoto by James Gaffney/The Times-Picayune

What is inescapable is the fact Chrysler finally listened to its customers and critics alike, turning loose its Fiat designers to do for the Sebring what that fine Italian hand did for the Dodge Caliber in mid-2010 soon after the Turin-based automaker launched a partnership with the beleaguered Detroit company. Namely, the duo upgraded the quality of materials everywhere and, in the case of the 200, replaced a dismally lackluster powerplant with an optional 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6, mated to a six-speed automatic transmission, which packs a little more punch punch thanks to 283 ponies under the hood and 260 pound-feet of torque. (A standard 2.4-liter, four-cylinder engine is available with 173 horsepower and 166 pound-feet or torque, but you’re not going to get near the same torquey, lively fun during town and highway drives, especially when the transmission is in manual mode.)



Gone is the cheap hard plastic that was a low-water mark of the Sebring, replaced instead with soft-touch plastics that add a nuance of refinement while lowering internal cabin noise because inserted consoles like the quite handsome center stack fit snugly and, in theory, won’t shift and squeak over time. The leather upholstery is supple and has a much more premium feel while the leather-wrapped steering wheel does justice to drivers who want a little elegance in their grip. My tester’s color palette was monochromatic black (single dark colors always make “affordable” cars look more expensive), and the smart use of low-gloss plastics goes a long way in strengthening the interior’s overall upgraded appearance. Polished metal trim — not plastic designed to look like metal — provides an eye-pleasing accent for the center stack and elsewhere.

View full sizePhoto by James Gaffney/The Times-Picayune

Dual front-cabin cupholders cradled my java keg like a first-time mother would her newborn and were located precisely where right-thinking automo

Tags: Chrysler, is-featured

---

STARTING OVER: Chrysler's new 200 aims to replace Sebring in spirit and substance was originally published by New Orleans Auto Reviews: Chrysler. Read the full story by clicking here.