Not quite there yet, but well on the way
2015 CHRYSLER 200
For the longest time, there was one simple truth about Chrysler: it made some of the best full-size cars in the business, but it just couldn’t nail a smaller one.
The best thing you could say about the Sebring, and the original 200 that replaced it, was that they were cheap.
Now there’s an all-new 200, completely redesigned for 2015. It’s still not perfect, but I’m impressed with the considerable strides it makes over its predecessors.
Much of the credit goes to new parent company Fiat. The Michigan-built 200 is a blend of an Alfa Romeo platform, and a choice of Fiat fourcylinder or, as in my tester, Chrysler’s Pentastar 3.6-L V6.
Pricing starts at $22,495 for the LX, which uses the four-cylinder. You can get that engine, or the optional V6, in the Limited, 200S, and 200C. Beyond that, you can option the 200S and 200C with all-wheel drive that’s bundled strictly with the V6.
I had the top-line 200C with AWD, which starts at $33,395. Chrysler offers a lot of options and my car was packed with them, including a dual-pane sunroof, ventilated leather seats, navigation and all kinds of electronic nannies such as blind spot monitoring, collision warning, lane departure warning and a self-parking feature that can put the car into either a parallel or perpendicular spot.
I’m not fond of self-parking cars, but I will admit that this one works better and faster than many others I’ve tried.
The V6 engine makes 295 horsepower and, while it’s a little noisier than I’d like, it’s a good performer with strong, linear acceleration. It’s hooked to a nine-speed automatic transmission.
It feels like the engineers have tweaked it: in vehicles I’d driven previously, it always seemed to be hunting for a gear, which could get pretty tiresome. My car didn’t do that, but the nine-speed still didn’t seem to make a lot of sense, because even on the straightest highway stretches, it wouldn’t shift itself up into that top gear.
The only way I ever saw ninth was to manually put it there using the wheel-mounted paddle shifters and, even then, the slightest touch of the throttle would send it back to a lower gear. It’s not a bad transmission, but it seems that nine cogs are overkill, at least in this application. And I could even see it if it made a dent in fuel consumption, but the 200 is still thirstier than many of its V6-powered competitors.
The all-wheel is an on-demand system, primarily powering the front wheels, but sending torque to the rear ones when needed. It does that when it senses slipping, of course, but also on acceleration to minimize torque steer, that sideways pull you sometimes get when taking off in a front-wheel-drive vehicle.
The 200 handles very well and returns a surprising amount of road feel back through its electric steering.
The company’s gone from last to first with its interiors, and the 200 is gorgeous, especially in my car’s topline trim. The seats are long-distance comfortable, although I hate that I have to go into the centre touchscreen to access the controls for the seat heaters, which should be quickto-access buttons.
The liquid-crystal display in the middle of the elegant instrument cluster can be programmed to show various functions and the navigation system, a $525 option, is simple and easy to use.
One complaint: I used the heated steering wheel on a couple of frosty mornings. It’s a beautiful unit, with a shiny chrome ring separating two shades of leather wrapping, but while the leather heats up, that metal ring stays Popsicle-cold. I’ve complained to Chrysler execs and gotten sympathetic nods, so I expect this particular form-over-function styling cue won’t be around much longer.
Small-item storage is generous, including large door pockets and a bin under the shifter. But wait, there’s more: squeeze a button beside the cupholders and the console lid slides back to reveal a huge hidden cubby.
One thing hasn’t changed: the base 200 is still priced lower than the starting MSRP of its competitors. That’s a bonus, but it’s no longer the only thing keeping Chrysler in the midsize game. The 200 isn’t at the top of the pack yet, but it’s definitely working its way up. Jil McIntosh is a regular contributor to Toronto Star Wheels. The vehicle for this story was provided by the manufacturer. To reach Wheels Editor Norris McDonald: nmcdonald@thestar.ca.