Chrysler Sebring 2007 Review
A frugal medium car with plenty of equipment, good manners and a hint of individualism sounds like a recipe for success... Bet you didn't expect it to come from Chrysler!Margaret River (WA)
What we liked
>> Equipment levels
>> Space, improved fit and finish
>> Real world manners
>> Engine noisy when it's pushed
Price, Packaging and Practicality: 3.5/5.0
Safety: 3.5/5.0
Behind the wheel: 3.5/5.0
X-factor: 3.0/5.0
OVERVIEW
It wasn't that long ago that Chrysler was virtually a one-trick pony Down Under. There was the PT Cruiser and, there was the PT Cruiser. The Neon small car had faded away, replaced with, well... Not a lot.
Lately, the brand has gradually (re)installed itself into the local marketplace. The Voyager peoplemover has grabbed a small but regular following. The Crossfire coupe (and roadster) make bold statements in their own right and more recently along came the car that grabbed the imagination of many and put the marque on the large car map -- the boldly-styled 300C.
With the brand pushing towards 10,000 units this year and looking at double that in the medium term, the Sebring is the first of the next generation Chrysler products to arrive Down Under.
Targeting the somewhat static but nonetheless important medium car segment, this is likely the first vehicle the US marque has launched in Australia that targets the mainstream buyer. And though the marque has modest targets for the car, it is potentially the brand's biggest seller.
The Sebring's not going to set the world on fire in terms of performance but it arrives with styling that looks better in the metal than the pictures would suggest, plenty of equipment, well-sorted ride and cabin finish and refinement that has the potential to surprise.
In short, other brands underestimate this car's potential to attract middle-of-the-road buyers at their peril.
PRICE AND EQUIPMENT
Chrysler Australia says it has deliberately 'decluttered' the Sebring range initially to help the car establish an identity in what is a crowded segment and “gain traction in the local marketplace". As such the Sebring arrives with just two equipment levels and one engine transmission package (see 'mechanical' below).
The range kicks off with the Sebring Touring which hits the market at $33,990. This pricing equates to middle of the range for many of its competitors but the standard equipment delivered is more akin to medium car range-toppers.
The Touring's standard spec includes two-tone leather upholstery (choice of two combos depending on exterior colours), front heated seats (the driver's with eight-way power adjustment) power windows, mirrors and doors with keyless entry, a premium audio system, climate control air-con, 17-inch alloys, foglamps and more. Also included is a trip computer, 60:40 splitfold rear seats, heated and cooled centre-console drinks holder and a fold-flat front passenger seat (more later).
Though perhaps gilding the lily just a touch, Chrysler staffers at the launch describe the Touring as rivalling Toyota's grandest Camry, the $39,990 Grande -- at least in terms of specification. The optional 20gig hard drive-equipped 'MyGig' DVD, audio and navigation system is coming as a $3500 option across the Sebring range and addresses the key difference in spec between the class-topping Toyota and the US-built car, they say.
The true top-of-the-range Sebring, the Limited is priced from $37,490 and adds more equipment to its 'off-the-shelf' offer. Power tilt and slide glass sunroof, 18-inch alloys, six-disc in-dash and headlamp washers are all standard spec.
Both Sebring models feature four-wheel discs, ABS brakes and ESP and a full complement of airbags including standard curtain bags.
Options are reasonably limited given the spec of the standard cars. Premium paint ($300) on both Touring and Limited, bright chrome 18-inch wheels on the Limited and sunroof ($2000) and a sound system upgrades ($1200) on Touring are the extent of those listed.
Dealer-fit accessories include rear parking sensors and a rear seat DVD screen as well as the usual complement of headlamp protectors roof carrier systems etc.
MECHANICAL
The Sebring is a thoroughly conventional four-door front-wheel drive sedan. At the pointy end MacPherson strut front suspension features and at the rear there's a multi-link independent set-up. Braking is via ABS-equipped four-wheel discs (vented fronts) and the turning circle is 11.1m -- a touch larger than the likes of the Camry or Epica. Like we said, conventional...
Chrysler has paid particular attention to the crash worthiness and refinement of the Sebring's base structure, however. With around 30 per cent of the car's structure fashioned from either hot-stamped ultra high strength or high strength steels, the Sebring leads the way, the company claims, as carrying one of the highest percentage of the 'smart' steels on the road today.
The special materials help decrease the overall weight of the structure as well as resist and/or channel crash forces. Also used in the build of the Sebring are new adhesive technologies provided to Chrysler Corp by bonding specialist, Dow Corning.
In terms of eliminating noise, vibration and harshness (NVH), Chrysler has started from square one addressing those areas of the base chassis that can transmit and multiply noise. Noise dampening materials, plugs and cavity fillers are used extensively and the attention to detail includes some serious air management (including front and rear underbody 'guards') and triple-element door seals.
The company says extensive design work went into harmonising sub-assemblies and improving things like instrument panel stiffness, steering column-to-instrument panel stiffness and instrument-panel-to-body stiffness.
The attention to detail seems to have paid off. The Sebring's probably the quietest Chrysler Group product we've driven in terms of wind noise and onboard rattles and squeaks... There were none.
Though Chrysler was expected to offer both V6 petrol and four-cylinder turbodiesel powerplants from launch in the Sebring, the sole engine offered Down Under is a four-cylinder petrol.
Rated at 125kW/220Nm, the four is Chrysler's 'World Engine' which was jointly developed with Hyundai and Mitsubishi. Displacing 2.4-litre, the DOHC fuel-injected petrol four features variable valve timing on both the intake and exhaust cams and a dual-stage intake manifold -- said to improve torque. It also features twin counter-rotating balance shafts to calm the vibration that can afflict large capacity long-stroke four-cylinder engines.
Also used in some versions of the Dodge Calibre, Mitsubishi and Hyundai product and the petrol-engined Jeep Compass, the engine is no fire-breather but is a smooth spinning unit. That said it's at the edge of its performance envelope lugging around the Sebring's not inconsiderable 1500kg-plus bulk and when it's working hard all the noise-cancelling techniques in the world won't stop you from knowing about it!
In the Sebring, the powerplant is matched to a conventional (ie: non CVT) four-speed automatic transmission. It's a smooth-shifting and quick-witted transmission that is well matched to the powerplant. Again, it won't necessarily suit sporty buyers (though they are unlikely to be shopping the Sebring) but at least it offers a manual mode -- Autostick in Chrysler-speak. Neither the Epica or Camry offer any type of manual mode on their auto trannies,
PACKAGING
Sebring is at the larger end of the medium car segment. With an overall length of 4850mm, a wheelbase of 2765 and width of 1843, it's longer and wider than Camry (4815 and 1820mm respectively) and just 10mm shorter in wheelbase. It therefore positively dwarfs the likes of Mazda6 and Accord Euro.
Inside there's substantial leg and shoulder room front and rear. If you need more space, you're probably shopping in the wrong segment.
No shrinking violet in terms of exterior styling, the Sebring is anything but 'me too'. You won't mistake this car for a Subaru or Honda in a hurry.
Styling is a matter of taste, but don't dismiss the Sebring from your shopping list on the basis of photos alone. In the metal the car has a much more integrated look.
There's more than a hint of Crossfire coupe to its lines -- especially up front. The fluted bonnet echoes the treatment on the brand's Mercedes SLK-based coupe and those of the Chrysler's Airflite concept car. A strong character line down the flank gives the car some drama and a more purposeful stance.
The rear has a hint of hatchback about it, and dare we say it something Gallic about the way the rear screen is set back into the C-pillars. Style doesn't preclude practicality in this case though -- the short boot bustle is not too high to limit rear vision and yet there's still a useful 440-litres-plus of luggage space available. Folding hinges do not encroach on boot space either.
And thanks to the Sebring range's standard 60:40 splitfold rear and fold-flat front passenger seat extra long loads can be carried. The folding seat's not a bad workstation either for those who have to compute and run. Plug in the PC to the centre console auxillary power plug and band away!
The Crossfire's 'Centre Spine' concept is carried over to the Sebring and into the midsizer's improved, softened and somewhat 'amped up' cabin. The prominent ridging on dash and centre stack gives the otherwise conventional fascia and instrument panel a touch of character.
Chrysler has substantially improved its levels of interior fit and finish with this car. The large dash pad features more subtle graining and overall the surfaces are better resolved. It's still not a 'soft' cabin -- there are too many hard touch points -- but it's a mile better than, say, the PT Cruiser.
We're not fans of Chrysler's faux tortoise shell accents but it's probably no worse than the fake wood some manufacturers deliver.
The front seats are on the hard side of firm, though like older Mercedes and BMW pews, they seem to be comfortable in the long run. That said, the lumbar camber of the squab is quite aggressive and some of the drivers present at the launch commented that they found it hard to get comfortable.
The steering wheel is both rake and reach adjustable and features all the normal audio and cruise control repeaters.
It's personal taste but this tester found the two-tone grey leather upholstery a touch stark and sombre. That said we'd probably opt for that over the crème and camel alternative, if only to escape the amount of windscreen reflection the light coloured interior generated.
SAFETY
As noted above, Chrysler has used a significant portion of 'clever' steels in the Sebring's chassis. Built equally for markets outside as inside the USA, the car complies with the various European safety statutes including the latest pedestrian impact regulations. To this end, the Sebring's bonnet is aluminium and the car gets revised front structure and bumpers to suit.
All Sebring models feature four-wheel disc ABS brakes with Emergency Brake Assist and Distribution. Unlike most of its medium segment competitors, the Sebring also boasts ESP and traction control as standard equipment.
This active safety suite is augmented by multi-stage front passenger and driver airbags, side thorax bags and front and rear side curtain bags -- again also standard on both models.
Chrysler supplies a space saver spare for the Sebring.
COMPETITORS
The medium car marketplace commands only around 7 per cent of total Aussie new vehicle sales yet it is one of the most hotly contested segments with over 20 models listed in the VFACTs sales breakdown.
As was the case with Holden's launch of the Epica a week or so before the Sebring, there's no talk of the new entrant growing the segment -- rather it will look to steal sales from the established players in the mix.
Chrysler lists the main models in Sebring's sights as the Honda Accords (Euro and VTi-L), Mazda 6, Subaru Liberty and Volkswagen Passat. Both Toyota's Camry range and the new Holden Epica were studiously avoided in the product comparisons at the launch presentation but to assume that these cars will not be shopped against the new Yank is 'head in the sand' stuff. Nor is it not too big a stretch to suggest some Aurion and 380 buyers might be tempted.
The Sebring's ace in the hole is its equipment levels -- the strong Aussie dollar has allowed Chrysler to pack it to the brim and arrive Down Under at a competitive price.
What will count against it is the perception of quality (Aussie buyers are still sceptical about US-built cars despite the inroads 300C has made) and perhaps some concern regards retained value. If the marque can get people into the car for a test drive at least some of the quality/ambience concerns may be short circuited.
Chrysler has set a minimum sales target for the Sebring of 1200 units per annum. This is less than two cars per Aussie dealer per month -- a conservative aim. By way of comparison Mazda regularly sells more than 1000 Mazda 6 each month.
Sebring's designers and engineers benchmarked their car against this sort of Toyota trickery. And they've been quite successful.
Step into the Sebring and you're welcomed by a neat and somehow less-American cockpit than previous Chrysler product. The finishes have received an upgrade as detailed hereabouts and the overall affect is pleasing. It's perhaps not as cosmopolitan as say, Honda's Euro, but it is at least a match for the Toyota.
And the initial drive impression is similarly low-fuss and surprisingly refined. Road and wind noise are very well controlled and even at a fast highway cruise there's ne'er a whistle nor a roar to be heard.
Around town sharp edged bumps are easily managed -- with little in the way of bump or grind -- and in normal use the powerplant is quiet, unobtrusive and, well, adequate.
The four-speed auto is eager to change down but not jerky nor harsh. It readily slots into its top gear at intra-urban speeds and should return encouraging fuel figures.
It's a clever gearbox and attentive drivers will note it changes down as you brake for a corner. The mechanics of the situation shouldn't support this, but somehow, it seems as though the auto gets more out of this engine than the CVT it's matched to in other models.
For the record, Chrysler claims a combined fuel economy figure of 8.9lt/100km. On our largely highway based test drive from Perth to the Margaret River wine growing region, we easily better this number -- as you'd expect.
Alas the mechanical plot tends to fall a little short when you demand more from it. Acceleration is leisurely off the line and the engine, though still smooth, is pretty raucous in the upper rev range. The 0-100km/h sprint is more of a dawdle at 11.3sec.
As we noted above, the 2.4-litre four is probably at the edge of its envelope with this car -- a torquier turbodiesel four might be just the thing to deliver frugal performance.
The Sebring's steering is on the heavy side of the segment status quo -- more Subaru Liberty than Camry -- but it lacks feel... Like almost every front-wheel drive midsizer, alas.
Given the relatively supple ride, we expected the whole thing to cry enough at the first sight of a corner but we were pleasantly surprised.
The test drive wasn't exactly replete with twisty bits but when we found some, the Sebring was no basket case. Understeer comes pretty early (and the Kumho tyres fitted to the Limited's 18-inch alloys squeal at remarkably low cornering effort), but body roll is well controlled and turn-in eager, and with no shortage of precision. There's 'name' brand medium cars that are less capable than this one.
We were surprised by the handiwork of Jeep's chassis team on the Compass recently. Perhaps the same personnel got hold of the Sebring.
There's an all-wheel drive version of the car being offered in the USA with a 3.5-litre V6 -- perhaps that's the model we should be asking for.
While Chrysler's sales aims for the Sebring are modest, it's hopeful the new midsizer will continue and perhaps increase the momentum the 300C kick started. With the current car's mix of manners and equipment -- and a folding-hardtop two-door to arrive later this year as a flagship for the Sebring range -- there's every chance the individually-styled midsizer will do just that.
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