STARSHIP SUBS,
Soups, Catering, and
more...
Wm. B. Sullivan Realty & Co.
Claudia Hommel
Cabaret Singer
Extraordinaire
Cordell Koland
Car Writer
Weekly Reviews
 2007 Chrysler Sebring by Cordell Koland Remember Disney¹s classic cartoon fable, Bambi? In the tale, Bambi¹s friend Thumper the rabbit is chided by his mother who gives her baby bunny a bit of advice that has been repeated by mothers everywhere to silence a bratty-mouthed offspring: "If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all." Thumper the rabbit would have a difficult time reviewing the new-for-2007 Chrysler Sebring. It reflects a lot of problems as an automobile and also about where Chrysler is going with its brand strategy. The Sebring Touring Sedan is the least impressive new automobile I¹ve driven so far in the 2007 model year. Its exterior design is way too busy and the plastic trim parts on the interior looked like they came out of the 1970s. The V-6 engine sounds tinny at low speeds and its performance through the four-speed automatic transmission isn¹t impressive either. In fact, a four-speed automatic is hardly competitive when even the low-dollar, but very substantial, Ford Fusion sports an advanced six-speed unit with impressive performance. The best thing about the new Sebring is a good stout body structure, which delivers a decent ride and handling. And then there¹s the Chrysler brand image. Since its inception, Chrysler has represented a near-luxury brand with the emphasis on value. A year ago or so it seemed that Chrysler was domestic brand on a roll. The big, bold Chrysler 300 was one of the most inspiring U.S.-conceived and manufactured automobiles in years and single-handedly reminded us that one of the Big Three could still build an exciting full-sized luxury sedan and offer outstanding value at the same time. The sporty Chrysler Crossfire high-performance coupe and the Chrysler Pacifica crossover sport-utility also added luster to the brand. To maintain competitiveness, the Chrysler franchise certainly needs a competitive mid-size sedan with at least modest luxury aspirations. But it¹s hard to fit the Sebring into this picture. It comes to market in three levels: the basic Sebring, the Touring Sedan and the up-market Limited model. There are also three engine options: a new base 2.4-liter four-cylinder, a 2.7-liter V-6 engine (standard in the Touring Sedan) and a 3.5-liter V-6 engine coupled with a new six-speed automatic transaxle that¹s available in the Limited edition. Our Touring Sedan has a base price of $21,000, hardly luxury territory. And there¹s nothing about its appointments or performance that speaks of an upscale product. Perhaps Chrysler should drop the two low-end models and confine its offering to only the Limited model with the larger V-6 engine, which would line up better with Lincoln¹s new MKZ midsize sedan. A fully optioned Sebring Limited model could certainly stretch the price to the $30,000 mark, which again would be a more appropriate sale for the Chrysler franchise. While it might be possible to solve the Sebring brand image problem to some degree, the vehicle design is another problem. Visually, it seems like Chrysler stylists threw almost everything they could put their hands on at the design. It is loaded with just too many grooves, disparate character lines and visual elements. And it¹s hard to imagine a roofline that does more injustice to sedan design. It looks too large for the body beneath it. Overall, the car appears bulky and lacking in visual grace. As for the interior, we were almost shocked by the sight of the cheap silver plastic that adorned the doors and dashboard. Some manufacturers have done a great job in making plastic look like wood or leather. Chrysler seems to have put its mind to making plastic look like plastic, hardly a worthy end. On the plus side, the interior offers good space utilization with a back seat that should accommodate most individuals and a roomy trunk. Despite its 189 horsepower, the performance of the Sebring was lackluster. Once up to speed, however, the Sebring, riding on an all-new chassis, exhibited a smooth, quiet ride. The suspension is calibrated to absorb road imperfections and does a good job in soaking up bumps and surface imperfections. I¹d also judge handling and responsiveness to be acceptable for the mid-size segment. Vehicle: Chrysler Sebring Touring Sedan Price as tested: $22,850 Engine: Type: 2.7-liter V-6 Horsepower: 189 @ 6,400 rpm Torque: 191 lbs.-ft. @ 4,000 rpm Fuel economy, automatic transmission City 22 mpg Highway 30 mpg Curb Weight: 3,421 lbs.  Cordell Koland is an automotive journalist based in California's central coast. He can be reached at cordellkoland@oakparkjournal.com |
