Chrysler 200 Convertible

PREVIEW

SPECIFICATIONS

1. A new V6 engine adds 97-hp for a total of 283-hp and actually delivers better fuel economy too at 19/29-mpg. 2. The 200 Convertible comes standard as a soft-top, with a retractable hard-top available on mid-level Limited and top-level S trims. 3. Pricing has dropped $1,400 and now starts at $26,445.

Chrysler’s Sebring Convertible might be the butt of more jokes than the Pontiac Aztek, from its tremendously ironic name to its lackluster, well, everything. And yet Chrysler has continued to sell quite a few of them, so when it came time to redesign and re-name the Sebring sedan, execs made the call to stay the course on the convertible model as well.

Now called the Chrysler 200 Convertible, it really is a significant improvement over the past model. But what does that mean, considering the Sebring drop-top might just have been the worst vehicle to throw your hard-earned dollars away on?

Starting with what’s been improved, well, we’re talking about the car itself, from the interior trim, to the hardware, to the engine, suspension and price.

Outside the changes might not at first be all that significant but run across an older model on the road and you’ll instantly take note. A redesigned front end sports a new grille and the rear now has design hints from the Jaguar XK. It’s still beige-enough to make a Solara look like it’s blushing pink in comparison, but small items like LED lights at the front and rear certainly help.

INTERIOR

Enjoying the more refined ride quality of the new suspension is made easier thanks to an improved interior. Big changes come with a new, standard leather-wrapped steering wheel with some quality audio, cruise and Bluetooth buttons. There are new gauges, although they already have an out-dated look to them. The same can be said of the big shifter and the low-grade plastic surrounding it.

There are plenty more soft-touch surfaces than in the past and Chrysler claims to have upgraded the seats too – we did find them quite comfortable. New seat material (cloth or leather) is also part of the restyle and makes a big difference.

Cargo room with the top up is a solid 13 cu-ft, and with the top down it drops to 6.6 cu-ft, which is enough to fit a few items and isn’t completely useless.A soft top is standard on both the base Touring and Limited trim levels, and a hard-top can be ordered on either as an option. It does offer a more isolated coupe-like drive, but looks borderline unnatural from a styling perspective.

UNDER THE HOOD

Contributing to the improved driving quality is a new V6 engine that’s smooth and quiet. Displacing 3.6-liters it’s the same powerplant being used across the Dodge/Chrysler/Jeep lineup and is the result of a smart business decision to pool resources into one solid V6 rather than a selection of out-dated and poorly-engineered powerplants. Power is rated at a solid 283-hp, an increase of 97-hp over the old 2.7-liter unit. A testament to exactly how bad the old unit was, when mated to a 6-speed automatic, the 3.6L even manages better fuel economy at 19/29-mpg.

In terms of the actual mechanics of the car, the 6-speed may be smooth but, like a lot of modern cars, it does not want to downshift. This may help fuel economy and it brings with it a calmer driving experience, but if you want to make use of the horsepower far too much throttle input is required to drop a gear or two.

A 173-hp 2.4-liter 4-cylidner is standard equipment on the entry-level Touring model, although it’s barely worth mentioning as Chrysler expects the take rate on the V6 to be a near-unanimous 90 percent. It may save you a few dollars on the initial purchase, but it’s actually worse on fuel at 18/29-mpg. That’s expected to change, however, with the introduction of a dual-clutch 6-speed later this year.