2007 Motor Trend Car of the Year: Testing and Finalists
Better than before, but is that good enough?
By Neil G. Chirico
Even though Daimler-Chrysler is no longer pumping investment into Mitsubishi, the product sharing between the two companies continues. The newest result of this no longer happy communion is the Chrysler Sebring. The Sebring shares a new 2.4-liter I-4 engine with other Dodge and Jeep products, but it can be optioned with either a 2.7 or 3.5-liter V-6. The four-cylinder and 2.7-liter come matched with a four-speed automatic, while the 3.5-liter enlists a six-speed auto, as did our COTY contender.
While the 235-horsepower, high-output V-6 draws such comments as "adequate" and even "powerful," it's likely the quick-shifting, if strangely geared, transmission is what facilitates these observations. The transaxle is somewhat bipolar, offering both muscular off-the-line performance and lethargic but fuel-sipping top-gear cruising.
Chrysler went with more conservative lines for this iteration of the Sebring, and it's not as moving as the original Sebring's breakaway design. If the looks disappointed, the performance did not, as Allyson Harwood noted. "This car handles better than expected and seems well composed on rough-road and special-surfaces sections." Most applauded the interior design and materials, which include the Chrysler 300's tortoise-shell accents on the doors, dash, and steering wheel of our Limited model.
Clever features include LED overhead lighting and a heated/cooled front cupholder that ranges between 140 and 35 degrees, and an optional entertainment system that uses a 20-gig hard-drive with a GraceNotes artist/title info database, USB connectivity. Stone concludes: "Its overall sophistication level goes beyond previous generations, and it's now at least competitive with other cars in this size and price range."
| 2007 Chrysler Sebring |
| Base price range | $18,995-$23,995 |
| Price As Tested | $26,750 (Limited) |
| Vehicle layout | Front engine, FWD, 5-pass, 4-door sedan |
| Engine | 3.5L/235-hp (est)/232-lb-ft (est) SOHC 24-valve V-6 |
| Transmission | 6-speed automatic |
| Curb weight (f/r dist) | 3520 lb (62/38%) |
| Wheelbase | 108.9 in |
| Length x width x height | 190.6 x 71.2 x 59.0 in |
| 0-60 mph | 6.8 sec |
| Quarter mile | 15.3 sec @ 90.9 mph |
| Braking, 60-0 mph | 138 ft |
| 600-foot slalom | 63.3 mph, avg |
| Lateral acceleration | 0.74 g, avg |
| MT figure eight | 28.9 sec @ 0.57 g, avg |
| EPA city/hwy fuel econ | 19/28 mpg |
| Sum Up | Handles much better than expected. Not a winner, but finally a player. |
| Bet you didn't know | Though DaimlerChrysler ditched its stake in financially troubled Mitsubishi, the Sebring is built on a stretched next-gen Lancer platform. |
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