 2011 Chrysler 200 Limited. Click image to enlarge |
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Review and photos by Greg Wilson
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2011 Chrysler 200
Since Fiat S.p.A, led by its Italian-Canadian CEO, Sergio Marchionne, became a part owner of Chrysler in 2009, there’s been a noticeable improvement in Chrysler vehicles’ overall quality and performance. We can’t say for sure that the new management is responsible for these changes, but we can say that in our recent test drives of the refreshed Dodge Grand Caravan, Dodge Journey, and Dodge Charger, we came away impressed with how much better these vehicles were than their predecessors.
 2011 Chrysler 200 Limited. Click image to enlarge |
It’s the same story with the reworked mid-size Chrysler 200 sedan, formerly the Sebring. Frankly, the Sebring ranked pretty low on our list of desirable mid-size sedans, and we weren’t expecting a lot of the new 200; but the upgrades to its optional V6 powertrain, suspension and interior have made a big difference.
Chrysler’s new 3.6-litre “Pentastar” V6 engine, now used in many of Chrysler’s vehicles, was voted one of Ward’s Ten Best Engines for 2011. This 3.6-litre DOHC 24-valve V6 combines generous power and torque with decent fuel economy when compared to the previous 3.5-litre V6. Its class-leading horsepower is up to 283 from 235 and torque is up to 260 pound-feet from 232.
Consumer Reports’ acceleration test of the Chrysler 200 Limited sedan shows a 0 to 60 mph time of just 6.8 seconds. Indeed, from a standing start, the driver needs to be careful not to press the gas pedal too hard because it’s easy to chirp the front tires under hard acceleration and invoke some torque-steer, particularly in slippery conditions; despite the fact that the 200 comes with standard traction control.
 2011 Chrysler 200 Limited. Click image to enlarge |
Though more powerful, fuel consumption is down: Natural Resources Canada fuel economy ratings (L/100 km) for the 3.6-litre V6 are 11/6.8 city/hwy (26/42 mpg) compared to the previous V6 with 12.9/7.7 city/hwy (22/37 mpg). Some credit for the improved fuel economy must go to the six-speed automatic transmission which has a highway gear that enhances fuel economy: engine revs at 100 km/h are just 1,700 rpm. However, this transmission is often reluctant to change down gears when the gas pedal is prodded, preferring to stay in a higher gear to maintain better fuel economy. We found that a deeper stab of the gas pedal will provoke a gear change and a rush of power for effortless passing. If desired, the driver can shift manually by slipping the lever back into manual mode, and tapping the left to shift down, or right to shift up.
The standard engine in the Chrysler 200 remains the 173-hp 2.4-litre four-cylinder engine mated to a standard four-speed automatic transmission or optional six-speed automatic. Though some other mid-size sedans do just fine with their four-cylinder engines, Chrysler’s engine is rather noisy and underpowered, and we’d recommend the V6 over the four.
