Chrysler Sebring convertible, a year-round vacation!
The Sebring’s popularity at rental agencies explains in part why it has long been the most popular convertible in the U.S. But non-vacationers also enjoy its combination of comfort and glamour at an affordable price in their everyday lives. It was Chrysler, after all, that brought back the convertible by introducing the drop-top LeBaron back in 1981—the predecessor of today’s Sebring. And despite the automobile industry’s technological advances in the intervening years, the target market for this car hasn’t changed much. It is designed to attract fun-loving buyers looking for a treat that won’t break the bank. Naturally, DaimlerChrysler, which unloads many of its cars on short-term rental companies, would like us to believe that this niche will be overtaken by individual clients, but the car is bound to remain popular with vacationers.
Nice execution
The new Sebring Convertible is based on the sedan of the same name, from which it borrows most of its mechanical and structural elements. While identical to the sedan right down to the A-pillar, it features a longer, sleeker, more elegant design, allowing it to comfortably seat four adults, with ample trunk space. The dominant feature of the design, however, is the compromise that had to be made to house the fully automatic roof, which takes up much of the trunk space when lowered.
No matter which version or roof you choose, it takes 30 seconds to raise or lower: simply press the button on the dash or the key fob. It did, however, take several attempts to successfully lower the roof using the key without inexplicable mechanical interruptions.
Three tops
To compete with the new Pontiac G6 and the Volkswagen Eos, Chrysler had to offer a retractable hardtop. For the $2,295 price tag, I can’t see that it offers anything particularly special, especially given that the same mechanism is available on the soft-top model. It comes down to paying the extra for nothing more than the three panels that make up this version of the roof. Heavier, with slightly longer action and no real advantage when it comes to soundproofing, it doesn’t improve the car’s appearance. The contrasting colour soft-top is more elegant and exotic; the hardtop just doesn’t deliver the same punch. While soft-tops generally come only in cloth, the Sebring offers a vinyl soft-top on the LX. And for just $495 more, you can opt for the Special Touring Group that comes with the cloth soft-top, 18-inch wheels (instead of 17) and a wind-blocker. Vinyl-topped cars will probably be in the minority or, at the very least, will wind up on rental lots.
Seats four, comfortably
The extremely comfortable interior is well-designed, well laid-out and nice to look at. Though some of the plastic seems cheap, contrasting interior colours provide an attractive look. The comfortable front bucket seats provide support and are completely adjustable, with built-in seatbelts. This makes putting on seatbelts easier for the front-seat occupants, while providing easier access to the back seat for passengers, since they no longer have to scramble over the front-seat seatbelts.
Naturally, most of the gadgets available on the sedan are also available on the convertible, starting with the MyGIG information and entertainment system. It features 2D or 3D GPS navigation, touch screen, voice recognition system and a 20GB hard drive to store MP3, WMA and JPEG files. It can also play videos when the car is in park. MyGIG comes with a quality sound system equipped with a multi-disk CD changer and Sirius satellite radio. How much? $1,995. Also available is a wind-blocker to reduce wind and road noise and heated/cooled cup holders. Heated seats, always a nice touch in a convertible, are available on the Touring and Limited versions.
The Sebring’s trunk capacity is impressive enough to merit a second look. As the folks at Chrysler have demonstrated, two golf bags fit easily into the trunk when the roof is down and, when up, the trunk has a volume of 342 litres, comparable to a conventional sedan. Sweet…
Four cylinders? No thanks
To bring the Sebring in at under $30,000 and keep it out of the gas guzzler category, Chrysler chose to equip this model with a 2.4-litre 4-cylinder engine — not quite powerful enough, considering that the car weighs about 1,700 kg. This engine is not suitable and I would not recommend it. Try the Touring version ($34,995) instead. It comes equipped with the well-known Chrysler 2.7-litre V6. Smooth without being exceptionally powerful, it makes the Sebring a comfort cruiser. A more modern automatic transmission (5-speed, rather than 4) would have been nice, but at this price they had to cut corners somewhere. The V6 can run on E85 ethanol, an ecologically-friendly fuel, but one that is unfortunately hard to find. Finally, the Limited ($39,995) comes with a 235-hp 3.5-litre V6, giving it a little extra kick in the passing lane. A 6-speed automatic transmission does the job well.
No version of the Sebring Convertible is particularly sporty. If you’re looking for the thrill of a Mustang convertible, you’re knocking at the wrong door. A comfort-based car, it only has one direct competitor: the Toyota Solara. While it’s true that the Sebring provides a nice ride, comfortable and pleasant, its soft suspension forces drivers to take it easy. Of course, it would probably perform better with better tires: Bridgestone Turanzas aren’t exactly high-performance tires. What’s more, its electric-assist power steering system, while precise, doesn’t provide a good feel for the road. In short, the Chrysler Sebring is a take-it-easy kind of ride. Like your grandpa’s car…if your grandpa drove a convertible! But if anything, this is a positive. It matches the demands of the Sebring’s target customers, which is why it remains one of the most popular convertibles in North America.
A symbol of serenity that oozes luxury, comfort and the good life, this convertible is bound to be a success. It is perfectly suited to vacationers making a day of it under the hot sun, while buyers will enjoy what it has to offer in every season. A sports car it ain’t, but after all, not all of us can be Mario Andretti.
- Strengths
- Graceful lines
- Very comfortable
- Attractive price
- MyGIG system
- Trunk space
- Weaknesses
- LX model
- Expensive hard-top roof
- Disappointing tires
- Outdated automatic transmission (Touring)
Summary:
Test vehicle: Chrysler Sebring Touring Convertible
Price range: $29,995 to $39,995
Test model price: $33,485
Options: 8 speakers with subwoofers ($420), 6 CD/DVD/MP3 player ($455), back seat entertainment system ($1,190), U-Connect system ($295), sunroof ($1,050), anti-theft alarm ($185)
Transport and PDI costs: $1,200
Advertised fuel consumption: 13.5/9.5 1/100 km (city/highway)
Actual fuel consumption: 13.8 1/100 km
Basic warranty: 3 years/60,000 km
Competitors: Ford Mustang, Pontiac G6, Toyota Solara, Volkswagen Eos
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