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Chrysler

2011 Chrysler 300C

Vehicle: 2011 Chrysler 300C Base with sunroof, Sound Group and Safetytec Group
Price as tested: CDN$45470

Performance: As with most “new era” Chrysler, the 300 comes either with the excellent Pentastar V6 or the hallmark V8 engine in our tester. As expect from a Chrysler 300C, its Hemi V8 is sweet-as-a-nut. If you aren’t worry about hefty fuel bill, Pentastar’s 292hp and 260 lb/ft of torque through a 3.5 liter DOHC with variable valve timing is certainly enough for most occassions. As the Pentastar has to be considered as one of the finest V6 engines on the planet. In terms of refinement and NVH, Pentastar is as good as anything from Nissan’s wonderful VQ engine series without breaking a sweat. Our tester comes with Chrysler’s exceptional Hemi V8. It comes in the form of a 5.7 liter variety, while adding variable valve timing and fuel saving MDS technology. This sort of technology would ensure the engine runs on 4-cylinders until driver really hammer the vehicle. As for the Hemi itself, it has a good 363hp and 394lb/ft of torque to move this heavymetal. 4270 lb of it. This engine is not only impressive on the low-range. Its mid and upper ranges are even more impressive as driver push through it paces. The only gearbox that mated with Hemi is the 5-speed manumatic. While the manumatic function works exceptionally well, in order to get most of its Hemi power. Its best to leave it in “Drive” for most occassions, as it provides low enough gear ratios for those 1st and 2nd gears. Leaving 3rd and 4th gears to keep the engine sweetspot and 5th gear for amazingly comfortable highway cruising. Chrysler has both Pentastar and Hemi as their major powertrain sources right now. Whether you should take Pentastar or Hemi depending on whether you value best in performance or getting performance without huge gas bill.

Handling: It isn’t surprise 300C always provides decent dynamic abilities, as it rides on a superb platform which is completely free of cracks and rattles. The result is a modular platform that has a nice place for suspension components to hang its heads. While 300C’s forte has always been its serena ride comfort, which has a sort of Germanic suppleness dials in through the whole equation. Its handling certainly lives up to its dynamic image generated through its ancestor. You can either opt for the optional AWD, which works exceptionally well through Canadian winter thanks to its proactive approach. Or stick with RWD, which provides near perfect weight distribution of 50/50. That means the 300C handles as good as any rear-drive rivals. The suspension is comfortably compliant, which absorbs all the bumps and patholes with ease. It also provides excellent damping when pushed the 300C through twisties. The steering provides decent enough feel and feedback, while precise enough without feeling twitches. Its ESP remains uninstrusive until driver rears its ugly heads. When it comes with 300′s AWD system, it acts as second line of defence before it starts to activate. That left the AWD as first security before it starts to save driver from over and understeer. Body rolls are minimal when pushed hard through corners.

Brakes: With 4-wheel discs and standard ABS, 300C has offered of what we expect from a luxury car. The stopping distance is short, while pedal always feels well-modulated and solid. Its very reassuring, unlike Chrysler brakes of the old days. The brakes are fade-free while ABS doesn’t step in unnecessarily.

Interior: Except for the lack of proper handle for the trunk, which one has to get inside the vehicle to use the release button or through the remote keyfob. 300′s luggage space is well layout. The trunk floor is layout with nicely carpet with a low lift floor for lugage loading.

What is most impressive is how Chrysler improves its interior quality. In the past, Chrysler interiors were patented from Rubbermaid. That means its made of hard rotten plastic and leather material which is paper-thin. Ever since the introduction of the class-leading Grand Cherokee, Chrysler’s interior has been a radical depature from the past. The latest iteration of 300 speaks the same story. Its use of materials are world-class. There are plenty of soft-touch plastic materials on the dashboard, the switchgears have a high-quality tactical feedback which put any BMW ashamed. The leather hides are thick, supple and soft to the hands. Stylistically speaking, its far more inspiring and classy than 300 of the past. It really is a huge leap forward for Chrysler, when it comes to interior execution.

The rear area is equally spacious, as it has plenty of head and legroom. The same goes for the materials on the back. Instead of looking at those cheesy plastic on the door panels, rear passengers can have a chance to sit on quality chair while resting their hands on door panels which made of nice materials. Finally, you don’t have to feel like a torture box in a Chrysler.

Conclusion: There are lots to love in the new 300C. Both powerplants are world-class. Whether you choose Pentastar or Hemi won’t go wrong. It handles exceptionally well, for both RWD and AWD. What really makes me impressed is the interior execution, which finally makes 300C worthy of its luxury car status. What seals the deal for me its the price. For a loaded 300C, you get everything from a heated steering wheel, dual zone climate control, Bluetooth capabilities with all the necessary for your i-Pod and adaptive cruise control. That’s lots of car for your hard earned money. :D

Competitions:
Acrua RL
Dodge Charger
Infiniti M37
Lexus GS350

OVERALL VERDICT FOR 2011 Chrysler 300C
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Performance: 5/5
Handling and ride/fun-to-drive: 4.5/5
Interior/ergonomics/user-friendliness: 4.5/5
Fit-and-finish/build quality: 4.5/5
Cargo/accessibility/layout: 4/5
Value-for-money: 5/5

Overall rating: 4.5/5

2011 Chrysler 200 sedan

Vehicle: 2011 Chrysler 200 Limited with sunroof
Price as tested: CDN$30595

Performance: Is the new 200 just a rebadged Sebring or is this Chrysler’s final chance to challenge the best in family sedan class? We will find out after this test drive.

As with most new Chrysler, 200′s biggest highlight has to be its sweet Pentastar engine series. In 200′s guise, it has a 3.6 liter V6 with variable valve timing. This engine is good for 283 ponies and more importantly, 260 lb/ft of torque at driver’s disposal. In terms of refinement and NVH, Pentastar is one sweet rat of an engine. Its able to match anything from Nissan to Toyota’s V6 like Chrysler has never gone before. Gone is Chrysler’s old rough and noisy racket of 6-cylinders, in with the newly innovative yet refined unit that is simply world-class. Another important improvement over the Sebring is the additional gear on the manumatic. A 6-speed manumatic has better use of the sweetspots in the Pentastar series. While the 1st and 2nd gears are for peppy launch, 3rd and 4th always keep the engine in the sweetspots during mid-range acceleration, 5th and 6th work so effortlessly as a highway cruising gears. What’s most impressive about Pentastar is the healthy mid-range with the right engine note, while the top-end has a slight breathless when pushed even with the help of a 6-speed manumatic. Given 260 lb/ft of torque, the bottom end is impressive.

Handling: Although Chrysler has claimed they have put Sebring’s chassis through lots of engineering progress, in order to make it a capable handler. 200′s dynamic package can only be describe as benign and reassuring instead of class-leading. While the chassis certainly feels lots stiffer when pushed, suspension caliberations work much better when absorbing bumps and roughness. Its level of handling and ride compromise remain far from being class-leading, it can be only describe as only reaching the class standard. Considering the outgoing Sebring has been considered as one of the worse cars I have ever driven, 200 represents a huge step forward. The steering feel and feedback are competent and reassuring, if not exceptional. Ride and roll control have given a significant improvement. In the Sebring, you can feel every expansion joints but 200 returns in a more forgiving manners. Body rolls are more controllable. Best of all, 200 has received the latest iteration of ESP. That means it works exceptionally well, if you have pushed it too eagerly into a corner.

Brakes: With 4-wheel discs and standard ABS, 200 has stopped decently. The stopping distance and pedal feel are better than expected. The pedal always feels crisp and alive, while ABS doesn’t step in unncessarily.

Interior: “Rubbermaid” always comes to mid when it comes to interior appointment of Chrysler in the past. The outgoing Sebring simply has the worse interior in its class. The new 200 has come a long way, when it comes to use of materials and fit-and-finish. The uneven interior panels, rotten plastic and finger-cutting edges have gone for the more pleasing soft-touch plastic and soften edges. While you can’t compare 200′s interior furnishings with class-leaders, it represents a 180 degrees improvement over its horrible predecessor. The rest of the interior is logically layout, with proper instrumentation gauges and climate control that is very initutive.

Conclusion: The hosts of improvements certainly proved 200 is more than just a rebadged Sebring. It also serves as a stop-gap product in this fiercely competitive segment before the entirely new mid-size Chrysler sedan arrives in 2 years. At the very end, at least Chrysler is able to deliver a product that is at class standard instead of far below.

Competitions:
Chevrolet Malibu
Ford Fusion
Honda Accord
Toyota Camry
Mazda6
Nissan Altima

OVERALL VERDICT FOR 2011 Chrysler 200 sedan
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Performance: 4/5
Handling and ride/fun-to-drive: 3/5
Interior/ergonomics/user-friendliness: 3.5/5
Fit-and-finish/build quality: 3.5/5
Cargo/accessibility/layout: 3.5/5
Value-for-money: 2/5

Overall rating: 2.5/5

2007 Chrysler Sebring sedan

Vehicle: 2007 Chrysler Sebring Limited sedan
Price as tested: CDN$29675

Performance: There are 3 engines powering the new Sebring. A new 2.4L 173hp 4-cylinder in the base model. The 2.7L V6 with 191hp or the High Output 3.5L V6 in our fully loaded Limited tester. To called it “high output” in this Sebring is an oxymoron simply because all these 3 engines don’t offer the same kinds of acceleration one expected from such horsepowers. Take our 3.5L High Output V6 for example. On paper, it has 235hp and 232 lb/ft of torque. That sounds like a lot. But in real life, its a complete dog that is very legthegic when pushed. Its also very noisy. Completely lack the well-honed refinement and smoothness that are so special in its Japanese rivals. Matched with this V6 is the 5-speed manumatic. The saving grace of the whole powerplant is actually the gearbox. Its tuned more toward the cruising with high gear ratios for 4-5 gears and low ratios for good low-end power delivery. Throttle response is so-so and gearbox has a tendency to jerk during upshifts.

Handling: Although Sebring received a stiff chassis for suspension system to hang on its place, it remains a disconnected driving experience. The suspension is soft and floaty at highway speeds. There are plenty of body rolls with heavy understeer when pushed. As for steering feel, its none. Featherweight and numb pretty much perfectly describe the whole steering input. Even though its turn-in is more than acceptable, its far from being precise. Not to mention its standard ESP kicks in abruptly whenever driver wants to enter a corner quicker. The trade-off of such a poor handler is a comfortable ride over smooth surface.

Brakes: The initial bite of the brake pedal feels soft and disconnected. Once pushed the pedal into the floor to activate the ABS system, it feels spongy. One has to take lots of efforts to put the Sebring to a compete stop due to its numb pedal feel. Simply put, its pedal feel as disconnected as the rest of the vehicle.

Interior: Although Chrysler tried to put as much painted aluminum trim in the interior as possible, it still can’t beat the fact that those are very cheap plastic. Like all recent Chrysler interiors. Everything else is covered with cheap, rock-solid, rotten plastic pieces from dashboard to door panels. Its just in the Sebring those hard plastic are painted aluminum instead of all black in Compass or Caliber. The leather seats, however, are quite comforrtable despite the lack of thigh support.

Even with the 60/40 split fold down rear seats, Sebring’s high trunk liftover and swallow cut-off make for an awkward access. You also have to be careful for the trunk to flip down during opening, due to the cheap hinges used to hang into the trunk.

Conclusion: Exactly like the Caliber I drove last year, I feel totally disappointed after driven the new Sebring. To describe this car as a piece of crap is an understatement!

OVERALL VERDICT FOR 2007 CHRYSLER SEBRING
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Performance: 2/5
Handling and ride/fun-to-drive: 2/5
Interior/ergonomics/user-friendliness: 2/5
Fit-and-finish/build quality: 2/5
Cargo/accessibility/layout: 2/5
Value-for-money: 2/5

Overall rating: 2/5

2004 Chrysler Crossfire coupe

Vehicle: 2004 Chrysler Crossfire coupe with Autostick manumatic
Price as tested: CDN$50745

Handling: You would have thought Crossfire is a capable handler given its based on the outgoing SLK platform, a chassis that is famous for its rigidty and stiffness. Unfortunately, Crossfire’s dynamic abilities are nothing but underwhelming. The steering feels numb, unresponsive and imprecise. While I am not surprise since it shares the same recirculating-ball variety as SLK, Mercedes’s steering feels better than Chrysler. There are lots of body rolls through the slalom. Its also a remedy that Crossfire has more understeer than oversteer when pushed hard. The ESP is very instrusive that it won’t allow any kind of oversteer. It brakes the offending wheel so aggressively which make the driver extremely hard to control whether its going to under or oversteer. As for ride quality, Chrysler seems to use high spring rates to make it sportier but doesn’t have the right compromise between its mashmellow suspension. When a soft suspension mismatched with hard springs, the compromise of ride and handling is nothing but undesirable.

Performance: Although the handling/ride compromise is underwhelming, Crossfire still got a decent powerplant thanks to Mercedes-Benz. The 3.2L 18-valver SOHC engine that powered SLK320 remains a smooth, refined and flexible engine that has plenty of low-end grunt. 215hp and 229 lb/ft of torque are more than enough when you considered how lame Crossfire’s dynamics are. The Autostick is smooth and go excellent kick-down, up and downshifts are also responsive. Throttle response is decent without being too abrupt.

Brakes: The pedal feel still feels like a Mercedes which means its firm and easy to modulate, even in wet weather conditions.

Interior: Other than the switchgears that are so familiar to SLK owners, like large rotary dial for climate control and instrumentation gauges. The interior is finished in pieces of hard plastic. There are cheap plastic and cheap plastic and cheap plastic right across the center console. The whole oiece of dashboard is made out of hard and brittle plastic material. The armrest is too low while the cupholder cover is simply a joke, like a flimsy piece of soft drink cover. The glovebox has a loose screw when it opened. Visibility is a nightmare thanks to its high cowl and tiny rear window. Good luck when you are backing in. When the rear spoiler raise, it makes the visibility even worsen than already is.

Cargo area is another joke. The liftover is high and too swallow to put in any regular-sized luggage.

Conclusion: Crossfire doesn’t handle particular well, its not particularly fast, its doesn’t have a high-quality interior, its not particularly comfortable, it can’t be even considered as anything practical and its not cheap at all. With formiddable competitors like Audi TT 3.2 V6, Nissan 350Z, Infiniti G35 coupe and BMW 330Ci. I don’t know why would anyone would choose Crossfire over anyone of them above.

OVERALL VERDICT FOR 2004 CHRYSLER CROSSFIRE COUPE
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Performance: 2/5
Handling and ride/fun-to-drive: 1/5
Interior/ergonomics/user-friendliness: 2/5
Fit-and-finish/build quality: 2/5
Cargo/accessibility/layout: 1/5
Value-for-money: 1/5

Overall rating: 2/5

2004 Chrysler PT Cruiser GT convertible

Short review of 2004 Chrysler PT Cruiser GT convertible
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Price as tested: CDN$34155

Just like its sedan silibing, PT convertible receives the 220hp 2.4L DOHC high-output turbo which has 245 lb/ft of torque. With this much of power on front wheels, it got some torque steer when accelerating especially on a rainy day. This engine is surprisingly refined while providing the responsiveness and flexability that the PT desperately needed in day 1.

In terms of the top itself, it got a few cowl shakes as I pushed through the slalom. Chrysler should be able to make the structure stiffer considered PT costs 34k, which the same amount of money can get you into a more solidly built Beetle convertible. Another sad fact is the when the roof is up, the visibility is limited because of the thick C-pillars.

Its handling is similar to sedan silibing with responsive but somewhat numb steering, lots of safe understeer and plenty of body rolls.

Convertible can serve as a halo vehicle for PT as its sales starts to drop. Its interesting to see how it matches with Beetle and upcoming Mini convertibles.

Overall rating: 3.5/5

2005 Chrysler 300C

Vehicle: 2005 Chrysler 300C with with T pkg
Price as tested: CDN$44195

Performance: The 300C is powered by Chrysler’s Hemi V8 which bumps out 340 horses and 390 lb/ft of torque. Power is never an issue considered its astonising low-end torque. On the other hand, this powerplant never run out of breath at the top end of the scale. Its not only flexible, its also willing to rev and got superb refinement. It also feels a lot smoother and quieter than many equivalent American V8 counterparts. Except the Autostick that feels awkward when pushing left and right for up and downshifts, its a very good tranny itself that combine willingness and responsiveness.

Handling: Just like the Magnum, 300 uses previous Mercedes E-Class platform. When pushed through the slalom, it has more safe understeer than its Dodge silibing and ESP kicks in more abruptly. With its FR configuration and near-ideal 50/50 set-up, it feels relatively balanced through corners. On the other hand, the steering feels as sharp and responsive. It got acceptable and controllable body rolls when pushed the slalom. Ride comfort is excellent which means you don’t feel and roughness on the road, thanks to its smart use of rebound damping.

Brakes: 300′s brakes have done a really good job in today’s rainy test. Its stops are short and pedal modulation is excellent. The ABS also kicks in at the right time when needed.

Interior: The overall ambience of 300′s interior is barely acceptable considered its 44k price tag. It got a nice set of instrumentation, comfortable leather seats and spacious back seat. Along with efficient auto climate control and tasteful wood trim, the driving position is also easily found thanks to power adjustment and tilt/telescope steering. Its a pity the whole interior is killed by the cheap materials, high window sill that limits visibility. Not to mention that dreadful hazard light button that is as tiny as a cell phone button.

In terms of cargo space, the high sill creates high liftover which is a nightmare for carrying heavy luggage. Thankfully, it got uninstrusive trunk hinges that won’t crash into anything below.

Conclusion: The 300C could well be the best sedan Chrysler has ever built. It got plenty of V8 Hemi power, handles decently and has lots of luxurious features for 44 grand. Anyone who is considering an ES330 and TL should take a serious look at this car.

OVERALL VERDICT FOR 2005 CHRYSLER 300C
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Performance: 4.75/5
Handling and ride/fun-to-drive: 4.5/5
Interior/ergonomics/user-friendliness: 4/5
Fit-and-finish/build quality: 2.25/5
Cargo/accessibility/layout: 2.5/5
Value-for-money: 5/5

Overall rating: 4.25/5

2004 Chrysler Pacifica AWD

Vehicle: 2004 Chrysler Pacifica AWD

Performance: Powered by the 3.5L V6 24-valver with 250hp and 250 lb/ft of torque. This engine delivers more than adequate low-end torque considered its maximum torque arrives at a rather medium 3950rpm. What I meant “adequate” is because it doesn’t have the zippy and responsive low-end response as many of the 6 bangers on the market. The throttle response is pretty responsive and quick to tip-in. The throttle travel feels more like a Mercedes than a Chrysler considered it got longer travel than most American cars. It performs exceptionally well on high rpm range, it runs without breathlessly until redline. The most impressive area of this engine is the gearing. I clocked 120km/h at a 2950 rpm during the freeway crusiing speed. As for the transmission. The Autostick manumatic is willing to upshift and downshift despite Pacifica’s design doesn’t allow you to rev pass the redline for upshifting. Judging by the fact that Pacifica is a vehicle that’s emphasize more on comfort than all-out performance, this setting is more than acceptable.

Handling: Pacifica is based on Mercedes’s proven E-Class platform. That means a rigid chassis that is completely lack of flex and rattles. I have already mentioned that Pacifica is a vehicle designed for comfort. Its suspension tuning is more on the soft side. The steering lacks both on and off-center feel although it provides decent response and turn-in. There is quite amount of body rolls and understeer when push through corners. However, all these traits are easily absorbed by most consumers when they are looking for an utility vehicle that has more sportiness than those so-called sport-utility vehicles. The ride comfort is excellent. The ride is silky smooth and absorbs every bumps + washboard pavement beautifully. For an enthuisast. If Chrysler offers some aftermarket suspension upgrade parts for the Pacifica in the near future, this chassis has lots of potential to be the ultimate sleeper.

Interior: The highlight of Pacifica has to be its interior. The materials and build quality of Pacifica have to be the best efforts from Chrysler in recent years. All the materials are world-class. The leather seats are comfortable with “seatogram” similar to ones standard in Mercedes. It allows for easy adjustability of seats and find of a driving position. The adjustable pedal is another excellent idea because it allows the short drivers to seat further from the airbag. The automatic climate control works exceptionally well. A/C is ice-cold in this hot weather. On the second-row of seats. It got a seperate set of auto climate control that allows passengers to control their own temperature. All in a very comfortable environment with superb seats and nice materials. Although the 3rd row is not as comfortable as 1st and 2nd row, it got more than adequate space for kids. On the back, the automatic tailgate is a wonderful feature after shopping. Despite the tailgate is quite heavy, the system works as advertised. As expected, the instrumentation is derived from Mercedes which means large speedometer in the middle while tachometer, fuel gauge and temperature gauge are smaller than what they should be. The main problem with instrumentation is the shift indicator is green, which means its easily wash out under sunlight. Another issue is its too small.

Brakes: Although Pacifica is a relatively heavy vehicle, its braking ability is more than average. The pedal feel firm and solid, while the stopping distance is short and decisive. Overall a very good system.

Conclusion: Factor in all the Pacifica’s excellent features, creature comfort, AWD system and excellent chassis shares with Mercedes. It has more “sport” and “utility” than most SUVs on the market. Along with the competitive pricing than is on par with the average price of SUVs on the market, its an excellent alternative for those who are getting tired of a truck-based SUV and looking for something with more style and substance.

OVERALL VERDICT FOR 2004 CHRYSLER PACIFICA AWD
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Performance: 2/5
Handling and ride/fun-to-drive: 3/5
Interior/ergonomics/user-friendliness: 5/5
Fit-and-finish/build quality: 4.5/5
Cargo/accessibility/layout: 4.75/5
Value-for-money: 3/5

Overall rating: 3.75/5

2004 Chrylser PT Cruiser

Vehicle: 2004 Chrylser PT Cruiser with 4-speed auto tranny and ABS

Performance: The light-pressure turbo Cruiser is positioned between the underwhelming non-turbo version and powerful high-output turbo version. This light-pressure unit provides far better performance than the base car which is more suitable for most daily driver’s needs than the high-output version. There is no turbo lag. The turbo spools up quickly and seemlessly as I floored the responsive throttle. The engine is surprisingly smooth and refine, without the noisy character of the base motor. The 4-speed automatic also works relatively well with this engine. It provides decent ratios and willing to up/downshifts. In short, a more linear turbo delivery than high-output turbo and better respose than lowly base motor.

Handling: The PT provides another pleasant surprise through corners. The chassis provides decent feedback thanks to high stiffness and rigidty. There are certain amount of body rolls and understeer when pushed, however, they are all under very well-tempted. While I feel the steering is a bit numb on center, it provides more than adequate feel off-center. Steering response is quick and sharp. If Chrysler is able to dial up more steering feel on center, just like what they did to the high-output Cruiser, this car would feel even better on twisties. On the other hand, there is no torque steer pushed through the front wheels like I felt on the GT Cruiser. In terms of ride comfort, PT again ranks against the best in its class

Brakes: The front discs/rear drums with optional ABS provides good pedal feel. The pedal itself feels solid and easily modulated. The effort is balanced and well-controlled. However, Chrysler should make ABS standard across the board instead of only on PT HOP Turbo given the price they are charging for this ride.

Interior: Inside its the same old PT Cruiser. The seating position feels like on top of the car instead of inside. The power windows beside the air vents still need a home on the door panels, same goes for the switches placed down below on the back. The leather seats are comfortable despite it needs more thigh support.

Conclusion: This 150hp “mid level” engine really does provide what most PT Cruiser buyers needed. A decent enough performance without the sluggishness of base car and rocket feel of GT Cruiser. It worths every pennies over the base car if you are shopping for a practical vehicle with decent engine.

OVERALL VERDICT FOR 2004 PT CRUISER LIMTED EDITION
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Performance: 3.75/5
Handling and ride/fun-to-drive:3/5
Interior/ergonomics/user-friendliness: 3.75/5
Fit-and-finish/build quality: 4/5
Cargo/accessibility/layout: 5/5
Value-for-money: 4.5/5

Overall rating: 4.25/5