2015 Chrysler 200: Real World Review

What is it? 2015 Chrysler 200

Price Range: $21,995 - $36,000

Competitors: Mazda Mazda6, Ford Fusion, Honda Accord, Toyota Camry, Kia Optima, Nissan Altima, Hyundai Sonata, Volkswagen Passat, Chevrolet Malibu, Subaru Legacy

Alternatives:  BMW 3-Series, Mercedes CLA, Audi A3/4

Pros: Markedly improved in the looks department over the outgoing model, both inside and out.

Cons: Sluggish gearbox; unless you’re willing to option to the higher “S” trim, the 200 is dynamically inferior to the best in the segment.

Would I buy it with my own money? At the lower price points, the car truly doesn’t drive well at all. It’s only when you step up the options — like adding all-wheel-drive and the 3.6-liter V-6 engine — that the car does some justice to its newly freshened appearance. At over $30,000 to get to that point, however, you’re entering into low-end BMW 3 Series money: Well-equipped 200 or an option-free 3er? You decide.

My first time driving the new 200 arrived during our Yahoo Autos Car of the Year testing almost a year ago. I remember it vividly: A lovely looking midsized sedan, an important car for Detroit, and a promise that Fiat Chrysler was to be a real player in this fiercely competitive segment. I wanted it to be good, but three minutes into my drive — having crested a handful of speed bumps in the parking lot — it was evidently clear that the new 200 was much of the same. I bounced down the road with the suspension refusing to settle. I then tried to accelerate out onto the main road, only the 9-speed automatic gearbox had apparently been bounced into a coma.