Overview & Reviews

Chrysler is generally considered part of the Big Three, a title that refers to the traditional triumvirate of domestic automakers. The current accuracy of this classification is open for debate, but there's no debating the fact that Chrysler has experienced a revival of sorts over the past few years.

Chrysler Corporation was founded in 1925 by Walter P. Chrysler, a noted machinist; he'd purchased the Maxwell Motor Corporation of Detroit and used it as the foundation for his new company. The automaker quickly earned a reputation for advanced engineering. In 1928, Chrysler Corporation expanded with the purchase of Dodge and the creation of the DeSoto and Plymouth divisions.

The 1930s saw Chrysler boldly looking toward the future with the introduction of its revolutionary Airflow. Powered by a front-mounted inline-8, the car was one of the first to be designed with aerodynamics in mind, and featured swooping lines and a prominent grille. Perhaps a bit too ahead of its time, the Airflow was a flop with the public. Chrysler was able to survive the lean years of the Depression thanks to strong sales of its entry-level Dodge and Plymouth brands, whose vehicles boasted more traditional designs and much lower price tags.

Chrysler shined postwar. For a period in the late 1940s, it even surpassed Ford as the No. 2 U.S. automaker. The company's storied "Hemi" V8 engine debuted in 1951. Offering 180 horsepower, it was a significant improvement over Chrysler's previous 135-hp V8. The Hemi engine was meant to trounce the V8 offered by Cadillac, Chrysler's rival, and it kick-started Detroit's horsepower race of the 1950s and '60s. The '50s also saw the debut of treasured Chrysler classics like the handsome Town and Country and the sleek 300C.

By 1961, Chrysler had trimmed its line of brands by dropping the DeSoto nameplate. New technologies were also afoot, such as unibody construction (Chrysler was the first of the Big Three to introduce it) and the replacement of generators with alternators for a car's charging system. In the latter half of the '60s, Chrysler was heavily involved with NASCAR and producing performance-oriented cars.

At the same time, however, dark clouds were gathering. As with other domestic automakers, the 1970s proved to be a difficult decade due to the oil crisis, new government regulations and changing consumer tastes. A costly and ineffective overseas expansion further hurt the company's bottom line. By the late '70s, the company was in such financial disarray that it petitioned the government for $1.5 billion in loan guarantees to save it from bankruptcy.

Thanks to impressive public campaigning by then-chairman Lee Iacocca, the debut of the well-received K-car platform and the creation of the modern minivan, sales had improved dramatically by the mid-'80s. The government's loan was paid off seven years early. The picture further brightened in the late 1980s with Chrysler's purchase of American Motors Corporation (which netted the company the Jeep brand) and a joint venture with Mitsubishi known as Diamond Star Motors.

Success continued through the early 1990s. In 1998, German-based Daimler-Benz merged with Chrysler to form DaimlerChrysler. At the time, this deal was presented as a merger of equals. But it quickly became apparent that it was more of a purchase, with Daimler being the dominant partner.

Less than a decade later, that merger was no longer, as Daimler sold Chrysler (and Dodge) to a private equity firm in 2007. However, that merger had borne some worthwhile fruit, most notably in the form of the Chrysler 300 full-size sedan. The latter shared some chassis components with an older Mercedes-Benz E-Class platform.

As such, the 300 was a highlight for Chrysler that had a pleasingly solid feel to its driving dynamics that was further sweetened via an available powerful V8 engine. But soon after the split, America's economy slid into recession. Due to poor sales and debt, Chrysler had to declare bankruptcy and the federal government intervened with bailout loans. Eventually Chrysler came under control of Italy's Fiat.

Today, the lineup has been pared down to a pair of sedans, a convertible and a minivan. However, after years of having lackluster entries in the very important midsize car category, Chrysler made major improvements in the performance, design and quality of its midsize sedan entry, the 200. The latest 300 also stands as a prime choice for a premium full-size sedan. Still, it remains to be seen as to whether this and future product releases will be enough to restore the company to its former glory.

User Reviews:

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  Love - 2008 Chrysler Sebring
  By Faith - December 11 - 7:02 am

  Love this car:) So fun to drive. Heated seats are wonderful during the winter. Convertible is a blast during the summer. Downside- truck space and backseat are smal.

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  Sharp Looking Chrysler - 2015 Chrysler 200
  By Susan O - November 28 - 8:31 am

  Be careful not to speed, was on the highway, and have to use cruise control so I wont speed. Smooth car.

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  1 Year Review - 2015 Chrysler 200
  By Ryan - November 25 - 11:37 am

  I am coming up on owning this vehicle for 1 year now. I have the C level trim with AWD and it has not been disappointing. Having come from only SUVs, I was not sure how well I would like adjusting to a sedan especially in snowy and wet weather. I did my due diligence in test driving almost every car in this segment, and this one stood out more than any of them. The most appealing for myself was having AWD and the V-6 as well as a very nice interior that is comfortable to drive on long trips and my daily commute to work that is 41 miles round trip. I really appreciate the reviews I see on here that actually tried other cars for comparison and other trim models. If I only went off the base model rentals cars I have had in the past, there would be some pretty terrible reviews but unjust reviews. You really need to try the 6 cylinder versus the 4 to get your own opinion, but it has more power and boost than any v-8 I have owned in the past. Looks (Exterior & Interior): Looks I feel are like comedy...very subjective. At very first look, I loved the rear end lines and tail lights on this car. I was not as much of a fan of the front end. What I did love about the front was the LED running lights that really stand out. As far as the interior goes, I couldnt be happier. The Nappa leather with heated/cooled seats as well as the hand stitched leather steering wheel that is heated is wonderful! The remote start (which many other brands will have as well) is amazing for those hot and cold days, as your car knows what to automatically adjust to warm or cool the car. The navigation Uconnect 8.4 is very easy to use and has great traffic and weather outlooks and updates, as well as letting you know when your favorite sports team is playing and the score. The panoramic sunroof is one of my favorite options that really opens up the ride. Performance: The quickness of the v-6 has been very impressive. I have not had any issues with any weird shifts with the v-6 so I am not sure if that is more of problem with the 4 cylinder but something I would recommend driving both. I drive mostly in dead stopped traffic both ways and will end up around 23-26MPG. When I actually get to do more freeway and long trips over the mountains, I will average around 32-34 mpg. The second day of ownership I had to drive over the mountains to the central part of the state in very large snow storm. I was very nervous coming from Jeeps that have always fared me well with their 4wd and ground clearance. Again, I was very surprised! This model uses the same base AWD system that the Jeep Cherokee uses and handles great. I have had zero slipping issues and control as been spot on. I am not recommending this as an off road AWD rig, again this is just a 4-door sedan. But if you are looking for something that is extremely safe and handles snow and other bad weather well than this works great. The 9-speed that is made by ZF which also makes the same trannys for Bentley, Rolls Royce, Maserati (sister brand) etc... I was very concerned about so many gears, but this 9-speed has been 100 times better than my previous 5-speed Mercedes transmission that was always clunking into gear especially on hills. Conclusion This 200 and a complete 180 from the previous generation and has made leaps and bounds to make it one of the tip rated in safety, and interior qualities. The combination of the Jeeps AWD system, ZF transmission, same chassy and brake calipers as the alpha Alfa romeo Giulia (check out the 2017 model), and the award winning interior made by Chrysler has been a great combination. The lane detection feature has been great, and will easily put your car back in the lane if you drift. The park sense has many levels of sensitivity and has done a great job keeping me from scraping my wheels and has stopped my car completely in a parking lot when a car was rushing behind my car backing out. The self parking either parallel, or backing in is a nice feature but not something I use too often. The automatic cruise control has been great for long trips on the freeway as it will adjust your speed according to the car in front of you and the car spacing you set it too. I have read a lot of issues with complaints on the rear head room. This is another issue I have seen on other cars and is more of an issue if you plan to haul a lot of adults. I am not a tall individual at 510 and have had no issues. My friends are all around 63 and will definitely be more cramped in the rear. Luckily we typically never ride together as we all have our own cars. For kids, I have used this numerous times to haul my niece and nephew and getting the car seat in and out was not difficult at all. At the end of the day anyones taste as far as looks are subjective. But I would highly recommend at least trying to test drive this model, especially the C trim. MSRP was around 38K, and got it with no money down for $28,995 with every option.

• 

  Loved this car! - 1994 Chrysler Concorde
  By Laurie - November 19 - 4:17 pm

  Received this car from my aunt, when she got too old to drive. It had been garage-kept, and regularly maintained, so it was in great condition, and VERY LOW mileage. In fact, for a 20 year old car, it had 86,500 miles on it! Car runs very smooth. Great acceleration getting on the highway. Extremely comfortable to drive, and to be a rider. Front seat space is huge, and the back is quite comfortable, even for a long drive. The trunk is huge! We really had no use for it, and we wouldnt get very much for it, so we donated it to the Fire Department for training. So sad to say goodbye.

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  Old, but totally reliable - 1998 Chrysler Sebring
  By Dave - November 16 - 9:37 pm

  We bought this car new in 1998, and it has been a totally reliable, trouble free vehicle in 130,000 miles. Aside from normal maintenance, the car has never been in the shop for repairs. The technology for its time was good. Garage kept all its life, the original top lasted 16 years - top material was good, but the threads began to fail. Original Michelin tires went 90,000 miles-shes still on her second set of tires and brakes, just installed 2nd replacement battery. Plugs, hoses, belts, timing belt changed a couple years ago at 115,000. Leather seats, carpet, etc. still appear near new. No complaints-it was driven daily for the first 10 years. Shes become a garage queen in the past several years. Probably never sell it at this point. Bought a twin to it for our grand daughter 3 years ago. It has also been trouble free.

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  Great vehicle - 1998 Chrysler Concorde
  By E. Barto - November 15 - 6:41 pm

  This vehicle is great. Great interior, comfortable and very roomy and the trunk space is huge. It drives smoothly and handles well.

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  This Car Needs An Autobahn - 2015 Chrysler 200
  By Scott in W.PA. - November 13 - 9:39 pm

  Purchased new in May 15 and have 12,250 as of Nov 1st so yes, I have piled on the miles. Traded in an aging 09 Audi A8L, so my basis for comparison is a highly ranked luxury sedan. The 200S is not perfect, has some niggling little flaws, but overall is a highly capable performer that returns gobs of fun for the price that you pay. Im ready to get a vanity plate that reads "A4Killr." My 200S is only missing the LED headlights and rear parking sensors. It has those killer wheels you see in all their ads, sport seats, UConnect 8.4, and everything else. It also has an absolutely gigantic trunk. Lets look around the cabin. Ergonomics Execution of controls is near-perfect. The large touch screens interface is so well designed you do not need the manual to figure out ANYTHING (are you listening Audi & BMW?). Screens are logically arranged, fonts are easy to read, and the myriad of adjustments are easily found. The customization of the dash readouts is delightful, and toggling between dash screens is effortless. You can seamlessly get vehicle information (tire pressures, etc) then check the gas mileage then back to the digital speedo (or whatever else you have programmed the screen to show you). The rotary gear selector takes a little getting used to, but will be the standard within a few years as long as automatic transmission continue to pester us with paddle shifters. Interior lighting is just a hair short of phenomenal. Colors and hues blend beautifully. Night driving is truly a pleasure. The sport seats are superb. The wife just got a Volvo XC60 with its vaunted seats, and they are spectacular...but the 200s are just as good. Teh back seats are very good for two, and a little cramped for three. Legroom is at a premium. Driving Dynamics There is a bit of a mixed bag here. The star of the show is the engine. Step on it, and it pulls. Let up, step on it again, and it pulls harder. Cruising at 90 and stomping on it gets you to 110+ RIGHT NOW. It is amazing. Every bit as fast as the Audi A8L. The brakes are confident with minimal if any fade. Handling is good, not great. "Sport" mode seems to just make the steering feel heavier, not more inspiring. "Sport" mode does the usual transmission shift adjustments, and it does them very well. It also makes the car feel more like a rear-wheel driver as it disengages the traction control and makes it feel tossable. The 9 speed tranny does occasional hunting, and will sometimes stay in a lower gear going down hills. But it also turns less than 2700RPM at 110MPH. I remember my 86 GTI droning on at 3500rpm at 70mph all the way to Florida. On several Pittsburgh to Richmond trips, a rather mountainous journey, the 200S returned an unbelievable 31.5mpg, and thats with spirited driving at sustained 85+. The suspension is taught, and the 19" wheels take a bit of the magic-carpet-ride feel away. But it is not unpleasant. Finally, there is the exhaust note. It is mean, nasty, gnarly, growlingly perfect. Perfect. Concerns Obviously the reliability issue rears its ugly head as we really dont know how this purring lion is going to hold up. Im already experiencing a squeak from, of all places, the upper seat back of the drivers seat. At 61" and 185lbs I am certainly not taxing the capability of the seat too much. My other concern is the rear view mirror is so big it can actually block an SUV sitting at an intersection. I am forced to duck my head down to see under it. And yes, Ive moved the seat down. Conclusion I looked at (looked at = test drove at length) the Volvo S60, BMW 3 and Audi 4 & 6 series. I wanted a mid-size family sedan with AWD. Subaru was just too basic, Audi and BMW just too expensive, Mazda and Honda have no AWD, and that left me with the 200S or a Ford Fusion. Since the Fusion is not a Ford truck, it was automatically crossed off the list. The 200S with the V6 is a Beast. Its fun to drive, explodes off the line, and reins in confidently. The cabin is uber cool with a monstrous sunroof and a 500+ watt Alpine system that Led Zeppelin regularly enjoys. The heated seats and heated steering wheel are appreciated now that the thermometer is dipping towards freezing. Oh...you can set the car to automatically heat the seats and steering wheel for you...a nice touch and super-easy to program (or turn off). This car is well thought-out, well-executed, and damn nice to look at.

• 

  Best Car EVER - 2008 Chrysler Sebring
  By Candy - November 8 - 12:46 pm

  I love my Convertible. I recommend the larger V-6 though fast efficient and FUN

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  Great Car Flying Under the Radar! - 2015 Chrysler 200
  By Rod Reichardt - November 2 - 7:12 pm

  We needed a car for my son who just got his drivers license. It needed to be safe, reliable, economical, and all the other things a parent looks for in their childs car. My son wanted a car with leather, nav, good audio system, good looks and "cool wheels". Oh, it also needed to be under $20,000. Impossible? I wasnt hopeful but started by perusing cars on Carmax.com. After a few hours I noticed a trend of nicely equipped Chrysler 200s right in the range I was looking for. I read a few online reviews and began to realize that this car is one of the few great deals of the current car market. I realize hat styling is very subjective but I think this is a great looking car. The MSRP of the 200C we settled on was $12,000 over the asking price at Carmax of $19,998. It had 3200 miles on it. It is front wheel drive with the 2.4 liter "Tigershark" 4 cylinder with the 9 speed auto and the optional 19 inch wheels. Not a fast car, but certainly not slow either. The full leather interior is good quality. Not quite Aston Martin or high end Audi but very nice. The 8.4" Uconnect infotainment system is really, really good. I wish there were physical buttons for the heated seats but the menu is only one layer deep on the screen so its not much of an issue. The optional Alpine stereo sounds decent. It has a claimed 506 watt amplifier which provides decent bass. The voice control and Bluetooth are really good. I had the 8.4 Ucinnect in a 2013 Ram 1500 and the firmware seems much better now. It seems quicker and much less buggy than the earlier version. The messaging works fine with my Galaxy Note 5 but not with my sons iPhone 6S. This car will cruise all day at 80-85 (we live near Texas Highway 130 which only has two speed limits eighty and eighty-five. After a few hundred miles we are getting an average of 26-27mpg. Most of my sons driving is around town so I am happy with the mileage so far. I was not expecting much from th 2.4 liter power plant but it seems perfect in this application. Acceleration is just fine and it s quiet. The little sound you do hear is nice. Not at all rough like some fours in midsize cars. The only complaint I have about this car is the transmission. Th 9 speed will occasionally throw out a rough shift or shift too slowly. Sometimes it will hunt for the right gear. Hopefully the software will get better with time like it did in the Uconnect system. The car was new in January of 2015 and there is no record of it ever going back to a dealer. I have no idea if there are any updates for this transmission but I will be looking into it. Its not a big issue though. I have never noticed it when I have been driving. My son is a little less decisive in his application of the throttle so that may be a contributing factor. You can probably tell that we are very happy with this purchase. We like it so much that my wife wants to get one. I think the low used price is partly due to the "rental car" nature of the previous generation of this car. I rented a 2014 just a few months ago and felt exactly like a cheap rental car. The new generation feels anything but cheap. The build quality seems really high. When youre driving it it does not feel at all like a generic mid sized car. It feels a little "special". I was not expecting that at all. The 200C is punching way above its weight. I have been shopping new ones for my wife and AWD V6 models with radar cruise control and every option in the book are selling for under $30,000. The only negatives I can think of are the slightly balky transmission and relatively poor resale value. I imagine they will eventually get the programming right in the transmission. If youre worried about the resale just buy used. This is the best I have felt about a car purchase in years. I neve dreamed we could find such a great car for such a great price. Definitely 5 stars from us.

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  Glide in This Ride - 2015 Chrysler 300
  By Chris Brown - October 15 - 12:18 am

  I absolutely love my Chrysler 300 . This car is the full package and it is affordable. Performance ,style and is loaded with tons of additional features. The color of my 300 is granite crystal it is stunning. The vehicle handles really well and it packs plenty of punch especially in sport mode.