Chrysler Sebring Saloon (07-09) - Review

The cheapest model in the range is the 2.0-litre petrol, which is actually the fastest in the line-up and able to accelerate from 0-62mph in 11.1 seconds. It's refined but does need to be worked hard and lacks punch for overtaking. The other petrol is a 2.4-litre unit that's only available with a four-speed automatic gearbox. With 167bhp it's the most powerful on offer - but also the most uneconomical with an average fuel consumption of just 32mpg. It's little surprise that three-quarters of all Sebrings are diesel. The 2.0-litre CRD engine is actually a Volkswagen unit (used in the Golf and Passat among others) with 140bhp. It's fairly noisy, especially on start-up, but does offer strong in-gear performance. So although it has the slowest 0-62mph time on paper (12 seconds) it feels the quickest and most urgent in everyday driving. The diesel is also the only model to have a six-speed manual gearbox (the 2.0-litre petrol is a five-speed) which helps it return healthy economy of 46mpg.

On motorways and dual carriageways, the Sebring is fairly comfortable, but on uneven roads the lack of control in the suspension soon becomes evident and it feels unsettled, accompanied by vibrations through the cabin. Worse still is the almost nonexistent feedback or feel in the steering, which makes the Chrysler incredibly dull on a twisting road. There's also too much roll through bends while mid-corner bumps unsettle the car far too easily.