24th Place: Chrysler Sebring

Overview:

Though the Sebring is a new design, it was introduced with virtually no advantages over most competitors and many key weak points. Its interior is low-quality and uncomfortable, it doesn't ride or handle well, and its trunk is small. Its 3.5-liter V6, the largest of three available engines but the only one with enough horsepower to meet this comparison's requirements, is powerful and fairly smooth, but returns poor gas mileage and raises the car's price past the point where it can undercut most competitors. Ignore the few gimmicky features that represent the only thing new the Sebring can bring to the marketplace; there is no reason to buy one.

Driving the Sebring:

The Sebring rides comfortably enough in most circumstances, but it lacks composure over bumps and at highway speeds. The steering is numb and slow, and the car lacks a nimble feel. The V6 is powerful, allowing for very quick acceleration, but other competitors' are even more so. The six-speed automatic standard on this V6 is often in the wrong gear, and doesn't always shift smoothly. The engine is smooth and quiet, but wind and road noise are excessive. Gas mileage is poor for a midsize sedan.

Inside the Sebring:

The Sebring's front seats are hard and shapeless, uncomfortable and lacking in support. The rear is adequately roomy, but that seat too is overly hard, and the backrest angle forces occupants into an overly upright position. The interior is sloppily assembled using hard, cheap plastics. Most instruments are simple to use, and the gauges are clear enough. Drivers sit comfortably, but visibility is compromised by thick roof pillars and a high rear deck. Entry/exit is easy enough, but the doors could be larger. The small trunk is accessed through an inconveniently small opening.

Sebring pricing:

The Sebring came well-equipped with the expected niceties and safety features of a loaded family sedan (for future reference in this comparison: heated power leather seats, sunroof, 6-disc CD changer, a satellite radio receiver, side and side-curtain airbags, and antilock brakes with traction and stability control), as well as a hands-free phone system and a remote starter, at $26,896. It also had Chrysler's much-hyped "MyGig" in-dash hard drive and heated and cooled cupholders.

Conclusion:

The Sebring is a remarkable combination of almost stunningly incompetent and surprisingly expensive. While it is not a positively dreadful car, it has its positively dreadful points with virtually no redeeming virtues to even try and offset them. As this last-place showing indicates, it would be difficult not to do better.

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