2016 Chrysler 200

The base price of the Chrysler 200 is set at just $21,995 and keeping the price tag in mind, Chrysler did a very good job by offering high-class cabin material, climate control, rotary knob, and much more. The vehicle is powered by a 2.4-liter Inline four-cylinder engine which feels somewhat sluggish but Chrysler also provides an optional 3.6-liter V6 engine and with that powerhouse, the Chrysler 200 feels more lively. The brand really offers some great deals but it doesn’t mean it’s running alone in the race, the Chrysler 200 directly competes with the Mazda 6, Toyota Camry, and Hyundai Sonata.

Chrysler offers the 200 in six different trim levels namely: LX, Touring, Limited, S, C, C Platinum. The LX, Touring, Limited and C Platinum trim levels come with the less powerful 2.4-liter I-4 gas engine which is mated with the 9-speed automatic gearbox and only sends the power to the front wheels of the car. The upper S and C trims are powered with the more po\unchy 3.6-liter, V6 gas engine which comes in the AWD configuration. Other than all these things the lower variants lack premium features like leather upholstery, power-adjustable seats, heated seats/steering wheels but all these features are available as standard on upper models.

We Recommend

We recommend you to go for the S trim with an FWD drivetrain system as it features all high-class convenience and comfort features such as an 8-way power-adjustable driver seat, leather upholstery, heated & ventilated sport seats, etc. The power produced by the 2.4-L gas engine is more than enough to clear all the daily tasks but if you live in a harsh environment then opting for the 3.6-L V6 makes more sense as it also features an AWD system.

Chrysler offers two powertrain and two drivetrain options for the Chrysler 200 trims, the lower trim levels LX, Touring & limited feature a less capable 2.4-liter inline-4 gas engine which churns out a total power of 184 horses and can pull the car with a decent 173 pound-feet of torque. With this powertrain, the car gets a 9-speed automatic gearbox and an FWD drivetrain system, for daily riding and the completion of the mundane tasks that much power & torque is enough for a vehicle.

But if one wants a punch in their daily rider then they can opt for the upper S and C trims which has a better 3.4-liter, V6 gas engine with the power and torque figures of 295 hp and 262 lb-ft respectively, which is certainly a powerful engine as per the daily rider standards. The gearbox is the same 9-speed automatic but now it transfers the power to all four wheels of the car with the aid of the AWD system. 

The 200, Sonata & Mazda 6 may have similar power figures but still, Chrysler is a bit slower than the rivals, not only that it’s also the slowest one in the competition. The Toyota Camry here performs impressively with 0 to 60 mph acceleration within 8 seconds whereas Sonata and Mazda 6 perform evenly. Chrysler 200 is the only one in the segment to offer a 9-speed automatic gearbox with a decent top speed of 126 mph.

As per the performance of the engine and 9-speed automatic transmission, the fuel figures aren’t very impressive. The 2016 Chrysler 200 claims decent fuel economy of 23 mpg in the city-run, 36 mpg on the straight highways, and 28 mpg under the combined conditions, these numbers are neither good nor bad. The 15.8 gallons of fuel tank takes the overall range of the vehicle to 568 miles on the highways.

Even with the least performance Chrysler 200 fails to beat its rivals in the fuel efficiency battle, Mazda 6 here is providing best in class fuel economy numbers with respect to the performance it delivers, but if one is only concerned with the most fuel-efficient engine then it’s the Hyundai Sonata with the 30 mpg in the combined conditions and it’s also the one with the biggest fuel tank of 18.5 gallons that takes its range to 704 miles on the highways.

The Chrysler 200 maybe belong to a mid-size sedan but it resonates a luxury feel inside its cabin with the leather upholstery and the simulated alloy steering wheel on the upper trim levels. The automaker offers sport seats with adequate bolstering and features like 8-way power adjustability, heated and ventilated seats. The front row seats are quite spacious even for the tall passengers but rear row seats feel somewhat cramped but they serve their purpose evenly. The dual-zone automatic climate control lets you set two different temperatures for two different moody people and the front & rear row has a space for your coffee cups too.

All four sedans can offer seats for a total of five people, by the looks of the front row capacity Hyundai Sonata is the spacious one as it hits all the head, shoulder, and leg space targets perfectly. After Sonata the second place in terms of front row space goes to Chrysler 200. In the rear row seats, Mazda 6 wins the battle easily but Chrysler 200 is not much behind, it only lacks legroom as compared to Mazda. The Hyundai Sonata gets the biggest in the segment boot space of 16.3 cu-ft but Chrysler also does well with its 16 cu-ft of the boot. Some highlights of the interior features of the Chrysler 200 are:

• Tilt & telescopic steering wheel
• Steering mounted transmission, cruise, and audio controls
• Electrochromatic IRVM
• Heated & ventilated front seats
• Leather upholstery
• Dual-zone automatic climate control
• 6-way power-adjustable passenger & 8-way power-adjustable driver seats
• 2-one touch down windows
• Leather & simulated alloy steering wheel
• Heated steering wheel

How intuitive is the Chrysler 200’s infotainment system?

The base trim of Chrysler 200 doesn’t get any infotainment touchscreen but the 4-speaker audio system can play your favorite song with the help of USB & AUX audio input, besides all these tech the base trim carries pretty much the basic stuff. In the upper trim levels, the features like a 5.0-inch touchscreen display and Bluetooth connectivity become standard whereas the top-level trims S & C get the class-leading 8.4-inch screen. Some highlights of the infotainment system are:

• 5.0-inch Touchscreen display
• 8.4-inch Touch screen display (in S & C level trims)
• 4-Speaker audio system
• 6-Speaker Harman/Kardon premium audio system (on S & C trims)
• MP3 Player
• USB & AUX audio input
• AM/FM stereo
• Bluetooth connectivity

The Chrysler 200 wins the hearts of the audience with its sleek front look and stylish sharp-looking headlights. The front gets a sleek and small grille with chrome accents which integrates well into the front headlamps of the car, whereas the lower grille at the front end makes an upside-down U-shape and then mends into the foglamps housing. On the side, the vehicle maintains its sleek look with the gorgeous 18-inch alloy wheels, besides that the side profile styling is quite sober. The rear end properly radiates the sedan look and with its simple taillight design, the car provides a classy appeal.

The Chrysler 200 is the heaviest in the lot with a curb weight of 3473 pounds, Sonata sits on the second and Camry on the third. Mazda 6 is the lightest which certainly proves the performance theory of the vehicle. Chrysler 200 here is significantly the longest, widest, and tallest sedan which makes it quite uneasy to maneuver in tight situations, whereas it has the smallest wheelbase of 108 inches which grants it better turning at curves. Some highlights of the exterior features are:

• 18-inch polished alloy wheels
• Dusk sensing headlamps
• Heated ORVMs
• HID headlamps
• Remote engine start
• All season tires
• Rearview Camera
• Fog lamps on upper trims

One can rely on the structure and the safety features of the Chrysler 200 as it scored the 5-star overall crash test safety rating in the crash tests done by the NHTSA. The reason behind the awesome safety score is the ample amount of safety features loaded by the Chrysler in their mid-size sedan, the Chrysler 200 comes standard with the safety features like front vented discs, brake assist, electric parking brake, tire pressure monitoring system, and much more even on the base LX trim. All the safety features of Chrysler 200 are:

• Electronic stability control
• ABS & driveline traction control
• Side impact beams
• Dual-stage driver & passenger seat-mounted side airbags
• Tire pressure monitoring system
• First & rear row curtain airbags
• Airbag occupancy sensor
• Driver & passenger knee airbag
• Rear child safety locks
• Rearview camera
• Dusk sensing headlamps
• Emergency braking preparation
• Engine immobilizer
• Ventilated front rotors
• Emergency brake assist
• Child seat anchors

The Chrysler 200 is just more than a family or office vehicle, it’s made for more than the lazy mundane tasks. The exterior styling is just classy and the interior looks equally luxurious as per the price point it arrives plus it gets two powertrain & drivetrain options for every type of audience. If someone is looking for a mid-size sedan which he/she can take to a party after office hours then Chrysler is the one for them and if the sluggish 2.4-L, I-4 gas engine bothers you that much then surely buy the V6 gas and enjoy the punchy ride with the classy cabin.