Document text
0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate NEWS NOW Purported 'anti-Muslim' protest in Medford turns out to be pro-police rally ... Guest Opinion: Overcoming evil with good ... Guest Opinion: We know what to do to prevent mass shootings ... Purported 'anti-Muslim' protest in Medford turns out to be pro-police rally ... Guest Opinion: Overcoming evil with good ... Guest Opinion: We know what to do to prevent mass shootings ... Silvio Calabi: Chrysler 200S — hey, who is that? Comment MailTribune.com Writer Posted Jan. 26, 2015 at 7:30 AM Posted Jan. 26, 2015 at 7:30 AM » Social News By Silvio Calabi More Content Now Every once in a while, you spot someone at a family event that you know you know, but just cannot nail down. Finally it dawns on you — that’s Uncle Frank! But good lord, he’s lost 45 pounds, gotten a haircut and learned to dance, and clearly someone’s advising him on his wardrobe. Well, that’s the new Chrysler 200: unrecognizable until you get up close. Hey, is that some sort of Volvo or BMW? The old 200 mid-size sedan (née the Sebring, which rental-car companies liked to fob off as an “upgrade,” especially the convertible) was like Uncle Frank, the family member no one wanted to hang with. He was clumsy and cloddish and drank too much, and his mullet reminded us of the bad old days. Well, the embarrassment is over. While in reality the 2015 Chrysler 200 is a stretched version of the also-new Dart — which combines Alfa Romeo and Dodge engineering — and this model has a Jeep Cherokee drivetrain, the result is Fiat Chrysler Automobiles’ freshest and best-looking American car, and its most drivable one, too. Standard in the 200 family (four trim levels) is a 2.4-liter, 200-horsepower four-cylinder motor driving the front wheels. Our sample 200S, however, was one of two 200-series AWD variants, and with all-wheel-drive comes a 3.6-liter V-6 pushing 50 percent more power to all four wheels, at least sometimes. Like the Cherokee, all-wheel-drive 200s actually operate mostly in front-wheel drive, with the rear axle disconnected to reduce friction, but more than half the torque can be directed — instantly, automatically and seamlessly — to the rear wheels when needed. (Lately, that’s been often, up here in the Frozen North.) Both four- and six-cylinder engines get an automatic transmission with sport and normal modes and 10 speeds — one reverse, nine forward. You won’t see 8th or 9th until you’re on the highway. Select P-R-N-D-S by twirling a dial. The 200S (for Sport) also has small shift paddles behind the steering wheel, but there’s no true manual setting; after a few seconds the computer takes over again and the transmission reverts to doing its own thing. The four-cylinder FWD 200 is rated for 23 city and 36 highway miles per gallon; the six-cylinder 200S AWD should manage 18 and 29 mpg. In snow and below-zero temperatures, our averages were a good deal less. There’s much to appreciate here. All 200 models now come with an electric parking brake, keyless unlocking, a rear-view camera, halogen projector headlamps and quick-reacting LED tail lamps. The remote-start option, which warms up not only the engine and cabin but also one or both front seats and the steering wheel, and defrosts the side mirrors and rear windshield, was a godsend on frigid mornings. So was the rear cross-traffic alert when backing out between tall snowbanks. Most of all, though, the 200S AWD felt strong and capable. Its fixed, sport-tuned suspension proves that thousands of dollars worth of sensors, actuators and adjusters aren’t necessary to get a comfortable ride and competent handling. Still, nothing is perfect. While the cabin is reasonably roomy, the doors are small. (I’ll fold myself into a pretzel and bump head, elbows and knees to get into a mega-dollar hypercar, but not an everyday see-dan. My right knee also grazes the headlight switch on the way in, and turns it on.) On the center console, under the driver’s right hand, four knobs — all more or less the same diameter, all with knurled edges — lie within inches of each other; eventually I’d surely learn not to turn down the volume or the fan when I mean to shift into reverse, but not in just one week. Opening the lid shouldn’t let snow, ice or rain from the rear deck fall into the trunk, but it does. And finally, the broad A-pillars with their wing mirrors are large enough to cover up a full-size pickup truck in the other lane. Other than that, Mrs. Lincoln liked the play. At starting prices that range from $23,000 to $31,000, the 2015 Chrysler 200, “imported from Detroit,” can be a cut-price Audi quattro or a down-home Subaru Legacy. At $35,390, our 200S AWD came close to being an all-weather sport sedan. Likes n Euro-American style n 295 horsepower n Capable chassis, suspension Dislikes n Doors are too small n Forward visibility is compromised n Ninth gear — why? Silvio Calabi reviews the latest from Detroit, Munich, Yokohama, Gothenburg, Crewe, Seoul and wherever else interesting cars are born. Silvio is a member of the International Motor Press Association whose automotive reviews date back to the Reagan administration. He is the former publisher of Speedway Illustrated magazine and an author. Contact him at calabi.silvio @gmail.com. MailTribune.com Writer Posted Jan. 26, 2015 at 7:30 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501