2o6 Review - Chrysler 200 (Dodge Dart LWB)

[2o6]

To make a long story short, the Buick needed and oil change, and I wasn't so comfortable with driving such a big car anways.


I saw they had a couple options, namely a Renegade and a Trax.


Both of those cars were damaged. 


"OK, the Fusion?"

Expired tags.

So.....I got put in a Chrysler 200 with 58K miles. Its the 2.4L with the 9AT.









+ It's a pretty car.

+ The sound system is really nice for a more basic car

+ The ride and handling is much improved from the old 200 and Sebring



- Where to start? Clearly, this car is a Long wheelbase Dodge Dart - which in turn is a wide version of the Fiat Bravo and Alfa Giuletta. The interior room (rear seat room) is only marginally bigger than my Sonic, a car two class sizes down. It feels like a class smaller than the Camry and Accord, both in legroom AND (more importantly) in width. One thing that stands out about the 200, is how narrow it feels. It's narrow like a compact car.

- Maybe when this car was new, it felt nicer, but my rental example with nearly 60K miles feels tired. The interior panels feel creaky and too squishy. None of the buttons feel very high quality.

- the steering is nothing to write home about, it's not comfortable and overboosted like a Camry, but not very accurate and sharp like its platform-mate the Dodge Dart, or even a Chevy Malibu.

- The suspension feels resolved enough, but I feel could have used a bit more development time or refinement. Is it supposed to be comfortable? Sporty? It's hard to tell.

- This 9AT is so horrible compared to the great GM 8AT. It's better here now that it's "Broken in" after 60K miles, but it feels like a weird stepped CVT. There's 9 gears, but all of the ratios feel wrong.

- the 2.4L tiger shark isn't a very good motor, it's reedy and wheezy. Any NA or turbo small 4cyl is better. Even the old-as-sin QR25 that is still seeing service in the Altima feels more refined and strong. This car has 184HP and 171 ft lbs of torque. Where they at tho? The Malibu is down 20HP, but feels so much more strong. The Altima is down a few HP and Torque and paired to a CVT, but it feels stronger and gets better MPG. This 2.4L in cars like the heavy-ass Dodge Journey must be a damn dog.

- The fuel economy isn't very good for the level of performance you get.

- Base UConnect isn't good. It also doesn't pair very well with my iPhone via USB cable. Also this screen is too small and low res. I will say, that it's fairly responsive, though.

- These Kelly tires suck and have shitty grip (this may be a replacement for stock ones, tho)

- That rotary shifter feels unergonomic; the detents feel weird and inappropriate for the task it's used for.

- Is this supposed to be a luxury car? It fails. Miserably.

- The key fob has no range, and the keyless entry on the fob and the door is inconsistent in how it works.

- there's a terrible latency from me selecting a gear, to the computer/transmission actually engaging that gear. I've accidentally given the car gas, only to realize it hadn't actually engaged drive or reverse yet.

- That 2.4L is stuffed in that engine bay. I can't imagine the nightmare that 3.6L V6 must be in there.


t's not a terrible car, not in the way the 2007 Sebring was. But, you'd have to be a moron to buy one new, at list price. Literally everything else is better.

With Chrysler slapping $$$ on the hood, I could see why someone would be lured into one.



Before you say "Well, with a manual I'd give one a look". No, with a manual, you'd buy a Dodge Dart which is effectively the same car, but with a couple fewer inches of rear legroom. The Dart also has better steering, and really sporty handling (despite being kind of low quality as a whole)


All and all, this car isn't great, and you should buy something else.

[Xer0]

You just tore out a piece of Sporty's heart and smashed it with a sledgehammer.

[Laconian]

The rotary shifter feels like crappy flash-molded plastic that jiggles around in place. Something that controls the transmission should feel secure, well-oiled, mechanical, even if it isn't mechanically connected. The 200's rotary shifter feels like it belongs on those panels of bogus dials and buttons for infants to play with.

[MrH]

You just tore out a piece of Sporty's heart and smashed it with a sledgehammer.

[giant_mtb]

The rotary shifter feels like crappy flash-molded plastic that jiggles around in place. Something that controls the transmission should feel secure, well-oiled, mechanical, even if it isn't mechanically connected. The 200's rotary shifter feels like it belongs on those panels of bogus dials and buttons for infants to play with.

Indeed. And it's right next to all the other dials on the dashboard. lol

That transmission is garbage.

[2o6]

You just tore out a piece of Sporty's heart and smashed it with a sledgehammer.

TO BE FAIR - if you could get a V6 model with all the goodies for like 20K, it would be a pretty good value option (just don't expect to have any resale value). With a better sorted suspension, it probably is a *fine* car.

[FoMoJo]

Who manufactures the transmission?

[2o6]

Who manufactures the transmission?

ZF

[FoMoJo]

ZF

Ah, same as mine.  I guess it depends a lot on what it's mated to.  Mine works great.

[MrH]

It's all in the controls.  FCA was responsible for that.  That's why it's so bad

[MX793]

It's all in the controls.  FCA was responsible for that.  That's why it's so bad

The ZF 9 speed is hit or miss.  Seems like it misses more than it hits.  Seems like every Honda/Acura or FCA product that uses it, there's criticism about the shift quality and programming.  There have also been recalls both by Acura and Jeep for vehicles using this transmission.

[Xer0]

I can confirm that the Acura version is pretty meh.  Eco and Normal are incredibly lazy and lethargic.  Sport is a weird mix of half lazy and half snappy, while Sport+ is overcompensating with brutal shifts at max RPM like all the time.

[giant_mtb]

The inability to program a 9-speed to feel proper implies that we really don't need frickin' 9 speeds.

[FoMoJo]

The inability to program a 9-speed to feel proper implies that we really don't need frickin' 9 speeds.

On the Discovery Sport it is paired with an 2.0 EcoBoost (Land Rover version).  I'm always surprised that it finds the right match for the circumstance.  I guess they must've used Indian programmers.  Of course, it's slanted towards efficiency, but a little nudge will change its mind quite readily.

[Laconian]

I guess they must've used Indian programmers.

You press the gas pedal, and it files a workflow ticket in SAP?

[MexicoCityM3]

You just tore out a piece of Sporty's heart and smashed it with a sledgehammer.

Nah. This looks good and with coilovers it'd be just fine.

[2o6]

Nah. This looks good and with coilovers it'd be just fine.

To be fair, a well-sorted aftermarket setup would likely help. It's got a good chassis.

[2o6]

This Chrysler 200 is an ergonomic fail. I went to turn down the fan speed for the AC and accidentally put the car in neutral

[giant_mtb]

This Chrysler 200 is an ergonomic fail. I went to turn down the fan speed for the AC and accidentally put the car in neutral

YUP.  I couldn't believe where they had put it when I climbed in.  Somebody needs to do some brain thinkin' next time.

[Laconian]

This Chrysler 200 is an ergonomic fail. I went to turn down the fan speed for the AC and accidentally put the car in neutral

I DID THE SAME THING LOLOLOLOL

[12,000 RPM]

TO BE FAIR - if you could get a V6 model with all the goodies for like 20K, it would be a pretty good value option (just don't expect to have any resale value). With a better sorted suspension, it probably is a *fine* car.

So in other words.....

#CoiloverNation? 4 banger version was never in consideration. But no worries, decision has already been made. I'm still bummed this didn't succeed. I still find it to be very attractive.

[ifcar]

TO BE FAIR - if you could get a V6 model with all the goodies for like 20K, it would be a pretty good value option (just don't expect to have any resale value). With a better sorted suspension, it probably is a *fine* car.

The 200C does indeed have a better-sorted suspension, too. It's definitely more appealing overall as a bargain luxury car than an ordinary budget car. But still not perfect at anything, of course.

[veeman]

Chrysler/Dodge for decades has not been able to make an appealing 20-25 thousand dollar sedan.  Camcords have mostly been thought of as a wee bit tiny better than what GM, Ford, Nissan, and Hyundai/Kia have put out but they've still been mostly competitive and can beat them on price, style, and/or warranty.  But pony up 10 thousand dollars more and the Chrysler 300 is a pretty nice car, always has been, and can compete well with the Avalon, Maxima, Buick, Taurus, Genesis, etc. 

[Raza]

So, recommended then?