2014. Last short year for the Chrysler 200
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Chrysler will stop producing the current 200 sedan in January 2014. Which means a very short year before the all new 2015 comes out shortly after.
Besides a bunch of improvements, the 200 never was on the radar of most buyers.
Competing in such a crowded segments. And crowded with very nice cars.
Let’s hope they can come up with something amazing in order to compete.
The Dodge Dart was a bit of a let down. Especially with its “80’s GM’ interior design.
By the way, no news about the Avenger. In the car business, no news is usually bad news.
So it could be replaced with something totally different.
What do you think, what should the next 200 look like?
A hatchback?
Or something like the 200 Concept from a few years ago?
Unfortunately, it will look like a bigger Dart.
"The Dodge Dart was a bit of a let down. Especially with its "80's GM' interior design." WTH?
The Dart features easily one of the most enjoyable/most ergonomically sound/attractive interiors in the compact segment.
Anyway… The in-laws recently rented a 200 and it wasn't a bad drive at all, so there's certainly hope for the its replacement.
The Dart was BIG letdown. Wrong name (why pick a name from long ago when you are aiming at capturing the youth market?); wrong interior design and wrong marketing.
Big fail. (And I really wanted it to be a winner).
You are right (again) Vince. The Dart interior is unusually bad.
What's amazing is that, if you close your eyes, everything falls in the right place.
Eyes open: Egads! Acres of "diesel grey" plastics and vinyls with fake stitching. Reminds me of a base AMC Alliance. Even the "fully loaded" models (which you can't get with turbo/manual) look like they stapled the leather on top of the vinyl.
I think they tried hard NOT to make it look like a Fiat/import.
The Dart is a sales disaster, so hopefully those execs have been fired and Chrysler will fix the mess they created.
All emotions aside, if your into "facts & figures" both the Dart and current 200 are a lot of "bang for the buck". The 295HP/31MPG 200 has the look and feel of cars costing $5000-$15,000 more. Unfortunately the Sebring had such bad press (primarily for it's styling) that customer's in the segment have stopped looking at Chrysler. The Dart's biggest problem is that the 200 is about the same price and almost 300HP; so it's canibalizing the Dart. The Dart, for $16k-$25k gets about 40MPG and has features (like a LARGE screen center of dash PLUS a 6" screen with configureable gauges) which are features you simply cant get on a Focus, Fiesta, Cruze, Corolla,Civic or Elantra. But again, people who habitually buy Japanese aren't doing their homework and aren't looking a Dodge. Their loss.
The Sebring (cough….200) has always been an awkward unattractive design. The lip stick that fiat put on this pig helped more than I ever could have imagined. But this monstrosity along with its dodge sibling has been around longer than it should have been. Bye bye piggy.
Most people who buy Honda or Toyota say they'll put up with poor design because the cars are reliable. But the 200 is one of (if not the absolute MOST RELIABLE) of ANY car in it's class! (JDPower, CU, et.al.) So why the big concern over styling thats, at the VERY worst, "O:K" Personally I'd take that "Audi" font end and LED tailights for UNDER $25k any day!!!
LOL @ Chrysler being most reliable. Most depreciating is definitely fact.
TO: 6-speed said…
keep up with the times and look up the 200 in particular, you sound like a fool; being so out-of-date.
Personally, I prefer the 200s-Special Edition: black headlighets, black mesh grill, black wheels and all the interior chrome is replaced by black ceramic. Gives it the look and feel of an Audi S4 at half the price but with twice the horsepower, comparable MPG's, and much much better reliability. And the 200 is a "best safety pick"
(Insert jaws theme here) obviously we have a Chrysler sales person among us.
March 22, 2013 at 10:28 PM
Never worked in the Auto Industry and drive a BMW. Just a car nut who calls 'em as I see 'em.