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As I'm sure everyone around here knows, I bought a 2015 200S back in June. I've been happy with it so far but here's my detailed analysis of the car after daily driving it for the past three months.
Let me start by saying that this is the first mid-size car I've ever owned. In fact this is the first sedan I've had since 2006. My reason for buying was that the Magnum wasn't turning out to be a long term keeper, and since we also own a Journey there wasn't much need for something really large.
Styling/Exterior: The 200 is an attractive car. Not a head turner, but attractive. I admit I was not in love with it when it was first launched a year or so ago. In fact had a Dodge version existed (Avenger?) it's a solid bet I would have bought that instead. HOWEVER, the "S" trim level is very sharp looking with the Bright White paint. It's really grown on me. The more I live with it, the more I like it. Comments from friends and family (and even complete strangers) have been overwhelmingly positive. "Sleek" and "Sporty" are generally the adjectives used to describe it.
Quality is very high. Nothing looks cheap or out of place. Even inside the engine bay there's touches that were missing in the DCX days like gas powered hood support rods and plastic caps on the strut towers. Lines and gaps are tight. Front and rear fascias actually fit where they meet the body panels. Basically this car looks and feels finished.
CAVEAT: The 19" Hyper Black wheels and low profile tires look really good and get a lot of compliments, but holy crap do you need to watch out for curbs. Within the first 14 days of ownership I managed to scrape up BOTH front wheels with serious curb rash. Once pulling into a parking stall where there was a concrete curb alongside and another when I was pulling up to park on the front street. The low profile tires have zero sidewall protrusion. With most cars you might slightly scuff your tire sidewall, but with these wheels you will have zero warning and the only thing you will hear is the loud cringe worthy crunch of your rims shredding.
Fuel mileage: I have the 3.6L V6 with FWD. So far mileage has been better than I expected. I'm getting around 21.3 MPG city and I've seen upwards of 34.5 MPG on the highway. I'm not being conservative with the throttle either. In fact, I find the car seems to get better mileage when I don't baby it.
Handling/Driving Experience: I believe the "S" model has a firmer suspension. It's definitely firmer than the Magnum I used to have. You feel small bumps and the car is fairly stiff. However that translates into excellent cornering and a very light and agile feel. This car feels very light. Steering is precise and it goes exactly where I tell it. The electric assist power steering is excellent with the familiar Chrysler feel to the weight in the wheel. I've taken some tight corners very quickly and the car does so confidently and without protest. It's very sporty and genuinely enjoyable to drive!
Powertrain: Ok, much has been written about the ZF 9-speed transmission. I have not seen any of the reported problems with these units. In fact I would rate this transmission to be excellent. The gearing can be sorted into two groups: 1-5 are the acceleration gears, 6-9 are the overdrive gears. The transmission shifts very quickly through the lower gears and tries to get above 6th gear as soon as it can. This is obviously an emphasis on fuel mileage. As soon as it thinks you're done accelerating it tries to keep the cruising RPMs below 1500. Shifts are smooth and frankly if I did not have the current gear readout activated on my display I would not even give the transmission a second thought.
The transmission is especially good when mated to the Pentastar 3.6 engine. The engine truly shines in this combo. Mid-range and passing acceleration are both phenomenal. One thing that continues to make me smile in this car is not only how much power it has, but how much you feel that power when its opened up. It's hard to describe, but you really feel the engine pulling. It's like when you're driving one of the LX cars with the Hemi and you put the pedal down. The engine just feels strong.
Interior: This is the finest interior I've ever seen in a Chrysler vehicle. Any reviewer who makes a remark about "substandard materials" should instantly lose all credibility because it's complete BS. The car just feels well put together from quality parts. There were no shortcuts taken on the inside of this car, that is for sure (at least on the "S" trim line). Everything works properly. Nothing feels cheap or like it's going to break.
As far as entry/exit goes, I'm 5'6" so I'm not a tall man, however I'm not exactly tiny (if you take my meaning). I've not had any glaring issues (other than occasionally brushing my knee on the headlight dial switch) but it is a snug fit. I don't have any issues at all with the space, but the car doesn't have that feeling of spaciousness like the old LH cars did. As for the rear seat, I have no problem whatsoever getting in or out of the back seat. Leg room is good... I don't know what people expect. It's not a limousine or a full size. I will say this: If you are tall do not get the sunroof. I have the dual panoramic sunroof and while it is very cool and fun to look at, boy does it eat up a ton of headroom. In fact I'd wager that a non-sunroof equipped model probably would feel a lot more spacious than mine does.
Trunk space is surprisingly good. I have been able to fit four electric guitars in hard shell cases, a medium sized amplifier, and other bags and cases of gear all inside the trunk space without dropping the back seat. I'm actually pleasantly surprised at how much cargo it can handle.
Overall: I'm very happy with this car. I traded in an 08 Magnum for it and aside from the Magnum's "coolness factor" the 200S is superior in every way. It's still early but if it stays reliable this is a vehicle I can see myself keeping for a very long time. It's truly a shame that this car is getting the axe because it feels thoughtfully designed and executed. A lot went into this model and it shows. If you can pick one up for a good deal then grab it. Even more so on the used market as low resale values make these an absolute steal.
Let me start by saying that this is the first mid-size car I've ever owned. In fact this is the first sedan I've had since 2006. My reason for buying was that the Magnum wasn't turning out to be a long term keeper, and since we also own a Journey there wasn't much need for something really large.
Styling/Exterior: The 200 is an attractive car. Not a head turner, but attractive. I admit I was not in love with it when it was first launched a year or so ago. In fact had a Dodge version existed (Avenger?) it's a solid bet I would have bought that instead. HOWEVER, the "S" trim level is very sharp looking with the Bright White paint. It's really grown on me. The more I live with it, the more I like it. Comments from friends and family (and even complete strangers) have been overwhelmingly positive. "Sleek" and "Sporty" are generally the adjectives used to describe it.
Quality is very high. Nothing looks cheap or out of place. Even inside the engine bay there's touches that were missing in the DCX days like gas powered hood support rods and plastic caps on the strut towers. Lines and gaps are tight. Front and rear fascias actually fit where they meet the body panels. Basically this car looks and feels finished.
CAVEAT: The 19" Hyper Black wheels and low profile tires look really good and get a lot of compliments, but holy crap do you need to watch out for curbs. Within the first 14 days of ownership I managed to scrape up BOTH front wheels with serious curb rash. Once pulling into a parking stall where there was a concrete curb alongside and another when I was pulling up to park on the front street. The low profile tires have zero sidewall protrusion. With most cars you might slightly scuff your tire sidewall, but with these wheels you will have zero warning and the only thing you will hear is the loud cringe worthy crunch of your rims shredding.
Fuel mileage: I have the 3.6L V6 with FWD. So far mileage has been better than I expected. I'm getting around 21.3 MPG city and I've seen upwards of 34.5 MPG on the highway. I'm not being conservative with the throttle either. In fact, I find the car seems to get better mileage when I don't baby it.
Handling/Driving Experience: I believe the "S" model has a firmer suspension. It's definitely firmer than the Magnum I used to have. You feel small bumps and the car is fairly stiff. However that translates into excellent cornering and a very light and agile feel. This car feels very light. Steering is precise and it goes exactly where I tell it. The electric assist power steering is excellent with the familiar Chrysler feel to the weight in the wheel. I've taken some tight corners very quickly and the car does so confidently and without protest. It's very sporty and genuinely enjoyable to drive!
Powertrain: Ok, much has been written about the ZF 9-speed transmission. I have not seen any of the reported problems with these units. In fact I would rate this transmission to be excellent. The gearing can be sorted into two groups: 1-5 are the acceleration gears, 6-9 are the overdrive gears. The transmission shifts very quickly through the lower gears and tries to get above 6th gear as soon as it can. This is obviously an emphasis on fuel mileage. As soon as it thinks you're done accelerating it tries to keep the cruising RPMs below 1500. Shifts are smooth and frankly if I did not have the current gear readout activated on my display I would not even give the transmission a second thought.
The transmission is especially good when mated to the Pentastar 3.6 engine. The engine truly shines in this combo. Mid-range and passing acceleration are both phenomenal. One thing that continues to make me smile in this car is not only how much power it has, but how much you feel that power when its opened up. It's hard to describe, but you really feel the engine pulling. It's like when you're driving one of the LX cars with the Hemi and you put the pedal down. The engine just feels strong.
Interior: This is the finest interior I've ever seen in a Chrysler vehicle. Any reviewer who makes a remark about "substandard materials" should instantly lose all credibility because it's complete BS. The car just feels well put together from quality parts. There were no shortcuts taken on the inside of this car, that is for sure (at least on the "S" trim line). Everything works properly. Nothing feels cheap or like it's going to break.
As far as entry/exit goes, I'm 5'6" so I'm not a tall man, however I'm not exactly tiny (if you take my meaning). I've not had any glaring issues (other than occasionally brushing my knee on the headlight dial switch) but it is a snug fit. I don't have any issues at all with the space, but the car doesn't have that feeling of spaciousness like the old LH cars did. As for the rear seat, I have no problem whatsoever getting in or out of the back seat. Leg room is good... I don't know what people expect. It's not a limousine or a full size. I will say this: If you are tall do not get the sunroof. I have the dual panoramic sunroof and while it is very cool and fun to look at, boy does it eat up a ton of headroom. In fact I'd wager that a non-sunroof equipped model probably would feel a lot more spacious than mine does.
Trunk space is surprisingly good. I have been able to fit four electric guitars in hard shell cases, a medium sized amplifier, and other bags and cases of gear all inside the trunk space without dropping the back seat. I'm actually pleasantly surprised at how much cargo it can handle.
Overall: I'm very happy with this car. I traded in an 08 Magnum for it and aside from the Magnum's "coolness factor" the 200S is superior in every way. It's still early but if it stays reliable this is a vehicle I can see myself keeping for a very long time. It's truly a shame that this car is getting the axe because it feels thoughtfully designed and executed. A lot went into this model and it shows. If you can pick one up for a good deal then grab it. Even more so on the used market as low resale values make these an absolute steal.
