2013 Chrysler 200: What's New

Vehicle Overview

Chrysler introduced the 200 to the competitive midsize-sedan segment for the 2011 model year. It’s offered as a five-seat sedan and a four-seat convertible and is available with four-cylinder or V-6 power. Competitors include the Chevrolet Malibu, Ford Fusion, Honda Accord and Toyota Camry.
New for 2013
For the 200 sedan, the former S model is now available as a package for the Touring and Limited trim levels. The S Appearance Package includes 18-inch aluminum wheels and black accents for the grille, fog lamp bezels, headlights and badges. The S Package builds upon it with the addition of leather-trimmed seats and a leather-wrapped steering wheel.

The 200 convertible, meanwhile, receives an overhauled suspension that includes a larger front stabilizer bar, revised shock damping and new spring rates for a more engaging driving experience, according to Chrysler.
Exterior
The 200’s predecessor, the Sebring, wasn’t what you’d call a gracefully styled sedan, but Chrysler designers updated the 200’s exterior to make it a little more like one. The design is sleeker, and it introduced a new Chrysler wing badge that’s more abstract than before. The 200’s headlights resemble those from the 200C concept car, and they incorporate LED light pipes that give the headlights a high-tech look at night.

There’s still the stubby trunk lid at the rear, along with the familiar arcing C-pillars, but the 200’s revised tail lost much of the older Sebring’s chunkiness, thanks to new taillights and trim pieces. Exterior features include:

• Standard 17-inch steel wheels with covers; 17- or 18-inch aluminum wheels optional
• Standard power heated side mirrors
• Standard remote keyless entry
• Standard variable intermittent windshield wipers
• Optional power sunroof
• Power cloth soft-top or power-retractable hardtop (convertible)

Interior
The 200’s interior has a dashboard that uses nice materials and exhibits Chrysler’s greater attention to detail in things like the air vents and door trim inserts. The end result is cabin quality that’s reasonably competitive. Interior features include:

• Standard cloth seats; leather upholstery optional
• Standard manual air conditioning; automatic air conditioning optional
• Standard CD stereo with MP3 jack
• Standard tilt/telescoping steering wheel with audio controls
• Standard 60/40-split folding backseat (sedan)
• Optional heated front seats
• Optional touch-screen stereo with 28 gigabytes of music storage
• Optional navigation system

Under the Hood
The 200’s base engine is a 173-horsepower, 2.4-liter four-cylinder. Depending on the trim level, it teams with either a four- or six-speed automatic transmission. Chrysler’s 283-hp, 3.6-liter V-6 is optional, and it works with a six-speed automatic. Mechanical features include:

• Front-wheel drive
• Both engines use regular gas

Safety
Standard safety features include:

• Antilock brakes
• Electronic stability system
• Side-impact airbags for the front seats
• Side curtain airbags (sedan)
• Active front head restraints