The four-passenger 'O9 Sebring, available as a convertible or a sedan, is one year removed from a full body make-over that draws extensively on current styling cues found in other Chrysler offerings such as the 300C. Most notable are the stately grille, high belt-line and sculpted body panels. Our test Sebring came with optional 18-inch aluminum wheels and low profile all season tires.
There is a hardtop version available, but we drove the Sebring convertible equipped with the power folding cloth top that stows nicely under a hard tonneau cover in the rear deck. While such tops often consume nearly all trunk space, the Sebring still has enough room for two sets of golf clubs or a couple of overnight bags.
There are 3 engines available, including a 173 horsepower 2.4-Liter inline-4, the 2.7-Liter V6 on our test car that produces 189 horsepower and 192 pound feet of torque, and a 235 horsepower 3.5-Liter V6. All three models, LX, Touring and Limited, are driven by the front wheels via a four speed automatic transmission. The top of the line Limited comes with Chrysler's six-speed AutoStick, which offers clutchless manumatic shifting if the driver is in a sporty mood. The Limited is also available with an Electronic Stability Program.
Braking is provided by four-wheel anti-lock disc brakes with Chrysler's Electronic Stability Control available on upper trim levels.
Fuel economy for the Sebring ranges from 16 miles per gallon city for the 3.5 liter V6, up to 32 miles per gallon highway with the inline 4.
The Touring and Limited trims include leather upholstery as well as a leather trimmed, multi-function adjustable steering wheel and shift knob.
Available on the Touring and Limited is Chrysler's MyGIG infotainment system, which incorporates a voice-activated navigation system, DVD playback and a 20-gigabyte hard drive with integrated USB port for storing photos and music.
Base MSRP for the 2009 Chrysler Sebring is $20,515 for the sedan. A fully loaded Limited Convertible will top out at just under $40,000. The Sebring is backed by Chrysler's impressive unlimited powertrain warranty.
If open top motoring appeals to you or you want a feature-loaded mid-size sedan, you may well want to schedule a test drive in the 2009 Chrysler Sebring.