The 2007 Sebring is Chrysler’s contender in the mid-size category and the company hopes that it will build on the success the 300C has gained in the large car segment. Let’s cut to the chase, shall we. The Sebring is not a bad car, but in the same breathe, it isn’t really thought provoking either. What I mean is that although the Sebring is all-new (well, actually it shares its chassis with the Dodge Caliber), it does not really inspire much notwithstanding its looks which according to me is a mix between retro and modern and pretty much everything in between. Allow me to explain.

The Sebring draws its inspiration from the Chrysler Airflite concept car shown at the 2003 Geneva Motor Show, with much of its lines and exterior styling mimicking those from the 300C as well as the Crossfire. So you get a grooved hood a la Crossfire which slopes down to Chrysler’s signature grille; large quad headlights on the front corners with fog lamps imbedded into the front fascia. It is this last mentioned element which had me shaking my head in disbelief. All cars nowadays have to conform to safety legislation and the design element is woven together to portray a face that is contemporary and one which takes of the safety features built in the front of a car. Thus, you get cars today that seem to flow seamlessly from front to back. That they end up looking like clones of each other is another thing but the fact remains that this is the way to go in a world ruled by legislation. But the Sebring is different: instead of the flowing fascia which starts from the bottom of the front spoiler, one gets what would be deemed something like a front bumper from cars of yore, extending the front overhang. I have to emphasis here that this is my personal opinion and to me this is not really in sync with the times but hey; there were quite a few other car hacks on the trip that did not have any issues with the style. So there! One thing is for sure, no one is going to mistake the Sebring for a Camry or Accord or whatever in a crowded car park. It has its own identity and persona; it being a different breed in a segment which thrives on cars that look acutely similar in many respects.

The roof tapers rather roundly towards the back to join a rather short boot lid. Shades of 300C here…Making sure that people do not forget it’s an American car, the beltline sees chrome moulding run across the flanks which are further accentuated by the character lines sweeping from front doors to the wide taillights.

Once inside, a medley of shapes, textures and colours greets occupants. What surprised me was the fact that the designers managed to blend in different forms into one whole to project an interior that is definitely different. There is wood, chrome, straight lines, curves, the lot! The colours too used inside are mellow and even though our test car had shades of grey coupled with black, it did not present a gloomy, dull atmosphere. On the contrary it looked smart, functional and surprisingly most cheery. What I did not like was the tortoise-shell wood inserts on steering wheel and doors. It seemed too plasticky for my liking. But on the whole, the Sebring's divergent elements did seem to gel together. Some details I did like were the chunky chrome door handles and LED interior lighting, standard in the uplevel Touring and Limited models.

Overall, the interior is quite good although the quality of materials could have been a touch better. Don’t get me wrong; while Chrysler has been demonized by the lack of decent interior materials as the company struggles with its myriad problems, they have done reasonably well with the Sebring. That said, the seats are well proportioned although my slim fit needs some more support on the sides. Steering is tilt-adjustable and with the multi-adjustable driver’s seat, finding a proper driving position is a cinch. One interesting feature, if one could call it that, are the front cupholders which can be heated or cooled as the occasion warrants by the click of a button - a nice feature which adds to the multitude of others to make life easier in the Sebring. This includes a Harmon Kardon information, entertainment and safety navigation audio system with a 16.5cm TFT display with touch-screen panel. Thanks to short boot lid, space inside is also restricted, though the seatback splits (60/40) and folds flat to provide reasonable space.

Now that we have dispensed with all the frills, its time to really find out how it fares on the road. Our route took us through the Estoril Coast from Cascais to the other side of Lisbon and back, the route providing a blend of smooth highway runs with urban traffic snarls thrown in for good measure. This was followed by a winding run along the coast to the western-most point of Europe.

Chrysler offers four different engines for the Sebring and we got to sample three of them. Well, actually, I drove one equipped with the 2.4-litre four-cylinder world engine developing 170bhp and 220Nm of torque. This was mated to a four-speed gearbox with Auto Stick enabling manual gear shifts. The other two engines on offer were a 2.0-litre petrol with 156bhp and 190Nm and a 2.0-litre turbo-diesel. The engine which will power the Sebring in our part of the world – a 2.7-litre V6 – was not available but we hope to drive it here and will bring you our take on it in time to come. But right now, let’s concentrate on the 2.4.

Once on the move and onto the highway, the 2.4 was ticking over nicely and the ride was nice. Not too soft or too hard. The Sebring seemingly liking straight roads, stoplights and speeds that were realistic. Once in the twisty bits and then things started going a bit awry. First off, the steering was quite hard at low speeds when it should have been the opposite, stiffening up at cruising speeds to aid handling. Secondly, the A-pillar severely compromised visibility, especially when turning left. That said, the steering was quite direct and the car would turn in the direction desired but it needed some effort. The narrow, twisty roads along the Cascais coastline also showed some shortcomings of the Sebring’s suspension. While I did like the ride quality – thanks in no small part to the Sebring’s stiffer structure and a new front strut/rear multilink suspension with increased travel – it was thru corners that it showed its weakness. The softly tuned suspension and the minimal feedback from the power-assisted rack and pinion steering curbed its enthusiasm to entertain. Maybe, Chrysler would do well to beef up the spring rate to harden the ride a bit to enable better handling.

Another grouch was the lack of some serious stopping power. The four-cylinder models get drum brakes on rear wheels and they seem to cook faster than the trick cupholders on twisty roads. Wish Chrysler had spent more money on this aspect than on some other features in the Sebring. Nevertheless, the V6 model will get disc brakes all around, so no need to worry on that account. On the subject of the V6, this engine offers around 189bhp from its 2.7-litre capacity and will be the engine of choice in the Middle East with four-cylinder models coming on at a later stage.

The Sebring is definitely uniquely styled and that I do think will play a big role in enticing customers to its fold. If the company gets the pricing right, then it will offer a lot of car for the money. And if the V6 (which I haven’t driven) drives well, then I do think that Chrysler may have a surprise weapon in its arsenal to take on the might of the Japanese manufacturers. It is a competent car but for me, it was not really fulfilling, being ordinary with middling performance credentials. In many ways, it is quite the anti-thesis of the 300C – a car that took a risk which paid off – the Sebring playing it on the safer side.

We will be driving the V6 in our environs very soon and hopefully that will make me change my opinion. Till then…