2008 Chrysler Sebring Review

What the reviewers like:
Reviewers are pleased with the all-wheel drive on the Limited version of the Sebring sedan and with some of its innovative accessories. The V6 option offers suitable acceleration, reviewers say, and the cabin is relatively quiet and versatile, with a 60/40 split-folding rear seat and fold-down front passenger seat for added cargo volume.

What the reviewers don't like:
According to reviewers, performance is slothful in the base model, while fuel economy is poor on the V6. Reviewers also feel steering and braking aren't sufficiently responsive. Trunk space is widely considered to be inadequate, as is overall cabin volume. Some sources believe that the Sebring projects an image that's too geriatric for most buyers.

2008 Chrysler Sebring review highlights

Opinions vary regarding the Sebring's design and performance. The all-wheel drive option on the Limited version of the Sebring sedan is an oft-cited plus, as are most of the features available on higher trim levels. Reviews say some accessories are truly innovative, like the easily positioned overhead lights and the temperature-controlled cup holders. However, the base model Sebring is criticized as underpowered while the top-level V6 takes knocks for subpar fuel economy. Steering is numb, and braking distances are abnormally long. Some reviewers feel that the Sebring generates enough interest to warrant consideration from car buyers, while others state that the Chrysler Sebring falls well short of the bar set by the family-car standard bearers, the Honda Accord (*est. $20,360 to $28,060) and Toyota Camry (*est. $18,720 to $28,270).

A major restyle in 2007 brought the Chrysler Sebring briefly into the reviewer spotlight, earning it a berth in Motor Trend's annual Car of the Year competition. Motor Trend's exhaustive road-testing and careful analysis of the results make the accompanying 2007 Car of the Year article one of the better reviews we found, in spite of its not-as-recent date. Consumer Reports and Consumer Guide also provide helpful data regarding performance, safety and costs of ownership. The Car Family rates the Sebring among other family cars, and Car and Driver features a solid comparative evaluation of the 2007 Chrysler Sebring to five other "familial four-doors." Detailed single-vehicle reviews can be found at Edmunds.com and Carpages.ca.

Also see full report: Family Sedans

*In order of credibility (see our Ratings Criteria).

1. Consumer Reports
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2008 Chrysler Sebring Review
Editors of Consumer Reports

Consumer Reports tests the Chrysler Sebring, rating its performance and reliability compared to its family-car competitors. The editors' analysis focuses on ride quality, materials, handling and safety; the Sebring's last redesign was too recent to allow for the collection of reliability data.

2. The Car Family
The Compleat Guide to Family Sedans
The Haskvitz Family
Mar. 21, 2008

The 2008 Chrysler Sebring gets a tepid review and a grade of "D" from The Car Family, each member of which offers a different perspective. The Sebring's handling is considered fine, but the base engine is underpowered and the interior materials are found lacking.

3. Consumer Guide.com
2008 Chrysler Sebring Review
Editors of ConsumerGuide.com
Mar. 13, 2008

Consumer Guide performs road-testing on many of the top-selling vehicles on the U.S. market, ranking them against a class average. The reviews' thorough nature makes this a valuable data source, even though some of the numerical ratings can be difficult to read. The 2008 Chrysler Sebring's total score is well below the average for this segment, and its numbers for cabin room and comfort, cargo space and overall value are especially weak.

4. Motor Trend
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2007 Chrysler Sebring – 2007 Car of the Year Test & Review
Neil G. Chirico

Motor Trend's extensive testing for its Car of the Year award starts with an evaluation of each new and significantly redesigned vehicle available in a given model year. For 2007, the Chrysler Sebring is included among the contenders by virtue of its new-for-2007 upgrades. Though the Sebring doesn't make the final cut, the judges award points for safety and ease of use.

5. Car and Driver
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Familial Four-Doors – Comparison Test
Aaron Robinson
Feb. 2007

Car and Driver conducted its last head-to-head road test of the Chrysler Sebring in 2007, the model year of its most recent redesign. The Sebring competes against perennial favorites like the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry in this evaluation. Of the six participants, the Sebring places dead last, winning approval only for relatively trivial design details like its easy-folding rear seat and innovative map light.

6. Edmunds.com
2008 Chrysler Sebring Review
Editors at Edmunds.com

Edmunds.com hasn't included the Chrysler Sebring sedan in a head-to-head test in several years, but editors do publish a comprehensive standalone evaluation for the 2008 model. While the Sebring's long list of available features and high-tech innovations gets a big thumbs-up from reviewers here, their ultimate conclusion is that the Sebring sedan "is outdone by just about every other vehicle in its class."

7. Car Pages
2007 Chrysler Sebring Touring Road Test
Steven James Day
May 10, 2007

Canadian automotive review site Carpages.ca offers this one-vehicle evaluation for the 2007 Chrysler Sebring, the model that represents the most recent redesign. Author Steven James Day tests the Touring version of the Sebring sedan and decides that, while it's not going to spark an automotive revolution, the new Chrysler Sebring does constitute an improvement over its predecessor.

Also see full report: Family Sedans