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Saloon's a safe and solid effort

AFTER scoring hits with its 300C, Grand Voyager and PT Cruiser, Chrysler is turning its attentions on the saloon market. assesses this distinctive motor's chances on its Northern Ireland launch.

You've got to at the very least admire the optimism of US car giants Chrysler for braving to enter the lions’ den of the mid-range saloon market.

The marque has traditionally been far more at ease producing successful heavyweights such as the 300C and the decidedly family-friendly Grand Voyager, so it’s a surprise they should take on this already crowded field.

Enter the Sebring (pronounced Seebring), which on initial inspection has a fair amount going for it with decent economy figures and styling that marks it apart from the crowd.

According to the Stateside marketing patter, it’s "smart, sexy and most of all available", which frankly brought a few titters from myself and fellow journalists. But what about the motor beyond the blurb?

Well, for starters it’s an interesting prospect, having teamed up with Volkswagen for the engine for the 2.0 litre turbo diesel model which serves to boost its credibility.

Its entry-level price tag of a shade under £18,000 brings it in a couple of thousand less than the likes of the new Ford Mondeo, but then you would expect that to be the case in order for it to gain a foothold.

Take a walk round the exterior and it looks to have been put together solidly enough with some strong lines which make it stand out from the ordinary.

Putting it through its paces in Northern Ireland proved an interesting testing ground – Belfast would not strike you as the most obvious place in the world to launch a car.

But as we headed out of the city towards the gorgeous countryside of the northern coast, it quickly became apparent this was superb driving territory.

The six-speed gearbox of the turbo diesel is reasonably slick (it is also available in 2 litre petrol and 2.4 auto guise) though it’s rather tame 0-62 time of more than 11 seconds will do little to quicken your pulse.

In terms of handling it felt relatively sturdy. There was not too much roll through the corners, though it didn’t feel especially responsive at higher speeds.

There’s also a noticeable rumble from the diesel engine during in-town driving. Yet in fairness this settled down when we hit the dual carriageways where it felt most at home.

This is clearly the kind of cruiser for anyone who’s prime aim is standing out from the norm and seeking impressive economy motoring (the diesel manages 45.6mpg), the 2 litre petrol version 36.2mpg.

It scores highly in terms of safety with ESP traction control, front and side airbags and anti-lock brakes – the latter performed strongly under testing.

On the flip side it is unfortunately let down by the quality of its interiors- which are patchy at best.

The control layout looks clean, its leather seats did the job nicely and there’s a fairly user-friendly ‘infotainment’ computer system at its heart.

But the steering wheel and dash panelling are marred by garish mottled trim and grainy-looking plastics which are fairly harsh on the eye. What’s more, the interiors under the glove box were hanging loose, not just in my test car, but in several of the others which revealed a poor level of attention to detail.

Chrysler has revealed fairly modest ambitions for the Sebring over the coming year, with a little more than 1,000 expected to hit our streets.

If it had been a school pupil, its end-of-term report would have to read ‘Has potential but must do better’ if it is to make a serious impression with British buyers.

FACTFILE

Chrysler Sebring Range

PRICES: £17,995-£18,995 - on the road

INSURANCE GROUP: 10-15 [est]

CO2 EMISSIONS: 165-220g/km [est]

PERFORMANCE: [2.0CRD] Max Speed 115mph / 0-60mph 8.8s [est]

FUEL CONSUMPTION: [2.0CRD] (combined) 45.6mpg

STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front & side airbags / ABS

Find your local dealership via www.chrysler.co.uk.

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