2008 Chrysler Sebring Convertible

Retail Price as tested: $34,065.00

The interior is nice and the seats are comfortable. You can see the lack of leg room for the rear passengers in this picture. Again this is to make room for the top when its folded down. Overall the interior is nice and functional.

The Chrysler Sebring Convertible is a nice mid sized convertible. Performance is good as long as you get the 3.5 liter V-6. Its a fun car to drive with room for 4 adults even though the people in the back seat are cramped. This is normal for most convertibles due to the necessity of moving the back seats forward to make room for the top when its folded down. The nice thing about the Sebring is how the top actually folds. With the touch of a button it raises the rear trunk lid and folds the top down inside of the trunk. The bad thing is the top takes up roughly half of the trunk space.  Chrysler claims you can get up four golf bags in the trunk with the top up and two in it when its folded down. The part about the convertible top I do not like is the flimsy divider in the trunk that keeps the area separated for when the top is down. I have rented several of these vehicles and every one I have rented has had the little tabs on the sides of this divider broken. The problem is that if the tabs are engaged into a small slot along the sides of the trunk the top is not functional. In the past I have been known to stick a piece of cardboard in the slot to get the top working while on vacation. I wish Chrysler would redesign this and make it more durable. In the end the Sebring is a great choice for a mid sized convertible.

Interior

John Rush - Host

Gearhead Radio & Drive Radio

For a audio version of my review - please visit www.gearheadradio.com.

For more details on other features and options on the 2008 Chrysler Sebring click here.

The dash layout is nice and easy to navigate. This unit had the “my gig” radio and NAV. It works well and has great sound but it can be a little tricky to navigate through the menus. The interior has all the features you would expect in a high end luxury car at a mid grade price.

Communications, Sound System & Driver Controls

As an option you can get the “my gig” personal entertainment system. It is like a rolling Juke Box with NAV built in. It has voice commands that can be used to run the entire system including the NAV. It works as well as any other voice command system and most of it is dependant on background noise. The quieter in the interior the better it understands your commands. With its own 20 gig hard drive the system has the ability to store music and photos and you can even play your favourite DVD and watch it while in Park. The U-Connect bluetooth interface for your cell phone is a great accessory and one I highly recommend. It makes talking on the phone while driving a lot safer. You can control all the functions of it via the radio face or the steering wheel. The Sebring also has an option for ESP (Electronic Stability Control) which helps keep the vehicle on the road in adverse conditions.

Engine & Transmission

The 3.5 SOHV V-6 put out 235 hp with 232 ft lbs of torque. Coupled to the engine is a 6 speed “Autostick” transmission that works great. It makes the Sebring one of the best performing cars in its class. You almost wonder if it has a V-8.