2003 Chrysler Sebring LXi Sedan

One of the more notorious Detroit car designers coined the phrase, "If you must steal, rob a bank, not a dime store." It was a clever way of urging junior staff members to seek inspiration from life's top shelf, rather than from its bargain basement. That sage advice must have registered at Chrysler, where the Sebring sedan rolled forth in the 2001 model year showing a close family resemblance to the Concorde and 300M models that define the line's highest aspirations. For all intents, the Sebring is a 7/8-scale model of the best Chryslers money can buy.

LXi is the top trim level in the Sebring lineup. Aluminum 16-inch wheels are standard, and two new colors are offered for 2003.

The Sebring is a midsize sedan offered in two trim levels. Pricing ranges from $18,000 to $25,000. The LXi, reviewed here, is the top offering. A 200-horsepower, 2.7-liter V-6—with flexible-fuel capability in 2003—and a four-speed automatic transmission are included as standard equipment along with four-wheel disc brakes and 16-inch wheels and tires.


Like most midsize, affordably priced cars, the Sebring has a front-drive chassis with transversely packaged engine and transaxle components. While most models in this class use strut-based suspension hardware, the Sebring goes the extra mile with a double-control-arm system in front and a multi-link independent rear suspension. That hardware costs extra, but the superior geometry provided is typically a boon to ride and handling.


Stand on the gas and the Sebring's enthusiastic V-6 revs over 6,000 rpm to hustle you from rest to 60 mph in a tick over nine seconds. That's not exactly neck-bending acceleration, but it is enough to step ahead of the pack when the light turns green. Best of all, the Sebring uses the same wheels for steering and accelerating with no trace of the cross-talk, or torque steer, that plagues most front drivers with 200 horses corralled under the hood.

The all-aluminum 2.7-liter DOHC V-6 is the Sebring LXi sedan's standard powerplant. Its output is 200 horsepower and can now run on methanol-blended fuel.

Chrysler's handy AutoStick automatic transmission is included as part of a new highly recommended Enthusiast Group option package. AutoStick combines the best traits of a manual and an automatic gearbox at the end of a single floor-mounted shift lever. When you're in the mood for fun, slipping the lever into its lowest notch lets you select and hold the hotter gears on demand. If the roads are slippery, you can start the car moving in a higher gear to forestall wheel spin. Then, when you're in the mood to cruise, the D slot is ready and willing to provide fully automatic operation.