We would officially like to welcome the Chrysler 200 to the fighting ring. The mid-size sedan segment is full of great cars, some play on their good looks while others play on their non-offensive tried and tested qualities. The Chrysler 200 (formerly known as Sebring) had been lacking in the style department in the previous generations but that all changes with the introduction of the all-new 2015 Chrysler 200 sedan.

The 2015 Chrysler 200 is offered in four models: LX, Limited, S, and C. The base 200 LX has a starting price of $19,495 and the top of the line 200 C starts at $25,895; prices can go well into the high $30k with all the boxes ticked. The car we were provided for our review was the fully loaded 200 S with AWD, with a price of $37,095 plus $1,695 freight & PDI.

The Chrysler 200 is offered with a pair of engine choices; a 2.4 liter 4-cylinder engine producing 184 horsepower at 6,250 rpm and 173 pound-feet of torque at 4,600 rpm. The second engine is the 3.6 liter V6, producing 295 horsepower at 6,350 rpm and 262 pound-feet of torque at 4,250 rpm. Both engines are mated to 9-speed automatic transmissions, sending power to the front wheels or all four wheels. The AWD is only available on the V6 equipped 200S and 200C models.

Lets get to the looks of the Chrysler 200 first, the jump in design from the previous generation car is huge, which was a plain non-offensive design and I never even paid attention to it on the road. The new 2015 200 has a much improved looking exterior design, and it does turn quite a few heads. From some angles, especially the rear and rear three-quarters angles, the car almost looks like the Audi A7, which is a very good thing.

The design has a European flare to it, which makes sense because of the Fiat-Chrysler partnership, and this car’s platform is based on the European Alfa Romeo Giulietta. So some of those good looks have worn off on the American mid-sized sedan.

With an all-new attractive looking exterior, the interior on the 2015 Chrysler 200 had to be just as good looking and I’m happy to say, it doesn’t disappoint. The interior has a very clean layout, but it isn’t one of those interiors that completely rely on the touchscreen. You actually get to touch buttons and turn knobs, and if you really want to use the touchscreen to control the various functions, you can do that with the large 8.4” touchscreen.

Our review Chrysler 200 S was equipped with Chrysler’s Uconnect system, which is a voice command system letting you control various functions of the car without taking your hands off the steering wheel. This was my first time using the system and I must say, it is one of easiest voice command systems currently available. The system really does understand what you’re saying to it, unlike some systems where you have to repeat yourself several times, only to give up in the end because the system doesn’t recognize what you’re saying. Connecting your smart phone via the Bluetooth system is extremely easy and takes seconds. Overall, my first experience with this system was a very positive, let’s hope other manufacturers learn a thing or two from this system.

The interior is very roomy and has an open feel to it, which is enhanced by the optional panoramic roof. There is plenty of room for the driver and front passenger, and good amount of leg room for the rear passengers. The 200 has a racked roof, so it does take a bit away from the headroom of the rear passengers, especially if they’re over 6 feet tall.

The center stack is placed at an angle, smoothly integrating into the center console and the arm rest. Under the center console is a small storage area, good for placing keys and other small items. There is a pair of cup holders that slide backwards, to reveal another hidden compartment. One of the cool things next to the cup holder is a long/narrow indentation in the plastic, where you can put your smart phone (see image below). This phone holder is the perfect place to store your phone, it keeps the phone securely and is still conveniently available to the user.

The interior is also a very comfortable place to be in, and the materials used are of high quality and most of the surfaces are soft to the touch. Our “S” came with sporty bucket seats that hold the driver in place very snugly, these seats would be especially useful in some spirited driving on some narrow roads.

Speaking of spirited driving, while the interior is very quiet, the 200 S lets in a very beautiful exhaust note into the cabin, which is enhanced even more in the sport mode. The exhaust sound is one of the nicest exhaust sounds I’ve heard in any V6 sedan I’ve reviewed so far. The exhaust note is very addicting and really encourages you to go for spirited drives, even if you’re getting milks and eggs from the corner store. I could listen to this exhaust sound all day long, it’s very Italian sounding.

What makes that beautiful exhaust note is the sweet 3.6 liter V6 engine with 295 HP. Add in the sporty suspension and AWD system, and you have a very fun and great handling sedan that is ready to conquer long highway trips, twisty back country roads, and even stop and go traffic of major cities.

The power is transferred almost instantly to all four wheels via the smooth shifting 9-speed automatic transmission. The power is very addicting and will have you going over the speed limit very quickly if you’re not paying attention. The V6 has a lot of grunt for highway passing, just put your foot down and you’ll be well into triple digit speeds (in km/h of course).

The powerful V6 engine is also not too bad on fuel consumption, according to Chrysler the 200 S with AWD should consume 12.8 liters/100 km in the city and 8.1 liters/100 km on the highway. With our week long review, our trip computer showed 11.3 L/100 km on mixed city and highway driving (50/50 split).

The Chrysler 200 S AWD also handles very well, the suspension is very sporty but I also found it to be very comfortable at the same time. It has a very relaxing yet sporty ride, I quite prefer the way the 200 S rides over our Infiniti Q50S.

My only minor complaints are the size of the side mirrors, which are a bit on the smaller side, and the lack of power seat for the passenger on our review car, considering it’s a $35k+ car. Other than that I was very pleased with my time in the 2015 Chrysler 200 S AWD. I didn’t expect the car to be this good, especially its driving dynamics and that sound… oh that sound!!! The 200 has lots of Italian flare, good European DNA, a powerful engine, and is a pretty attractive looking car.

For more information and to see a complete list of options and packages, please visit chrysler.ca