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Redesign Gives Chrysler 200 A Fighting Chance Against Honda Accord

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2015 Chrysler 200 vs 2014 Honda Accord

Since its release four years ago, sales of the Chrysler 200 have continued to rise, but the sedan has struggled to keep up with the growing sales numbers of comparable competitors such as the Toyota Camry and the Honda Accord.

In response to the unimposing numbers of the first-generation 200, Chrysler decided to redesign the sedan—and we’re talking about more than just a facelift. The Chrysler 200 has gone under the knife for a complete makeover, and from what we’ve seen and read about the all-new model, the surgery was all but botched.

To show you just how much the Chrysler 200 has improved for the 2015 model year, we’re putting it up against the 2014 Honda Accord, which is bound to be one of its biggest competitors.

Chrysler 200 vs Honda Accord

 2015 Chrysler 2002014 Honda Accord
Horsepower (V6)295278
Torque (V6)262252
TransmissionNine-speed automaticSix-speed manual
Cargo Capacity13.6 cu.ft.15.5 cu.ft.
2014-honda-accord-exterior

The 2014 Honda Accord

If you take a look at the specs above, it’s instantly clear that the 2015 model of the Chrysler 200 will be a fiercer competitor than it has been in the past. Thanks to the award-winning 3.6-liter Pentastar V6, the 200 beats out the Accord and every other mid-size sedan in the market horsepower-wise. The gap in power isn’t significant by any means, but that best-in-class power is definitely a feather in Chrysler’s cap.

While we’re sticking feathers in caps, I’m just going to go ahead and jam another one in Chrysler’s for the nine-speed automatic transmission. The 200 is the only car in the segment to offer the nine-speed, and while Chrysler hasn’t said exactly what it will be capable of yet, I’m just going to go ahead and assume that it will provide a jump in fuel efficiency, and performance smoother than Keith Stone.

Plus, the class-exclusive transmission will be controlled by a Rotary E-shift knob, which is pretty awesome. I’m still not sure whether the rotary knob was added for a touch of luxury or just as a way to thwart knobby knob thieves, but either way it looks pretty badass. It’s definitely cooler than the outdated shifter in the 2014 Honda Accord.

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The Accord does have some advantages over the all-new 200 including a slightly larger cargo capacity, but arguably its biggest advantage is its past success. The Honda Accord has been in the game a lot longer than the Chrysler 200, which means the name is more recognizable and the total number of units sold is higher. For a lot of buyers, those two qualities are far more important than horsepower or cargo capacity.

Winner of the CarDebate: 2015 Chrysler 200

2015-chrysler-200-exterior

The redesigned 2015 Chrysler 200

On paper, the 2015 Chrysler 200 does have a slight advantage over the Accord, and those advantages are enough to make me side with the Chrysler 200 in this debate. The Chrysler 200 has the best-in-class and class-exclusive features to give it more of a fighting chance in the segment, however, there’s a good chance that the redesigned 200 will continue to fall to more established models if Chrysler doesn’t find a way to convince buyers to give the new model a shot.

Persuading people to drop brands that they have known and trusted for years can be a difficult task, but if the ad campaign for the 2015 Chrysler 200 continues along the lines of the “America’s Import” commercial that aired during the Super Bowl, I don’t think that Chrysler will have much of a problem pulling numbers similar to the Honda Accord.

John is a full-time automotive blogger who digs cars, but also spends a disturbing amount of time watching and reading about movies. His first car was a maroon 1993 Buick Skylark which, after a solid seven-year run, was laid to rest in August of 2013. He currently writes for phantomcopy.com.

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10 Comments

10 Comments

  1. gb

    Feb 25, 2014 at 9:50 am

    OMG seriously you can’t compare that Dodge 200 to a Honda Accord !..not even in the same league. Reliability, efficiency, resale goes hands down to Honda.

  2. gb

    Feb 25, 2014 at 9:53 am

    The Dodge 200 has exactly zero chance in a head to head fight with Honda Accord.

    • John Meise

      Feb 25, 2014 at 5:05 pm

      You’re right. The Dodge 200 has exactly zero chance, because the Dodge 200 does not exist.

    • Ian

      Sep 23, 2014 at 9:08 am

      Dodge 200 LOLLLLLLLL

  3. kat

    Jul 18, 2014 at 7:47 pm

    Lol. Moving on. . . its a sexy car. I like it more than the Honda.

  4. Archie

    Aug 25, 2014 at 10:38 pm

    Great looking machine…. I am a Dodge lover and would buy one in a heart beat if I was car shopping right now. Leave Honda in the dust and watch them try to catch up. Way to go Dodge!!!!!!!!!!

  5. tseng

    Sep 23, 2014 at 9:14 am

    Honda is still the king! Why? it is Reliability, Strong Resale Value, Best Selling in many years, Lasts Longer, and beautiful design.

  6. Adam

    Oct 6, 2014 at 7:56 pm

    Having actually driven both vehicles in all trim levels, I have to say the Chrysler is a better vehicle. One spends most of their time inside a vehicle, and the 200 has a far more luxurious and well designed “cockpit”. Between the two I prefer the exterior of the Honda, but the 200 does have it’s charms. Finally, the 200 provides a much better ride quality. It’s actually exciting to drive. To the folks that appreciate the Honda for it’s resale value, we’ll have to wait and see if the new 200 can stack up.

    P.S

    tseng,

    The Honda is an awesome vehicle, but only one of your reasons for liking it is accurate, and that is it’s sales record. The Camry wins longevity and reliability, the current 200 wins design, the mazda wins resale value. Even the Nissan beats it in total cost of ownership and reliability ratings. It’s cool to love a brand, but you have to appreciate it for the right reasons.

    • Julio

      Dec 12, 2014 at 12:10 pm

      I appreciate your comment more than the actual article, good stuff!

    • Dickie

      Jan 4, 2015 at 6:25 am

      and when it hits two years you can see how luxuious the interior of the waiting room at your local chrysler dealership is while you wait there for them to try and replicate the issues you have been having with little success only so you can return again next week.

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