The goal of the newly redesigned Chrysler Sebring sedan was to provide the ailing company with a credible product in the hyper-competitive midsize car market. Unfortunately, the previous-generation car seemed more at home in rent-a-car parking lots than in actual driveways, and Chrysler knew it had to raise the bar in terms of styling and performance to compensate. The problem is, they failed on both counts.

Confusion may be the best word to use as a descriptor for Sebring’s exterior design. Not wanting to make a miniature version of the 300, designers decided they would take cues from the failed Crossfire (and its Airflyte concept cousin) and incorporate them into a larger, family-friendly package. View the Sebring head-on and the design is tasteful, though the theme takes a quick trip downhill when taking the entire body into view. While the Sebring’s overall 71.2-in. width is in the ballpark of the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry, you wouldn’t know it from the design, which looks cramped and forced. Sebring’s side profile is comprised of a number of lines and cuts that seem to go in varying directions. The rear end, meanwhile, is tastefully executed.

Inside, the Sebring most assuredly raises the quality bar over its predecessor, but that’s not enough to declare victory. The abundance of hard plastics still provides an ambiance of cheapness, although the visually it is among the best Chrysler has to offer. One glaring problem is the number of different color tones from the varying materials that come together at the bottom edge of the A-pillar, where the door trim, pillar post and dash top trim pieces meet. It is an intersection with the visual appeal of Mimi from the Drew Carrey Show, though the makeup in this case is less heavy-handed. Still, props must be given for the addition of a heated and cooled cupholder, which kept the morning coffee warm during my 50 mile commute.

On a positive note, Sebring’s optional 3.5-liter V6 engine (rated at 235 hp) gives the car a somewhat spirited demeanor, although the weak brakes and unresponsive suspension place a significant drag on the fun-factor.

Chrysler Sebring: A better rental car.