2004 Chrysler Sebring Convertible

Since the Sebring's introduction in 1996, Chrysler has often held the top spot in the domestic drop-top market, selling roughly 33,000 Sebring convertibles a year. This equates to 12 percent of all convertibles sold in the U.S. For 2004, Chrysler gave the Sebring a facelift, adding a restyled front fascia with scalloped headlamps and a new grille; there are also two new 16-inch wheel options. The Sebring comes in four trim levels: base, GTC, Touring, and Limited. All offer ample interior room for four plus 11.3 cubic-feet of cargo area.

The design is nicely executed, featuring a high-quality, power-operated cloth top of a level similar to those of more expensive offerings. The top is easy to operate: Undo the two overhead latches, depress the console-mounted switch, and the top drops into the lined well. The tonneau cover is strictly old tech and must be installed by hand or remain in the trunk.

Many convertibles built on a unibody chassis suffer some cowl shake, and the Sebring is no exception. We noted a significant amount of chassis wiggle, and bad road surfaces exaggerated the problem. That said, the car's ride quality is appropriate for its mission as a relaxed cruiser, and it's acceptably quiet, top up or down.

If you've been to Hawaii or any coastal state, you've seen lots of Sebrings in rental-car fleets; the interior in our tester made us feel like we'd just picked it up from the airport. The cabin is swathed in cheapish plastics, and the faux fiber applique added little panache. However, we liked the easy-to-operate controls on the center stack, and the radio function switches on the steering wheel are a nice touch. The suedelike seat fabric keeps bun-scorching to a minimum.