2015 Chrysler 200 to Reach 36 MPG Highway

After the EPA inadvertently leaked some of the fuel-economy data for the all-new 2015 Chrysler 200, the brand now has made its own announcement, outlining some fairly big jumps across the board.

The entry point to the 2015 Chrysler 200, for example, will post an EPA line of 23 mpg city/36 mpg highway/28 mpg combined, representing increases of 9.5 percent/20 percent/16.7 percent over the base model from the current model year. And at the same time, power gets a boost, too. The standard 2.4-liter four-cylinder "TigerShark" engine makes 184 horses and 173 lb.-ft. of torque in the new 200, and that output is higher by 9 hp and 7 lb.-ft. of torque. Making the biggest difference here is that new transmission in the 2015 Chrysler 200, which more than doubles the number of cogs offered in today's starter gearbox for the car; the 2014 car still starts with a four-speed automatic, while the much-touted new unit from Chrysler offers nine different ratios.

Needless to say, competitive fuel-economy marks are vital to the success of the 2015 Chrysler 200, so let's check the ol' fuel-economy leaderboard for entry-level, automatically transmissioned midsize sedans (using the available 2014 model-year data from the EPA):

• Nissan Altima—27 mpg city/38 mpg highway/31 mpg combined
• Mazda Mazda6—26 mpg city/38 mpg highway/30 mpg combined
• Honda Accord—27 mpg city/36 mpg highway/30 mpg combined
• Chevrolet Malibu—25 mpg city/36 mpg highway/29 mpg combined
• 2015 Chrysler 200—23 mpg city/36 mpg highway/28 mpg combined
• Toyota Camry—25 mpg city/35 mpg highway/28 mpg combined
• Hyundai Sonata—24 mpg city/35 mpg highway/28 mpg combined
• Kia Optima—23 mpg city/34 mpg highway/27 mpg combined
• Ford Fusion—22 mpg city/34 mpg highway/26 mpg combined

Now, the variations here may seem small, but each combined mpg above the Fusion works out to a non-negligible 3.8 percent increase over the Ford product. (continued)

Photos courtesy Benjamin Hunting 

2015 Chrysler 200: V6 Fuel Economy

Moving up to the car's premium powertrain, the 2015 Chrysler 200 still provides access to the automaker's award-winning 3.6-liter Pentastar V6, capable of a best-in-class 295 hp and 262 lb.-ft. of torque. But because the V6-powered 200 from the current year already offers relatively decent EPA marks, the new transmission makes less of an impact in the comparable 2015 model. Its fuel-economy line of 19 mpg city/32 mpg highway/23 mpg combined compares to grades of 19/29/22 in the present version.

Looking at the leaderboard for premium-engined mid-sizers, customers also can see the influence of turbocharging in the segment:

• Honda Accord (V6)—21 mpg city/34 mpg highway/26 mpg combined
• Ford Fusion (I4 turbo)—22 mpg city/33 mpg highway/26 mpg combined
• Hyundai Sonata (I4 turbo)—21 mpg city/32 mpg highway/25 mpg combined
• Nissan Altima (V6)—22 mpg city/31 mpg highway/25 mpg combined
• Toyota Camry (V6)—21 mpg city/31 mpg highway/25 mpg combined
• Chevrolet Malibu (I4 turbo)—21 mpg city/30 mpg highway/24 mpg combined
• Kia Optima (I4 turbo)—20 mpg city/31 mpg highway/24 mpg combined
• 2015 Chrysler 200 (V6)—19 mpg city/32 mpg highway/23 mpg combined

Mazda, as an FYI, does not offer a high-performance engine for the Mazda6 at this time.

Finally, the 2015 Chrysler 200 will be sold in a V6/AWD configuration with the Chrysler Group's advanced all-wheel-drive technology with a rear-axle disconnect feature for improved efficiency. The EPA rates that model at 18 mpg city/29 mpg highway/22 mpg combined; the only other mid-sizer offered in a similar setup is the Fusion, available with its hi-po 2.0-liter EcoBoost engine mated to the Blue Oval's AWD setup. And it can ring up EPA scores of 22 mpg city/31 mpg highway/25 mpg combined.