For seven out of the last eleven years the Chrysler Sebring Cabriolet has been America's best-selling drop top, but the market conditions that make it work so well on one side of the pond don't necessarily translate here. In the UK, it's a touch expensive and lacks the quality many buyers take for granted.

Imagine you and your better half had touched down at Miami International Airport. You're feeling a bit second hand after nine hours in economy class, you've propped yourself up on your trolley for half an hour at baggage reclaim and undergone the aggressive inquisition that the Department of Homeland Security now imposes. The wait for the car hire shuttle bus, the tedious form filling in the hire office and the deciphering of instructions across the vast hire lot have all been tackled. Your car for the fortnight is a Chrysler Sebring Cabriolet. Things are looking up.

What works in Florida doesn't always make the translation to the UK enormously successfully. Wet and Wild wouldn't wash in Wearside and nor would fan boat rides around the Isle of Sheppey. Likewise, the Sebring Cabriolet looks set to remain a rarity on British roads.

Were fuel bills as inconsequential as they are in the States, the Sebring Cabriolet 2.7 would undoubtedly be the plum pick of the range. Powered by a V6 petrol engine that generates a lazy 185bhp, it's mated to a six-speed automatic gearbox and makes a great cruising car for those not particularly enthralled by performance or handling and more interested in topping up a tan. As it stands, however, the majority of UK buyers who do choose a Sebring Cabriolet will instead opt for the 2.0-litre diesel option.

This 138bhp Volkswagen engine is far from the most refined oil-burner we've come across and although it is certainly punchy when it gets into its stride, it doesn't seem the ideal engine for this sort of car. So there's the dilemma. You either foot some hefty fuel bills with the petrol engine or you economise with the diesel and end up with a rather unhappy confection. On home turf, the Sebring makes all sorts of sense. Playing away, it has a much tougher time.

"In its home market, the Chrysler Sebring Cabriolet is an extremely competitive product. Over here, things are less cut and dried. ..."

With the hood down, the Sebring Cabriolet is a fairly handsome thing. The brash front end with the hefty chromed grille is still something that will deter the introverted, but the gently rising belt line and the steeply raked windscreen give the Sebring a raffish look. It doesn't gel quite so well with the hood in place, this model sharing with its predecessor a rather distended posterior. There's room in the 180-litre boot for a couple of golf bags but the soft top roof steals a lot of space compared to the Sebring saloon.

The cabin of the Sebring isn't going to give Audi any sleepless nights but by previously low US standards, it's a decent effort. The clocks are softy lit in blue, while the infotainment system on the centre console will be familiar to anyone who has driven a modern Mercedes. Metallic coloured plastics dominate the centre console while the cowled dials, four-spoke sports steering wheel and two-tone trim on the doors act as small design signatures that lift the fascia above the mundane.

Two models are sold (at either £23,000 or £25,100), and both are very well equipped. The 2.0-litre CRD Limited model that will prove more popular comes as standard with heated front seats, a six speaker Boston Acoustic stereo, air conditioning, a powered boot release, steering wheel-mounted audio controls, power folding and heated door mirrors, ESP stability control and a tyre pressure monitoring system. If you're really serious about music, or just easily bored, then the optional MyGIG music server and sat nav system will tempt.

The value proposition is a tough one to pin down. I would hazard a guess that most drivers will look at the Sebring Cabriolet diesel, but not for very long, before heading to their nearest Volkswagen dealership and laying down the cash for an Eos 2.0 TDI. The other very worthy recipient of £21,000 would be Vauxhall with the excellent Astra 1.9 CDTi Twintop. Both of these rivals seem better built and have the safety and security of a folding hard top. However, Chrysler will point out that with this car, it's really punting at drop-tops in the class above, cars like Saab's 9-3 Cabrio and Audi's A4 Cabriolet (both of which also have fabric tops). Against these rivals of course, the Sebring looks very good value.

The Sebring Cabriolet diesel doesn't do at all badly in terms of emissions and economy. It'll manage a very decent 41.5 miles from one gallon of derv and will emit 183 grammes of CO2 per kilometre travelled, neither figure being what you'd expect for a car of this size and presence. The other big plus with this car is that it's so well equipped that you won't further damage residual values by loading it up with many pricey options - which is certainly a temptation with a VW Eos.

The downside is that depreciation is still likely to be heavy. The old Sebring never really gained a following and while the marketing push behind this current model is a whole lot more determined, it's still hard to see it getting much more than a toehold in the British market. Without a strong image to drive used demand, heavy depreciation is the inevitable result. All of which may well make this car a great used buy in two or three years time but is of little consolation to those who buy new. If you are sold on a new Sebring Cabriolet, negotiate hard for a sizeable discount from the published list price.

Some cars are rather easy to do a demolition job on, but a balanced perspective usually pays dividends. In its home market, the Chrysler Sebring Cabriolet is an extremely competitive product. It's keenly priced, well equipped and works well with a big petrol engine and in an environment with guaranteed sun. Over here, things are less cut and dried. A peaky, rather sibilant diesel engine and manual gearbox don't particularly complement the Sebring's laid back personality. The other option, the 2.7-litre petrol engine, makes the car financially prohibitive.

Add to that mix the fact that UK pricing looks rather optimistic in the face of rivals like the Volkswagen Eos and the Vauxhall Astra Twintop and you have a recipe for extremely modest sales. This is not a bad car per se. It's just one that finds itself in a distinctly alien and unfriendly environment.

TOP 2 SEBRING DEALS

The results below show the top SEBRING deals on buyacar

	Chrysler Sebring 2.7 V6 Limited 2dr Auto Cabriolet Convertible
	ETR	Mthly £443	Saving £3,097	Price £21,998
	Chrysler Sebring 2.0CRD Limited 2dr Cabriolet Convertible
	ETR	Mthly £388	Saving £2,910	Price £20,085

typical 11.63% APR

PCP finance quote over 48 months,  10,000 miles pa,  deposit of £1000