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Chrysler 300C Review
The comprehensive Chrysler 300C review
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Critic reviews
Website
Rating
Notable quotes
Drive
60%
"Even with the price increase, it is still loaded with value and plenty of equipment, drives better than ever and offers an alternative to the more mainstream."
Prices for the Chrysler 300C start at $59,900. The 300C is available in bright white or gloss black as standard. Metallic paints are $500 extra. The 300C Luxury is available only with a 3.6-litre Pentastar V6 engine and an eight-speed auto. Optional accessories are available from Mopar.Prices shown are drive-away prices for postcode 2000.
The Chrysler 300C Luxury is a powerful, well-appointed sedan. Road testers liked the look of the 300C, appreciating its brutish and aggressive styling. Journos were pleasantly surprised with its adept handling, despite the comfort-tuned suspension. The 300C is the car to go for if you want an extremely well-equipped car with a large-engine that is perfectly suited to travelling hundreds of kilometres in a day. It’s also the car to go for if you want something a bit different from the norm and can stomach the thirsty but grunty V6.
Pros
Cons
Notable quote
WhichCar
Well equipped
Comfortable
Unique design
Fuel use
“The Chrysler 300 is marketed (in America at least) as a credible rival to German premium sedans, and so every trim offers plenty of luxury and technology.”
The Motor Report
Comfortable
Modern ride and handling
Plenty of equipment
Not to everyone’s taste
“It might be big and heavy, but is capable on-road, well-featured inside, and offers brilliant comfort.”
CarAdvice
Sumptuous cabin trim
Lots of equipment
Looks the part
Comfortable ride
Rear seat headroom
Service costs
Fit-and-finish
“As ever, the Chrysler 300 is not a car bereft of flaws. But you can’t fault the long list of equipment that — despite the recent price hike — still makes this, the current top-spec variant, pretty sharp value. ”
Drive
Unique American style
Generously equipped
Comfortable cabin
Sluggish V6
Fidgety ride
Unsupportive seats
“Even with the price increase, it is still loaded with value and plenty of equipment, drives better than ever and offers an alternative to the more mainstream. It's as American as apple pie.”
Engine and performance
Reviewers generally praised the 300C’s 3.6-litre Pentastar V6. The engine outputs a reasonable 210kW of power at 6,350 rpm and 340Nm of torque at 4,300 rpm. What really impressed motoring journos was the smooth delivery of the engine’s power and torque.
One reviewer wrote that the V6 is ideal for steady cruising on the open road and described the engine as performing responsively during every sort of driving. Drivers described the sound the engine makes as sweet and vocal, with an underlying satisfying burble.
According to testers, the naturally aspirated V6 revs freely and has good low-end pulling power. Where it does come slightly unstuck is the car’s massive weight when empty – a mammoth 1,724kg! The increased mass does impact on acceleration and it’s apparently most noticeable when pulling off from the lights; however, the car does make good progress when pressed and doesn’t dawdle.
Chrysler opted to install an eight-speed transmission sourced from German gearbox manufacturer ZF. This box produces swift and refined gear changes, taking just 400ms to swap cogs. The driver can manually shift up or down using steering wheel-mounted paddles, making for a more sporty drive.
A rotary dial shifter located on the lower centre console operates the gearbox, which is quickly becoming the norm these days. In addition to all conventional driving modes, there is an “S” position (for sport), which alters the transmission’s mapping and improves throttle sensitivity, holding gears for longer as well as reducing the time taken to shift gears to just 250ms!
Features and Statistics
Chrysler 300C
Engine type
Sequential, multi-port electronic fuel injection, 24-valve with dual overhead cam
Fuel type
Unleaded Petrol
Engine size/displacement
3.6L, 3,604cc
Fuel tank capacity
70 litres
Cylinders
V6
Fuel consumption - urban
14.3L/100km
Max. torque
340Nm @ 4,300rpm
Fuel consumption – extra urban
7.1L/100km
Max. power
210kW @ 6,350rpm
Fuel consumption – combined
9.7L/100km
Acceleration (0-100km/h)
7.7 seconds
Combined CO2 emissions
227g/km
Top speed
240 km/h
Emissions standard
Euro 6
Transmission
8-speed automatic with steering wheel paddle shifters
Security
Engine immobiliser
Drivetrain
RWD
Towing capacity (braked/unbraked)
1,724kg/450kg
Fuel efficiency
According to Chrysler, the 300C Luxury will use 9.7 litres combined per 100km: 7.1 litres per 100km on the highway and 14.3 litres per 100km around town. While it isn’t particularly fuel efficient, Chrysler has optimised the car for the best possible fuel consumption through the use of a light-weight aluminium rear axle and housing as well as the aforementioned eight-speed auto.
Fuel consumption is the main gripe motoring journalists mention the most, with real-world fuel economy proving much higher than the factory-provided statistics. Around town, in typical congestion and traffic, some testers saw the fuel usage rise way above the official figures.
Handling
The Chrysler 300C Luxury surprised a lot of journalists, with its very un-American handling. When thinking of an American vehicle, you often think of floaty suspension, vague steering and a poor turning circle. The 300C is the complete opposite. Although this car is best suited to cruising for hours on end down the highway, it’s also quite adept when the road veers to the left or right.
The suspension is soft, which irons out any bumps in the road surface and the ride is comparable to a “magic-carpet” according to one driver. Body roll is present but kept in check and the 300C really benefits from its “touring-tuned” independent suspension. The American sedan is said to ride straight and true, even over corrugations or road camber changes; however, some journalists felt the over-size 20-inch rims caused the dampers to work extra hard on rebound, unsettling the handling momentarily.
The heated steering wheel connects to an electro-assisted rack and pinion mechanism, which feels light, with some drivers noting a touch of play in the middle, requiring a fair amount of wheel movement to get the car to turn. Then again, this is a large, heavy sedan so that makes sense. Almost all reviewers agreed the car is sure-footed and predictable, even when pushing hard into the corners.
Some luxury sedans have soft, spongy, undersized brakes, but the 300C has impressive anchors that bring the vehicle to a stop with no fuss.
Interior and other features
Chrysler markets the 300C as a luxury model. The list of equipment that comes as standard is extensive, and you can get optional extras from both Chrysler and Mopar.
This spec includes Nappa-leather seats, an 8.4-inch UConnect touchscreen that has inbuilt satellite navigation plus voice recognition, a giant 7-inch instrument cluster, adaptive bi-xenon headlights, dual-zone climate control, 7 airbags, a reverse-parking camera, front and rear parking sensors, ventilated and heated seats as well as a 9-speaker Alpine audio system that features Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
It also features remote keyless entry, push-button start, a heated steering wheel, a power rear-window sunshade, heated and cooled front cup-holders and eight-way power seats with lumbar support.
It’s little wonder that reviewers found the spec and comfort levels impressive. There’s plenty of room for all passengers, even when carrying four passengers plus the driver. However, some observed that the low-lying roof gets in the way when clambering in and restricts rear headroom.
The car is very much a cruiser and is well suited to long-distance journeys.
Chrysler 300C Luxury
3.6-litre Pentastar V6
✔
8-speed automatic with rotary e-shift
✔
20-inch alloy wheels
✔
8.4-inch touchscreen
✔
Satellite navigation
✔
7-inch instrument cluster display
✔
Adaptive bi-xenon headlamps
✔
Dual-zone climate control
✔
7 airbags
✔
Reverse-parking camera
✔
Front and rear parking sensors
✔
Heated and ventilated seating
✔
9-speaker Alpine sound system
✔
Apple CarPlay & Android Auto
✔
Push button start
✔
Lane departure warning
✔
Keyless entry
✔
Blind spot monitoring
✔
Adaptive cruise control
✔
Advanced brake assist
✔
Tyre pressure monitoring
✔
LED fog, DRL and tail lamps
✔
Headlamp washer
✔
Integrated voice command and Bluetooth
✔
Verdict
The 300C is a cruiser, perfectly suited to driving over long distances. It’s comfortable with a cushy suspension that smooths out uneven roads and the V6 sounds great, performing equally as well. The 300C Luxury doesn’t really want for anything, with more standard features than some manufacturers offer as options. This is a thoroughly modern American car that delivers in every department.
We update our data regularly, but information can change between updates. Confirm details with the provider you're interested in before making a decision.
Ben Gribbin is an automotive writer at Finder. He is a life-long car enthusiast, bringing many years of experience working with and writing about cars. During his time, Ben has been a freelance writer, editor and reviewer for a number of leading publications across the UK. He was voted the Guild of Motoring Writers Breakthrough Blogger in 2015.
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