At last ... at last ... being behind the wheel of a Chrysler 300

[trinacriabob]

So I got my Chevy Cruze (which I reviewed) for under $20 a day from Friday through Monday over a holiday weekend because I booked the rental, and the category of car, months in advance.  The rate within a week or two of the rental was around twice as much.  However, I didn't plan for how I would get around on Tuesday.  It's seldom that I don't plan.

I was looking at the rental agency sites as that Tuesday approached and was even slightly nervous.  I saw some crazy one day rates for that Tuesday, including at neighborhood locations where they don't load you up with airport fees and taxes.  Then, about 2 days prior to that, one of the majors was running a prepaid price of about $50, out the door, for a luxury car, which was about the same as they were charging for a Nissan Versa.  I called them up and asked what this type of car might me and was told "most likely a Chrysler 300" ... or 'even a Cadillac.'  Sold.  I prepaid the day in a rental car, a first for me, to lock in that low rate occurring during the week and for that type of car.  Wow.

Everything went smoothly, quickly, and I even indicated I had seen a dark silver Chrysler 300 in a particular stall that I thought would be nice to have.  It was assigned to me.  At an airport location, they even pulled it around and put it under the canopy.

I hadn't been in a Chrysler product for a long time, so I pulled it back into a stall, adjusted everything, and familiarized myself with the controls.  As for this process, it was harder than it is in a GM car yet a little easier than it might be in a Ford, such as the Fusion.  Everything about this ride was sort of surreal and a modernized time warp ... especially the whole Gotham City feeling of the car.

The dashboard is nicely clustered in the IP zone, with its own lid, as Cadillac is doing, and even nicer in the center stack.  The bezels for the speedometer and tachometer are sort of strange, with their different depths and they are blue in color.  The center stack, however, is really nice because it's crowned by an old school "chronometer," as Chrysler has historically called it.  The silver accents on many of the bezels are a nice touch. Also, hooray for a logically placed trunk release while the release for the fuel door isn't as obvious, which could be a good thing.  The car had a push button ignition, which was to be expected.  It also had a dial as the gear selector for its 8 speed step gear automatic transmission.  While I really like this feature, and the Ford Fusion now has this as well, I found that if I was maneuvering quickly, such as from reverse and back into drive if making a three point turn, I sometimes found myself in neutral.  Haste makes waste as they say. The seats are broad, comfortable, and in perforated leather and, for this price point, they are nicely finished.  It also had the sliding moonroof with the doubled up effect, meaning it even covered a good part of the rear seating area.  It took a while to figure out how to operate the shade, the tilt feature, and the panels, so I just chalked it up to "o.k., cool," kept it closed, turned on the air conditioning, and didn't fuss with it.  The sound system was fine but then I don't have a trained ear when it comes to what constitutes a good sound system in a car.  I'll listen to anything without static.

With approximately 100 miles spent behind the wheel of the Chrysler 300, I got into it only a time or two while getting onto interstate ramps to see what it could do.  It packed a lot of punch and didn't need much pedal pushing to work its magic.  I didn't have to open the hood to see that this base model featured the 3.5 Pentastar V6 that it also the base engine in the Dodge Charger.  This means that 292 horses were at one's disposition.  That's about 50% more horsepower than my current vehicle, and I am satisfied with how my own car handles and accelerates.  The 8 speed automatic transmission shifts  quietly and confidently, though the first, second, and possibly third shift points could be felt, even in ordinary driving.  I will say that, on the interstate at about 65 mph, that 8th gear practically makes the engine dormant.  I believe it was only turning about 1,400 or 1,500 rpm.

This car had less than 10,000 miles on the clock.  I can say that the Chrysler 300 feels more steady than it does smooth.  It's definitely smooth, but what you feel, first and foremost, is that you're at the helm of a land yacht.  I put the power seat adjuster as high as it could go and it still felt weird sensing where the outer edges of the fenders were, even though there are old school fender creases at the tops of them.  The C pillar is sort of thick but, because the backlite is more upright than in so many cars, visibility was not a problem.  The rear camera in the center stack came in useful when parking and backing up.  However, I believe that lane departure warnings were silenced because they would illuminate yet not make any sounds.  I didn't bother to pull out the manual because I'd be in it for less than 24 hours.  I'm not so sure I liked the steering wheel.  It was leather wrapped, with an exposed hard surface at its top edge that would have been the surface material for the entire steering wheel on a Cadillac from the 80s.  The few times my hands transitioned from the leather to this surface felt weird and I would have preferred a leather steering wheel all the way around.  For its size, it is agile enough but not really nimble.  Still, its handling is way better than that of 4,000 pound cars from some 25 years ago. 

I returned the car, filling it up prior to doing so.  The driving was mostly in the city along with some in-city freeway driving.  I didn't calculate the fuel economy, but those 100 miles took about $8 of regular fuel.  That wasn't bad and I attribute that to some of the interstate segments. 

In conclusion, I'm glad I got to drive this car.  For those who want a retro boulevardier with a commanding presence, an unmistakable sense of holding the road, many bells and whistles, and a rich legacy, I think they'd enjoy owning a 300.  I tend to like entry level models and, in that guise, it comes in at a MSRP of $31,000 or $32,000 before discounts.  However, even if I was in the market and I had the funds, I would not opt for this car and I sort of can't put my finger on what it is ... and sort of can.  I have had a couple of Dodge Charger rentals and prefer those, coming in at an MSRP that is about $3,000 less.  Noise suppression and general tightness between the 300 and the Charger, in base form, is hardly noticeable and, over some bumps and pavement gaps, I heard a few minor arthritic creaks from the 300 whereas that Chevy Traverse I reviewed, for example, was tomb quiet under the same conditions.  However, back to the 300 and its sibling the Charger, I found that the Charger has a more user friendly dash, even though the shapes on the 300's are more inspiring and the Charger's orange illumination is not to my liking.  Not only that, the Charger can be had with cloth seating, has a more rakish roofline, a front grille that I've grown to like, and is easier on the eyes from every vantage point, especially with the more recent thinning and curvature of the horizontal rear light light bar.  Make no mistake about it that the Chrysler 300 is a handsome and stately car.  It's just that, if I was buying a traditional full size RWD car, I'd buy the Charger and keep that $3,000 difference in my wallet.  Also, from having clocked the mileage on a Dodge Charger with the same Pentastar V6, and babying it, I was able to get 31 mpg on the best tank.  One had to be overly diligent to do that.  I'm thinking that typical highway mileage might be more like 28 or 29 mpg.

Front three quarter view - I prefer the front grille from about 3 years ago with the really thin horizontal slats more so than this one with the hexagonal / egg crate pattern

I tend not to like high belt lines but, on this car, it is fitting and looks great

The rear tail lamps keep getting nicer with their subtle creases and the backlite helps visibility at a time when every large car seems to be going fastback ... also, can you sort of feel the humidity?

Really nice clustering and sculpting on the dashboard and a rotating dial for the automatic transmission; the finishes and many features are high grade and make for a nice space to occupy

There are the unusual bezels in the dashboard and the blue illumination ... and there is the steering wheel with the transition in its coverings.  I love that analog clock at the top of the center stack.  This car successfully blends retro and modern.

There are the bucket seats with perforated leather, sporty enough patterning, and offering plenty of support ... if only they were in cloth, but you'd never see than in Chrysler's flagship passenger car.  As far as color choices go, I think that the basic white with the very pale beige leather seats is the best color combination for this car.

End of review

[G. David Felt]

Very Cool, nice write up and the car looks good. Yes the last of the big bruisers that still rolls the highway. If I was in the market for a full size car this would be on the short list. Hope FCA does not kill the 300, but at the same time I wonder if it will still be around past 2025?

[A Horse With No Name]

Excellent review, I agree largely with what you said.

[Robert Hall]

Good review..nice car.  I had a silver 2011 as a rental (first year after redesign), it had a cloth interior IIRC...also had a gray '13 Charger as a rental...both in the SF Bay Area from the San Jose airport.   I liked them both, prefer the styling of both before the '15 MCEs. 

Steering wheel switch gear looks familiar from my Jeep, as does the gauge cluster surround.

Edited June 26, 2017 by Cubical-aka-Moltar

[A Horse With No Name]

1 hour ago, Cubical-aka-Moltar said:

Good review..nice car.  I had a silver 2011 as a rental (first year after redesign), it had a cloth interior IIRC...also had a gray '13 Charger as a rental...both in the SF Bay Area from the San Jose airport.   I liked them both, prefer the styling of both before the '15 MCEs. 

Steering wheel switch gear looks familiar from my Jeep, as does the gauge cluster surround.

Actually I prefer the current car.

[trinacriabob]

9 hours ago, Cubical-aka-Moltar said:

Good review..nice car.  I had a silver 2011 as a rental (first year after redesign), it had a cloth interior IIRC...also had a gray '13 Charger as a rental...both in the SF Bay Area from the San Jose airport.   I liked them both, prefer the styling of both before the '15 MCEs.

Interesting (and good) that a base 300 could come with a cloth interior, if I interpreted your post correctly.

As for the bold type, I'm mixed.  I'll go with yay for the 300 and nay for the Charger.

Before 2015, it would have meant a front grille that looked like this and this is exactly the one I like.

2014 Chrysler 300

And, in white, it looks great, is more visible, is better for both a super hot climate and even matches the snow!

I think the current grille for the 300 is a slight step backwards.

[Robert Hall]

Just now, trinacriabob said:

Interesting (and good) that a base 300 could come with a cloth interior, if I interpreted your post correctly.

As for the bold type, I'm mixed.  I'll go with yay for the 300 and nay for the Charger.

Before 2015, it would have meant a front grille that looked like this and this is exactly the one I like.

2014 Chrysler 300

 

Yes, that's the style grille the rental had. I like the '11-14 front end better than the 2015+ front end.   I remember the cloth interior, thinking it was odd. I prefer leather...easier to keep clean.

[trinacriabob]

8 hours ago, A Horse With No Name said:

Actually I prefer the current car.

Yes, with respect to the Charger.  At first, I thought the revised grille put it in the same league as their more intermediate car, whatever it's now called, and sort of sold out on the trademark Dodge front end that wasn't as cavernous as the one on the trucks.  However, I've gotten to like the new grille.  For one thing, the front bumper area looks like it is a better design to absorb smaller impacts.

2015 Dodge Charger - front

But when they bowed the rear light bar and put the Dodge inscription on it, that made it stand out for the better.  And it's also really nice to view from the side because of the curvature.

2015 Dodge Charger - rear

Also, I prefer white for this car as well.  And, while I definitely like some of the geometries in the 300's dash, this isn't a bad place to live for a long interstate haul ...

2015 Dodge Charger - interior

... and certainly not if you're pulling in 30 mpg!

 

 

[Robert Hall]

I haven't warmed up to the new Charger front..just a bit anonymous to me..I like the bigger grille and headlights of the 11-14.

The 300 headlights since '11 remind me a lot of the '14-16 GC HIDs, and all the '17 GC headlight clusters, albeit larger.    At first, I preferred the '11-13 GC front as it was closer to my '00 in design--largish chrome grille and round headlights, but I've come to like the '14 MCE front ends and the '17 MCE 2.

If garage space and money were not an issue, i'd get a 300C and a Challenger SRT 392 to go with my GC..

[trinacriabob]

10 hours ago, dfelt said:

Very Cool, nice write up and the car looks good. Yes the last of the big bruisers that still rolls the highway. If I was in the market for a full size car this would be on the short list. Hope FCA does not kill the 300, but at the same time I wonder if it will still be around past 2025?

Thank you. 

I've gotten so used to these cars and like them that I'm almost afraid to look at what their next rendition might be like.

[trinacriabob]

8 minutes ago, Cubical-aka-Moltar said:

I haven't warmed up to the new Charger front..just a bit anonymous to me..I like the bigger grille and headlights of the 11-14.

The 300 headlights since '11 remind me a lot of the '14-16 GC HIDs, and all the '17 GC headlight clusters, albeit larger.    At first, I preferred the '11-13 GC front as it was closer to my '00 in design--largish chrome grille and round headlights, but I've come to like the '14 MCE front ends and the '17 MCE 2.

If garage space and money were not an issue, i'd get a 300C and a Challenger SRT 392 to go with my GC..

The more I analyze this, the more I'd go with a $29K (before deals and discounts) Dodge Charger SE in white with a black cloth interior (the only color choice for cloth) and drive it into the ground.  And here I thought I would be bowled over by the Chrysler 300.  Nothing beats renting a car prior to making an ownership decision.  That sure helped me sort that out regarding my current car.

[A Horse With No Name]

13 minutes ago, trinacriabob said:

The more I analyze this, the more I'd go with a $29K (before deals and discounts) Dodge Charger SE in white with a black cloth interior (the only color choice for cloth) and drive it into the ground.  And here I thought I would be bowled over by the Chrysler 300.  Nothing beats renting a car prior to making an ownership decision.  That sure helped me sort that out regarding my current car.

I would probably go with niether of the above as there are a number of better choices available. We're I to buy a RWD FCA car, it would be a Challenger in something like plum crazy purple with a Hemi...but my personality is a little bit different.