2018 Chrysler 300

The Chrysler 300 is offered in five trim levels and three powertrain options. The trims include 300 Touring, 300 Touring L, 300 S, 300 Limited, and 300C. All the trims except the 300C are available in either an RWD or AWD drivetrain options. The standard features with the Chrysler 300 includes 17-inch wheels, heated mirrors, leather-wrapped steering wheel, keyless entry and ignition, dual-zone automatic climate control, an 8.4-inch touchscreen display, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a 6-speaker sound system, and satellite radio. The standard features get better as you get up the trim level. There are also many optional features that you can add to the package. 

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The base 300 Touring trim offers a great value for those who do not mind the unexciting power delivery from the base engine. It offers an impressive list of standard features for the price which makes the car a great package for the segment. But if you want some excitement in the powertrain, you can consider upgrading to the higher trim levels as the V8 engine is limited to only two trim levels now. 

The 2018 Chrysler 300 comes with two engine options and three different powertrain options. The base 3.6-liter V6 engine is available in two sets of tunes depending on the trim level that you buy. The base powertrain option churns out 292 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque. The power from the same engine jumps to 300 horsepower and 264 pound-ft of torque. The most powerful Chrysler 300 gets a 5.7L V8 engine that produces 363 horsepower and 394 lb-ft of peak torque. All the engines come mated to a standard 8-speed automatic transmission. You can get all the trim levels in either RWD or AWD drivetrain options except for the 300C which is only available in RWD drivetrain variant.

The base engine has enough power to offer a comfortable drive without any struggle at any point. However, it does not offer any excitement for people who love to drive and want better engagement with their car. That applies to both power output variants of the V6 engine. If you want more fun from the engine and expect to get a better launch when you push the gas paddle, the 5.7L Hemi V8 engine is the one that you should go for. The standard engine can get you from 0 to 60 mph in 3.6 seconds which is already quite an impressive figure. 

The performance from all the cars in the segment is quite impressive. The Toyota Avalon is the fastest car in the 0 to 60 mph sprint with 3.5 seconds. The Chrysler 300 offers similar performance with 3.6 seconds which is not far behind the Avalon in the 0 to 60 mph run. The Nissan Maxima has the most powerful engine in the competition but that does not show up in the real world performance. The CVT transmission does not help the Maxima in outright acceleration and makes it the slowest car in the comparison to reach from 0 to 60 mph. 

2018 Chrysler 300 Ride and Handling

Typically, we associate sedans to be better at handling which happens to be the case in most scenarios when you compare it to SUVs or vehicles that ride higher to the ground. The same can not be said for the Chrysler 300. It is a typical big American sedan that focuses more on looking bulky and muscular than being a great handler. The high speed stability of the Chrysler 300 is heart melting and will not inspire great confidence to the driver at all. 

The steering wheel is quick to respond and the lane changes also come without any delay. However, the light steering wheel does not offer any feedback to the driver at all. The floaty suspension does not help the handling either and it reminds you to use your left foot when you go hard on the right one. The sporty suspension setup of the 300S trim level makes things a little better but that can not be termed as a great handler either. The ride quality is also boaty on the highways but feels comfortable at slow speeds.

2018 Chrysler 300 Braking Performance

The braking performance of the Chrysler 300 is pretty impressive for the segment. The Chrysler 300 is a heavy car compared to any of its competitors but that doesn’t show up when you look at the braking performance. The 2018 Chrysler 300 uses 12.6 brake rotors at the front and the same size rotors at the rear too. The brake pedals offer decent feedback. The brakes can help you stop the Chrysler 300 from 60 mph to a complete halt in just 101 feet. The braking distance is better than the expectations for the class. 

Although the Chrysler 300 is the heaviest car in the competition, it manages to offer the best braking performance. The braking distance of 101 feet to stop the car from 60 to 0 mph is the least in the class. The Nissan Maxima which happens to be the lightest of the lot comes at the second position with a braking distance of 108 feet. The Toyota Avalon comes the last in terms of the braking distance taking 113 feet to bring the car to a standstill from 60 mph. 

The fuel economy of the Chrysler 300 also depends on the engine option that you go for. The base engine is able to offer a respectable fuel economy figure for the segment. You can expect your Chrysler 300 to return fuel economy of 19 mpg in the city. 30 mpg on the highway, and a combined fuel economy of 23 mpg. The car comes with a 18.5-gallon fuel tank which helps it deliver a pretty good range. The best you can expect on a highway is a range of 555 miles without the need to stop at a fuel station.

The fuel economy figures of the Chrysler 300 and Dodge Charger are identical if you compare the base engine of both these cars. They get the same size fuel tanks too resulting in the same range. The Toyota Avalon gets the smallest fuel tank in the competition. However, the range is quite impressive as the fuel economy is quite good for the Toyota Avalon.

The interior of the Chrysler 300 is practical and gets good space for the passengers. The space at the front in particular is quite impressive. The seats are big and offer good support for the drivers of all sizes. The driver seats get power adjustment as standard while the passenger seat gets manual adjustment with the base trim. However, you get the power adjustment for the passenger seat on the higher trims. The doors get soft-touch materials along with brushed aluminum. The visibility at the front is also quite impressive and you get a nice view of the road ahead. 

All the controls for the driver are placed nicely and are easy to navigate and use. The quality of the cabin is also quite good. The dashboard gets soft-touch materials but does not feel premium compared to some of the other rivals. The space at the back is also at premium and the passengers seating at the rear will not complain at least for space. The interior of the Chrysler 300 feels a bit outdated when you compare it to some of the modern rivals. However, it solves the purpose pretty well and does not compromise on practicality.

The space is not an issue for the buyers of the Chrysler 300 and it gets enough space to comfortably accommodate four passengers inside the cabin. The cargo area is also quite impressive for the class. The Nissan Maxima gets the best legroom for the front passengers but that results in the least legroom for the rear passengers. It also gets the smallest cargo area in the competition. 

Standout interior features:

• 12-way power driver seat
• 60-40 split-folding rear seats
• Power-adjustable steering wheel
• Dual-zone automatic climate control
• Cruise control
• Day-night auto-dimming rearview mirror

2018 Chrysler 300 Infotainment System

The 2018 Chrysler 300 gets a standard 8.4-inch touchscreen infotainment system right from the base model. The infotainment system of the Chrysler 300 is one area where it gets more positive feedback than negative. It is an easy-to-use infotainment interface that works pretty well. The system feels responsive and gets Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard. The standard sound system is a 6-speaker audio system. The infotainment also gets satellite radio as standard with the car. The optional audio systems include a 10-speaker Beats audio system and a 19-speaker Harman/Kardon audio system.

Standout infotainment system:

• 8.4-inch infotainment display
• Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
• Bluetooth wireless connectivity
• SiriusXM satellite radio
• 6-speaker audio system
• 19-speaker Harman/Kardon audio system (Optional)
• Wi-Fi hotspot connectivity (Optional)

The exterior style of the 2018 Chrysler 300 will appeal to most buyers in North America for its big and muscular design. The design of the car has not changed for a long time but it still does not feel old at all. The old-school design of the Chrysler 300 looks elegant. However, the people who love the modern sleek design will find the design to be outdated. The first thing that draws your attention on the front is the big housing for the headlamps which is not the trend that we see in the modern cars. 

The headlights at the front get LED daytime running lights to give it a modern touch. The center gets a big grille with a massive Chrysler badge at the front. The grille is surrounded by a chrome line from all sides. The design from the side and rear also remains pretty simple. The simplistic looks from the rear makes the car look classy from behind too. 

The exterior dimensions of the Chrysler 300 and the Dodge Charger are identical just like the interior dimensions. However, the Chrysler 300 weighs marginally higher than the Dodge Charger. The other two cars in the comparison are smaller than the Chrysler 300 in every dimension. The Nissan Maxima gets the smallest wheelbase in the competition. 

Standout exterior features:

• 17” to 20” wheels
• LED daytime running lights
• Light tinted glass
• Front fog lamps
• Remote keyless entry
• LED Brakelights

The Chrysler 300 performs pretty well in the safety department. Talking about the safety ratings, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has rated the Chrysler 300 four out of five stars in their crash-test rating. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has also given it a quite impressive score of Good in the overall safety area. The Chrysler 300 has a generous list of standard safety features. However, there are not many advanced driver assistance features offered with the car when you compare it to the other rivals. 

The safety features include:

• Traction control
• Electronic stability control
• Tire specific low tire pressure warning
• ParkView back-up camera
• Rear child safety locks
• SiriusXM Guardian Emergency Sos

Chrysler 300 vs. Dodge Charger

The Chrysler 300 and Dodge Charger are similar in many ways as they share the same platform and same engine options too. However, the Dodge Charger comes with more options and appeals to a wider range of audiences. The Chrysler 300 will be a good option for people who just want to get from point A to B without much engagement. If you want to have more fun, the Dodge Charger is the one to go for. 

Chrysler 300 vs. Toyota Avalon

The Toyota Avalon has different characteristics when you compare it to the Chrysler 300. The Avalon carries a more sleek design and feels more modern between the two. The Avalon also gets a better list of standard features and the safety features are also better in the Avalon. Unless you love the exterior style of the Chrysler 300, the Toyota Avalon is a more sensible option. 

Chrysler 300 vs. Nissan Maxima

The Nissan Maxima is one of the better family cars that focuses just on the practicality aspect. Although the Maxima gets a potent engine, the CVT transmission does not help the performance of the car in real world. The Chrysler 300 is more affordable and looks more classy. The Chrysler 300 also offers better space inside its cabin and the cargo area is also better in the Chrysler. All that makes Chrysler 300 a better family car between the two. 

The Chrysler 300 comes with the old-school bulky look that has a good presence on the road. The V8 engine options offer a pretty impressive performance too. The aggressive pricing of the Chrysler 300 makes it a great choice for the segment. As the competition has made some significant improvements over the past few years, there are some areas where the Chrysler 300 needs to improve to stack up with the rivals. However, it is one of the most affordable luxury midsize sedans in the market and offers a great value for the money.