2020 Chrysler 300 Road Test and Review

2020 Chrysler 300 hero ・ Photo by Fiat Chrysler Automobiles

The current craze for crossover SUVs has laid waste to Chrysler’s sedan lineup. Once, the brand offered a number of four-door models. But these days the only sedan that remains in the very abbreviated Chrysler lineup is the 300, a model that has a very proud history with the brand.

And the current Chrysler 300 has a winning history of its own, retaining the once-conventional American car architecture of front-engine/rear-wheel drive, even as the thinning domestic-sedan ranks have nearly entirely shifted to front-drive. The fact is that the 300 revels in its newfound unconventionality. It is big, beefy, and uniquely American, from its available V6 and V8 engines to its brassy exterior design. No shrinking violet, the Chrysler 300 makes a convincing statement.

Exterior

The 2020 Chrysler 300 looks a lot like the 2019 Chrysler 300. Changes for the 2020 model year are minimal, revolving mostly around appearance packages. The Red S package on the 300S trim level features “Black Noise” exterior badging, a red insert on the Chrysler “wing” badge, and new 20-inch “Black Noise” wheels. And the 2020 300 offers three new exterior colors.

Otherwise, the car is as you remember it: an imposing four-door with looks that pay homage to Bentley while at the same time capturing an aura of their own. The small side windows and high shoulders give the sedan an upscale look, and the finely drawn grille with narrow chrome edging contributes to it as well. The Chrysler 300 is one of those rare cars that looks to be much more expensive than it really is — a reason for its continued success.

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Interior

Some people criticize rear-drive sedans with longitudinal engines — the configuration of the Chrysler 300 — for their supposed inefficient use of space. But that is not an issue with the five-passenger 300. Its two front bucket seats are comfortable thrones, and its rear bench is accommodating enough for three adults, although two is a better number.

The interior is well-designed with legible instrumentation laid out in classic style, a large center-dash infotainment screen and a very conventional center console with padded armrest covering a storage bin. New for 2020 is an optional Radar Red interior that is available along with the aforementioned Red S appearance package in combination with any of six exterior paint colors — Canyon Sunset, Velvet Red, Granite Crystal, Silver Mist, Gloss Black, and Bright White. Some will warm to the red as a zippy alternative to the conventional black/charcoal interiors that dominate the lineup.

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Infotainment

In an era when many elaborate infotainment systems seem to be designed more to confuse and confound than please the listener, the infotainment options in the 300 are like a refreshing Alpine spring right there on the dashboard.

The standard unit features Chrysler’s well-reviewed Uconnect 4C system with an 8.4-inch display. It offers AM/FM/HD radio with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, SiriusXM radio (with a one-year free trial), and Voice Command with Bluetooth. The touchscreen displays music, vehicle information, and climate controls, and the car also includes an audio jack and two USB ports. You can upgrade the standard system by adding integrated navigation, which is available either in a package or as a standalone option on all Chrysler 300 trim levels. The top-level optional Harmon Kardon audio has 19 premium speakers with a subwoofer and 900-watt amplifier, for shake-the-neighborhood sound power.

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Powertrains

The 2020 Chrysler 300 offers a pair of powertrain choices that have stood the test of time. The more economical of the two is the 3.6-liter Pentastar V6. In the 300, it offers 292 horsepower (or 300 horsepower in the 300S model) and 260 lb-ft of torque (264 lb-ft in the 300S). If you seek all-wheel drive in your Chrysler sedan, the Pentastar V6 is your only engine option.

As we mentioned, the 300 harkens back to the heyday of the domestic American sedan, and the engine of choice for that duty is the 5.7-liter Hemi V8. It delivers 363 horsepower and 394 lb-ft of velvety, satisfying torque that makes drivability a matter of ease and splendor. For some, high torque is for street racing, but most drivers experience it as readily available power without ever seeming to strain. Both engines are backed by an eight-speed TorqueFlite automatic transmission.

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Driving Impressions

The Chrysler 300 is offered in a number of configurations and each has its personality, but the family resemblance is always very obvious. With nearly 300 horsepower and a driver-oriented rear-drive chassis, the V6-powered versions of the car, including the 300S, are both comfortable and rewarding to drive. If you seek to cross several states on the nation’s superhighway system in a single day, the V6-powered 300s will be willing companions.

Of course, to borrow a phrase from the 1960s, there is no substitute for cubic inches — and that becomes obvious at the wheel of the car's Hemi-powered versions, most especially the performance-oriented 300C. The added horsepower and torque turn the car from satisfying to virtually effortless. Acceleration seems ever-available, and the 300C will corner like a proper sports sedan.

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Safety/Driver Aids

Just because the Chrysler 300 is in some ways a throwback to an earlier time does not mean that it lacks modern safety systems. Quite the contrary, a lengthy list of active and passive safety equipment is available on the 300, and many items are standard.

Included on the standards list are multistage driver and front passenger airbags, a driver’s-side inflatable knee bolster airbag, supplemental side-curtain airbags for front and rear outboard occupants, and the LATCH anchor system with mounts for two child seats in the second row. Also standard is electronic stability control that includes brake assist, rain brake support, ready alert braking, hill-start assist, and all-speed traction control. The SafetyTec Plus Group is an optional package that includes advanced brake assist, rain-sensing windshield wipers, a lane-departure warning with lane-keep assist, automatic high beams, a full-speed forward collision warning with active braking, and adaptive cruise control with stopping capability.

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Interior and Cargo Space

Five occupants will find the Chrysler 300 a very comfortable place to be, though there is no doubt the front passengers fare better than the rear ones. On the other hand, the rear bench seat will accommodate two compatible child safety seats, qualifying the 300 as a family sedan. The model offers plenty of front and rear headroom and legroom. Total interior volume is 106.3 cubic feet.

In its conventional trunk, the 300 boasts a robust 16.3 cubic feet of total cargo volume. Liftover height is a bit high at 30.1 inches. Maximum towing capacity is 1,000 pounds with both powertrains.

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Fuel Economy

EPA fuel economy estimates for the rear-drive Chrysler 300 with the 3.6-liter V6 are 19 mpg city/30 mpg highway/23 mpg combined. With all-wheel drive, the ratings drop to 18 mpg city/27 mpg highway/21 mpg combined.

With that as context, the fuel economy penalty for specifying the Hemi V8 isn’t all that stiff. All versions of the car with the 363-horsepower engine have ratings of 16 mpg city/25 mpg highway/19 mpg combined. The ratings are comparable to other rear-drive luxury sedans from the vaunted German manufacturers.

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Trim Levels

The 2020 Chrysler 300 sedan is offered in five trim levels: Touring, Touring L, 300S, 300 Limited, and 300C. The Touring and Touring L trims are the lowest priced and are available only with the V6. The 300S is designed to provide sport-oriented drivers with a vehicle that matches their tastes from both performance and appearance angles.

The base engine in the 300S is a 300-horsepower version of the Pentastar V6, while the 363-horsepower Hemi V8 is also available. The 300 Limited is a luxury-equipped version of the 300 powered by the V6. The 300C is a luxury-performance top-of-the-line trim level with the 5.7-liter Hemi V8 as the only available engine. We think the 300S with the optional V8 is a special bargain for performance drivers, while those seeking luxury would do very well with the 300 Limited.

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Pricing and Value

The 2020 Chrysler 300 is a very competent five-passenger luxury sedan in the American tradition. But don’t think it is a wallowing dinosaur like a 1970s Oldsmobile. The 300 actually has the chops to offer an interesting alternative to the large sedans from the German Big 3 — Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Audi. In its various trim levels, the Chrysler 300 can hang with the Euro sedans in comfort, convenience, safety, and driving ease. On an equal-equipment basis, it offers a bargain compared to the luxury import sedans.

As of this writing, 2020 pricing is not yet available, but we expect it to be similar to the 2019 numbers. The least expensive 2019 300 had an MSRP of $29,470, and the rear-drive V6 300S had an MSRP of $36,645. The top-of-the-line 2019 Chrysler 300C with the Hemi V-8 engine had a base price of $41,945. While sedans like the 300 aren’t the go-to choice they used to be, this big Chrysler offers features that both luxury and performance drivers will find very satisfying.

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