The 2020 Chrysler 300 is a testament to dedication. Not only because it’s a full-size sedan available as a new car, but also because the 300’s bones date far back to the last decade.
The 2020 300 is sold with either a V-6 or a V-8, and while the 6-cylinder may be down on power compared to the V-8, the V-6 can be a pleasant cruiser if properly equipped.Back for its 15th model year (relatively ancient among new cars), the 300 is the sophisticated, Savile Row alternative to the Armani-clad Dodge Charger with which it shares the vast majority of its mechanical componentry.
We rate the 2020 Chrysler 300 a 5.7 out of 10, which is probably generous, but we dish out honesty where we see it returned, and the 300 is a sedan that doesn’t put on airs. (Read more about how we rate cars.)
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Despite its early Bentley-on-a-budget reputation, the 300 is a solid car that has earned its keep. The 300 is offered in Touring, Touring L, Limited, 300S and 300C trims. It relies on classic lines and big-body proportions to sell an understated, high-class look despite its relatively humble mission.
The cabin is dark and rubbery if you neglect to climb its trim ladder, but well equipped models boast high-quality materials such as leather and open-pore wood. In some cases, the 300 can pull off the luxury look better than premium nameplates costing half-again as much.
In the lower trims, the standard V-6 does a thoroughly adequate job of powering the 300 down the highway or through the after-school pick-up line, but the better way to build a 300 is with the 363-horsepower V-8, which transforms it from your Uber ride home into something that would be just as suited to a rip down the autobahn.
The 300 manages to deliver competent rear-wheel-drive dynamics despite its comfort-tuned suspension and noticeable body roll. We mentioned before that the 300 is honest, and that shows in its dearth of advanced driving aids and nannies, but that has its downsides in terms of safety.
Fortunately, its fundamentals are sound, and the 300 offers them in spades. All-wheel drive delivers year-round confidence, and comfort features such as wireless device charging, heated and cooled seats and a heated steering wheel solidify its value proposition.
Sadly, the 300 suffers in terms of crash avoidance and safety thanks to an archaic platform and up-charges for safety equipment that is creeping down to the standard-equipment level in other lineups, such as automatic emergency braking.Stubbornness is often rewarded, however, and the Chrysler’s refusal to re-engineer the 2020 300 warms our hearts.
It remains a steadfast alternative to the everyday, front-wheel drive sedans we’re told will do the job more efficiently and unobtrusively.