Auto Trends

No doubt you have been seeing these cars more and more over the past year… and their drivers are becoming more and more diverse. Everybody can find something to love about the Chrysler 300, from executive 30-somethings, college bound 20-somethings, muscle car era 40-somethings, on up to even wheelchair hot rodding 90-somethings.

20-Somethings:

Undoubtedly if you ask a 20-something what they liked best about their 300, they will probably mention the style, 22/24 wheel capability, and the word “Hemi” will probably be mixed somewhere in there as well.

The entire line of Chrysler 300’s are toting powerful engines, from their baseline V6 on up to their top of the line SRT-8. The base 300 ($23,000) has a 178-horsepower 2.7 liter V6 with a four-speed automatic transmission. The Touring and Limited ($27,000-$29,000) 300 have a 250 horsepower 3.5 liter V6, with a five-speed automatic transmission.

The top echelon 300 ”C” and 300C SRT-8 feature the infamous Hemi V8 engine. The 300C ($36,000) is good for 340 horsepower while the SRT-8 ($42,000) is even better at 425 horsepower. It is important however to realize that you are toting around a five-seat sedan upwards of 4,000 lbs, so as impressive as these numbers may seem, their 0-60 tells yet another story.

0-60 for the V-6 2.7 is around 10 seconds. The 3.5 gets there at 8 seconds. The 300C is just under 7 seconds, while the 300C SRT-8 can push you back in your seat at 6.1 seconds (Popular Mechanics). So, your going to have to shell out the big bucks (over $40,000) if you want to win any races (at the track of course).

30-Somethings:

The more family/business oriented 30-something crowd will enjoy the power of the 300 just as much as the 20-somethings, but on the practical side, the 300 is a very affordable “luxury/family” sedan. With the base 300 Touring you can get fog lamps, four-wheel disc (anti-lock) brakes, traction control, stability control, emergency brake assist, leather upholstery, and All-Wheel Drive, all for just a little under 30K in most cases.

40-Somethings:

With age and intelligence comes the knowledge that your most enjoyable time spent with a new car is inside of it, so you might as well make the most of it. There seems to be two sides to the 300’s interior… you will either love it or hate it.

For many, the large leather seats are very comfortable, while the chrome interior accents and white face gauges are pleasing and reminiscent of a performance oriented vehicle. The speedometer even goes to 160 to go along with the 300’s overall bulging presence and estimated 150+ speed capability.

Others say that the interior is full of cheap plastics that are not pleasing to either the look or touch. They say the arm rests are harsh, the vinyl material on the steering wheel is tacky, and the tortoise shell accents are unflattering.

Have a look and decide for yourself which side of the fence you fall…

Either way, the Chrysler 300 is a decent car for your dollar and offers something that just about anyone will enjoy!