Source: Chrysler.com
The day the ‘Velvet Red Pearl’ coat Chrysler 300C AWD pulled into my driveway my oldest daughter was home sick from school. She declared it to be “the prettiest color car” I’ve ever reviewed. The fleet driver laughed and agreed, it was his favorite too. The striking color, intense lines and presence of the 300C continuously provided me with comments from others the entire week that I drove it, including that it was a “hot red car” making my friend even more excited about our Friday night movie plans.
Source: Chrysler.com
The thing I loved most about the 300C was its style. It is a head turner in any color. Inside and out the car beckons you to take in its lines and details. From the classic Chrysler clock on the centerstack and the quilted leather lining the doors to the gorgeous grill on the front. It is a beautiful car. So, how does it drive?
My Thoughts
I’m a sucker for silence. Big cars like the Chrysler 300C with its V6 engine created a smooth ride that wrap you up in a bubble of silence. You feel the road when driving it and still being connected to the experience of it, Yet you lose the noise and distractions from the outside world. That is a powerful thing. All those commercials showing the 300 driving through the streets of Detroit showing off the American-ness of the car are correct. I really did notice that and love it while driving it all week. From the city streets to the highway it was prowling the road and making its presence known.
Source: veamason Instagram
An initial observation is that I obviously spend more time in foreign cars because the Chrysler was not intuitive to me. It took me a few minutes to figure out that the heated seats and steering wheel controls were located within in the display screen (a great-sized 8.4-inch touchscreen). All week-long I wanted to use the rotary shift knob (looks so pretty!) as the controls for the stereo system. Not a good idea. That frustrated me often and scared me a little too. I hate that I never got used to that either.
As the week went on with its usual daily routine of commuting, running around town, and heading into the city I grew accustomed to the comfort of the 300C (there are four trim levels: Limited, S, C and CPlatinum) and weight of this vehicle with a large front end which offers a firmer ride (hello 19-inch alloy wheels) than I expected but still a smooth one. The wood-leather wrapped steering wheel, voice commands with voice-texting, the easy to use technology of the UConnect system and many other options like a rearview camera, a power rear sunshade, additional chrome accents on the exterior and a six-speaker Alpine audio system make it a pleasure to drive. And a dual rear exhaust with Bright Tips because who doesn’t like that? I certainly did.
When looking at a full-size sedan you should include this high-value luxury model in your search. The Chrysler 300C and its other trim packages is an affordable choice in its class and the addition of the SafetyTec 1 package with its blind-spot warning system, front and rear parking sensors and rear cross-traffic warning system measures up to the other luxury cars in its field. Base price is $40,570 with review model priced at $41,565.
