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Chrysler

Sunday, 18th of May 2008

The word ‘effortless’ comes to mind when describing the Chrysler 300c performance. We drove the 3.0 CRD diesel version of the vehicle and would strongly recommend this particular engine to anybody looking at the 300c as an ownership prospect. You really do not need any more performance than this engine has to offer and at 25mpg it is going to give you much more for your money than the big V8 petrol. Oodles of torque are available on tap!

If, like me you want to feel as refreshed when you finished your journey as you did at the start then this is the car for you! Any bumps and variations in the road surface are ironed out with aplomb. The 300c is capable of sporty handling on b-roads if required but really comes into it’s own on the larger A-roads and motorways.

Using the Mercedes 3.0 CRD engine you would expect the reliability to be bullet-proof and we didn’t experience anything to the contrary. The interior certainly has a feel of prestige about it without perhaps being as well appointed as the equivalent S-Class or 7 series. Then again it is roughly half the price!

In such a large car you wouldn’t expect to come off second best in a collision with any other vehicle on the road which doesn’t have the letters HGV attached to it. There are plenty of air-bags to protect driver and passengers whilst Daimler-Chrysler’s own security alarm system prevents car thieves contemplating attempting to drive away the car without the keys.

The 300c is nearly as huge inside as it is on the outside and 3 rear passengers can easily be accommodated whilst you will still have a gigantic boot to use should you need it. A lot of interior space is taken up by the dashboard which must be at least two feet in depth.

If you want 3.0 litre V6 diesel power and all the toys you can throw a stick at then you won’t get much better value than the 300c. Contract Hire rentals are very well supported by the manufacturer and you could pick up a nearly new vehicle for a reasonable discount.

From the moment of turning the key in the ignition, it was pretty clear that the 300C had sufficient muscle under the hood to avoid embarrassing its macho exterior. The smooth and responsive automatic transmission puts the power down very effectively both during motorway cruising and while pottering about town. Don't expect any pleasant surprises on the fuel economy though.

My expectations of the ride and handling were not all that high, but I was pleasantly surprised by both. The ride has a statesman-like quality to it but without feeling too floaty or throwing the occupants around the cabin at the slightest suggestion of a corner. I never really pushed the handling to the extreme and I can't imagine that many owners ever would (it isn’t exactly a rally car after all) but I found it to be responsive and well balanced.

It would be difficult to effectively gauge reliability in the relatively short space of time that I spent with the 300C but if general build quality can be taken as an indicator then initial signs are very positive. The fit and finish are to a pretty high standard (despite a few styling quirks) and everything feels reasonably well stitched, bolted or welded together.

With a sensible smattering of airbags and suitably conspicuous selection of lights and warnings tones to dissuade you from trying to drive off with the doors open or the handbrake on (despite my best efforts), the 300C did seem to have an interest in my safety and its own. Alarm, remote central locking and anti-hijack tick most of the expected security boxes.

The size and presence of the 300C that help to create the shock-and-awe first impression also pay off in terms of interior space. Substantial legroom front and back, a bewildering array of storage bins - I doubt that this car would have any difficulty accommodating myself and the vast majority of my worldly goods in a good degree of comfort. My attempts to park it in a reasonably narrow street made me question its day-to-day practicality though.

With the fashion for panic-buying petrol back in the news, some people might find it reassuring to know that the 300C probably has enough tank-space to calm the nerves of all but the most paranoid motorist. The only problem I could see with this is that it could be some way through that tank before you've put the pumps too far behind you. At around 25 mpg though its not as bad as it could have been and you would certainly get a good number of comments and curious, perhaps even slightly admiring, glances on almost any forecourt.

An American vehicle with an eye on the luxury European design á la Bentley but at an affordable price. This is a huge saloon but then the Yanks like to tell us everything is bigger in the USA - but is it better?

On entering the cavernous cabin I wondered how on earth this jumbo would handle, but it is surprisingly agile and quite easy to manouevre. All in all a smooth and quiet ride.

Yet to be put through the Euro NCAP crash tests but received a 5 star rating in its native US governments crash-testing programme. Being surrounded with airbags and with a Thatcham Category 1 alarm and immobiliser all fitted as standard one can't but help feel safe and secure.

A fine looking, solid car but perhaps the details inside aren't as tasteful or finished off as well as some of the counterparts it's looking to emulate, though this is perhaps understandable given its reasonable price.

As you may have guessed this is a big car. Plenty of room and compartments and would easily fit 5 large adults in comfort.

Great value for what it trys to achieve with a reasonable residual value.