We didn’t think it was possible to improve that much on the 2005 Chrysler 300C, our pick for Detroit News Car of the Year.
But the addition of all-wheel drive further extends the capability of an already exceptional vehicle. And the price – $36,190 on our nicely equipped test vehicle – looks like a bargain alongside most of the competition.
SHE: I started to gripe about the fact that our test Chrysler 300C lacked a remote start and a heated steering wheel, which would have been perfect complements for the all-wheel-drive system here in our Michigan winter. But then I had to stop myself because this isn’t your typical luxury car. It’s more like a family car that gives premium cars a run for their money. What I’m saying is this vehicle is such a huge value, I’m not even going to complain about the little luxuries it doesn’t offer.
HE: I’m having a difficult time keeping the 300C AWD in proper perspective. The inclination is to compare it with true luxury vehicles, like the all-wheel-drive Cadillac STS we recently tested – you know, the one that cost nearly $67,000. But the 300C AWD also compares quite favorably with even more expensive vehicles, such as the Volkswagen Phaeton. And it absolutely blows out similarly priced, non-luxury competitors such as the Ford Five Hundred. This Chrysler just seems to have the ideal combination of size, style, power and price.
SHE: So for all those people out there who love to see us duke it out each week over a car, you’ll have to wait until next time. We both enthusiastically give the 300C AWD our top rating of five stars, with almost no serious complaints. We did argue over the tortoiseshell trim that accents the steering wheel, shift lever and door handles, which I think is one of the most creative cabin treatments on a production vehicle.
HE: Actually, I fell in love with the tortoiseshell the first time I saw it on the concept vehicle, and loved it all over again when they delivered our test car. But the first time I saw it in direct sunlight, it seemed to look cheap and tacky – you could see through the plastic, right down to the metal embedded in it that provides the optical illusion of real tortoiseshell. My only other real gripe concerns the excessive tire and driveline noise, mainly from the all-wheel-drive system. It is a bit of an annoyance, especially at higher speeds.
SHE: We’re missing the main point here, and that is how much the all-wheel drive adds to the Chrysler 300C, for what is a relatively modest premium of $1,325. We had the opportunity to drive it when the Farmer’s Almanac predicted “the warmest place is cyberspace.”
HE: Sounds like the Farmer’s Almanac is recruiting editors from Slate.com.
SHE: We were able to test the 300C AWD in deep snow, slush and ice. And it had a sure-footed feeling throughout. Best of all, there are no dials to turn, switches to throw or levers to pull. Everything is automatic. So basically with this car, you get just about everything you’d need to get through an upper Midwest winter in style and comfort.
HE: And, of course, you get the great 5.7-liter Hemi V-8, which makes 340 horsepower, can run on four or eight cylinders and is mated to a Mercedes five-speed automatic with manual shift capability.
SHE: You didn’t mention the fuel economy, which is impressive for a vehicle this size, with an engine this powerful. Even with the addition of all-wheel drive, the EPA still rates the 300C at 17 miles per gallon in city driving and 24 on the highway. The standard rear-drive model gets the same city rating and does only one mile per gallon better on the highway. On the down side, you have to pay extra for side air bags, even on the top-of-the-line 300C, which comes with standard antilock brakes and stability control.
HE: So pay the extra $840 for the Protection Group package, which includes side bags and rear parking assist. Then you really do have the ideal all-weather, all-season vehicle, with plenty of room for five good-size adults.
Anita and Paul Lienert are partners in Lienert & Lienert, a Detroit-based automotive information services company.