Review: Chrysler 300, still a champ in 2011

The Chrysler 300 starts at $27,995 and includes alloy wheels, heated mirrors, dual-zone climate control, traction control, side-curtain air bags and the 8.4-inch Uconnect touch-screen system that's standard on all 300s. This system controls the stereo and the heating and cooling. (Jan. 10, 2011) Credit: Bloomberg
Five years ago, Chrysler's then-new 300 sedan walked into the ring and delivered a knockout blow to the rest of the full-size car market. Like any boxer with a chip on his shoulder, this nascent Chrysler carried itself with an air of brash cockiness that consumers flocked to in droves and critics lauded for its design.
Now, Chrysler's rear-wheel-drive prizefighter is returning for 2011. This time around, however, the 300 has the tempered maturity of a champion that is less interested in establishing a name than maintaining one.
The most obvious manifestation of the 300's cultivation is its more refined look. Gone is the chunky, retro-infused design, and in its place is cleaner, more sophisticated sheet metal. The front of this Chrysler gets the most thorough makeover, with a nose that is less blunt than before, standard daytime-running LED headlights and a sleek chrome grille.
With a lower beltline and thinner roof supports, the 2011 model has more glass for better outward visibility and more conventional proportions than its squat predecessor.
The profile of the car remains the same, with a long hood and short front overhang countered by a short trunk lid.
Underneath that hood sits one of two excellent engines. The base 300 and 300 Limited that I tested get the 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 that makes 292 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque.
Although this engine is used across Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep's portfolio, the 300 is my favorite application of it yet. The power and torque are well suited for a car this size; the crisp, steady acceleration never leaves the driver with pangs of V-8 envy or the feeling that choosing the smaller engine entailed a compromise.
On the road, the 300 handles with confident civility. Despite being a big sedan, it doesn't weave and lean like one in corners, and the suspension is generally compliant. Wind noise is appreciably nonexistent, even at freeway speeds.
Buyers still under the spell of a V-8 can opt for the 300C with a more powerful engine. Coming in at $7,000 more than the 300 Limited, the 300C features a 5.7-liter HEMI V-8, pumping to the rear wheels a healthy 363 horsepower and 394 pound-feet of torque. An all-wheel-drive version of the 300C is $2,150 more.
All the 300s get a five-speed automatic transmission with manual shifting. This aging gearbox is the weak link in an otherwise arresting driving experience. Its recalcitrance toward downshifting often gets in the engine's way, and knocking it into manual mode yields no improvement in shift times.
The 300 starts at $27,995 and includes alloy wheels, heated mirrors, dual-zone climate control, traction control, side-curtain air bags and the 8.4-inch Uconnect touch-screen system that's standard on all 300s. This system controls the stereo and the heating and cooling.
There was one glaring, stupefying oversight: A navigation system wasn't included. Not on the option-free base 300, and not on the $40,980 "fully loaded" 300 Limited I tested. But the options on my tester did include adaptive cruise control, heated and cooled leather seats, a 506-watt stereo system, blind-spot monitoring and a panoramic sunroof.
2011 CHRYSLER 300
Base price: $27,995 (including destination charge)
Price as tested: $40,980
Powertrain: 3.6-liter DOHC, 24-valve V-6 with VVT; five-speed automatic transmission with manual shift mode
Horsepower: 292 at 6,350 rpm
Torque: 260 pound-feet at 4,800 rpm
0-60 acceleration: 7.2 seconds (according to Motor Trend magazine)
Curb weight: 4,006 pounds
Wheelbase: 120.2 inches
Overall length: 198.6 inches
EPA fuel economy: 18 mpg city and 27 mpg highway
Bottom Line: A serious full-size contender.