2012 Chrysler 300C

Long-Term Road Test Intro
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2012 Chrysler 300C
We've spent three months and 10,000 miles in our 300C. So far, it has us loving America.
March 2012 BY ANDREW WENDLER PHOTOGRAPHY BY PATRICK M. HOEY

Months in Fleet: 3 months
Current Mileage: 10,786 miles
Average Fuel Economy: 19 mpg
Range: 361 miles
Service: $32.59
Normal Wear: $0
Repair: $0
Damage and Destruction: $0

Our 2012 Chrysler 300C carries on the tradition of the large, rear-wheel-drive, American sedan, but adds ride and handling characteristics vastly improved over the Jell-O-shot and bungee-cord-sprung domestic land barges of yore. And technically, that’d be North American sedan, as the engine originates from Mexico and the vehicle’s final assembly takes place in Chrysler’s Brampton, Ontario, facility. (Well, the transmission comes from Germany.) That aside, one early logbook entry may have set the tone for this car’s 40,000-mile stay when it asked, “Is this the last great, large, rear-drive, V-8–powered American car?”

Even with all the performance-focused hub and bubbery around here, the simple fact remains: Sometimes you just need a comfortable place to sit while en route to your destination. For that reason alone, the 300C has become the go-to vehicle for workday lunch sorties and weekend family excursions. But our 300C’s forte is not one entirely of mild-mannered transport; underneath its Tungsten Metallic exterior lies a 5.7-liter Hemi V-8 packing 363 hp and 394 lb-ft of torque, enough grunt to finesse a 5.4-second 0-to-60-mph time from this 4340-pound leviathan. So far, we’ve seen an average of 19 mpg, which is in the middle of the EPA’s 16-mpg city and 25-mpg highway ratings. Some of the credit goes to Chrysler’s Multi-Displacement System, which can deactivate four of the eight cylinders under light- or closed-throttle situations.

A transmission with a wider gear spread and some additional cogs likely would improve the fuel-use numbers—the eight-speed auto, which already is available in V-6 300s, should reach the Hemi cars soon. For now, the five-speed automatic does a reasonably competent job of selecting gears, but some of us wish it would carry out its duties in a more refined manner. Of course, with this much torque on hand, shifting is less of a necessity, and the engine pulls hard once the transmission finds a gear it likes.

Up Around the Bend

Our 300C has won many fans for its highway cruising abilities, but all roads eventually arrive at some twisty bits. In order to make these encounters more agreeable we opted for the $995 touring suspension package, which is the lone option fitted to the car. Included is a set of polished and painted 20-inch aluminum wheels shod with 245/45 all-season tires (replacing the stock 18-inchers), slightly firmer shocks, and beefier anti-roll bars front and rear. All welcome improvements to be sure, but it’s damn near impossible to make a barrel racer out of a Clydesdale. One logbook commenter summed it up, saying, “No one is likely to think of this as a sports sedan, but it makes a reasonably elegant long-haul cruiser.”


Despite the single, solitary option pack on our 300C, we’re not roughing it by any measure; the fact that we didn’t feel the need to go checkbox crazy underscores just how well 300s with the “C” designation come equipped as standard. Heated and ventilated, leather-trimmed power front seats (plus heated rears); satellite radio; navigation; a heated wood-and-leather power-adjustable steering wheel; power-adjustable pedals; and remote keyless entry and start are but a few of the amenities.

Virtually everyone is in agreement that the second-gen car fixes a number of the ills present in the original 300C’s interior, both in design and the quality and feel of the materials used. But even the most thorough makeover can leave behind traces of a subject’s true character, in this case some squeaky plastic bits around the shifter and console, and a trim piece on the driver-side rear doorsill that appears somewhat askew. We do note that it’s a quieter experience inside than before.

Unfortunately, the exterior suffers from some disappointing fit and finish issues. None of the panel gaps are particularly precise, and the line between the hood and front fenders bobs and weaves like Dicky “The Pride of Lowell” Eklund after nine rounds with an unsecured Guinness tap.


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