Car Reviews > Chrysler > 300C > Chrysler 300C Touring Car Review
The Estate Car
The Chrysler 300C Touring is said to be one of the best-looking estate car on the road today. Although for many decades, the estate car slowly diminished with the car industry evolving in sync with technology, the rise of the new Touring has gotten everyone's' attention.
The Touring's special features include flippy-spinny seats, multiple cupholders, auxiliary power points and what's more, customers would have all this practicality, a place to stow luggage and a driving experience not radically removed from that of a conventional saloon or hatch.
Estates have become big business. What's more, smart designers have found ways of making them look - in certain instances - even better than the salons and hatches that spawned them.
This is going to be interesting to note, the 300C Touring shares the same bluff front end that has the ability to scare outside lane dawdlers onto the hard shoulder. It's the same metalwork back to the windscreen pillars but beyond that all of the panels are different, ending up with a neatly integrated set of wide windows and tailgate. What's more, this is no 'lifestyle' sportswagon that serves up less carrying capacity than the car it's based on. With the rear seats in place, the 300C Touring's load area holds 630 liters of cargo, compared with the saloon's 504 liters. With the rear seats folded down, cargo capacity rises to a monstrous 1,602 liters. A rear cargo organizer and cargo cover are also included to keep luggage safe and sound.
Two engines are now offered - a 3.0-liter 215bhp diesel which uses an advanced Mercedes engine and costs from around £28,500. There's also a 6.1-liter V8 in the SRT-8 model but if you can't stretch to that, you've the option of enjoying some of the this flagship's 'street racer' appeal by paying a £5,000 premium over the baseline price for the SRT-Design diesel version.
Like most American cars, the handling isn't quite up to the standard of its key European rivals. The steering is somewhat vague and the handling soon lapses into safe and predictable understeer. This isn't surprising given the weight in the nose, but it does make the 300C feel a little stodgy, an impression backed up by the nautical levels of body roll the car displays if the driver gets a little enthusiastic at the tiller. Despite this relaxed attitude to cornering, the ride quality is surprisingly talkative. If you drive this car in a straight line, it will feel sporty which is enough for the domestic market.
Although the 300C is relatively inexpensive to buy, there's no getting away from the fact that it's a sizeable slug of automotive real estate that has started to lose its novelty value for many. As such, there are quite a few about if you're looking for a used bargain and residual values reflect this.
I guess the estate has gotten the world's attention! Hopefully this automotive real estate will gain its novelty again.
by Autoweb
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