Chrysler 300c a sumptuous saloon
CHRYSLER’S BIG 300C saloon and estate are hard to beat if you’re looking for a large executive car with all the bells and whistles as standard.
Earlier models came with 3.5 V6 and 5.7 V8 petrol engines, or the main seller, a 3.0-litre V6 turbo diesel.
The most recent model available here between 2011 and 2015 was only available with a more powerful version of the diesel, which comes with a standard five-speed automatic.
It is absolutely packed with equipment and yet still undercuts the opposition by thousands of pounds secondhand.
There is nothing understated about the 300 – it’s big and brash and because of its rarity, attracts more attention than any Mercedes.
Performance is excellent from the smooth and powerful diesel yet it’s also reasonably economical and should achieve 34-35mpg in varied driving, with a government figure of 39mpg.
On the road it is smooth and refined, with very subdued road and wind noise, and hardly any sound at all from the engine.
Comfort is excellent thanks to well-shaped seats with all the electric adjustment needed for anyone to get completely comfortable and a good ride only upset slightly at low speeds in town.
The handling is not particularly good, but no-one is likely to try and throw around a behemoth this size.
It comes with one-touch starting, interior illumination everywhere, heated and air conditioned leather electric seats, sat nav, sunroof and a very impressive sound system.
It has about as much space as my living room at home and the hard wearing plastics that often come with US cars are soft and forgiving here.
Other kit in the cheaper Limited includes load levelling suspension, stability and traction control, hill-start assist, loads of airbags all round and the biggest touchscreen display I’ve ever seen.
Pay about £14,400 for a ’12 12-reg Limited, or £21,000 for a ’14 14-reg Executive.