Chrysler 300 vs Dodge Charger

The 2023 Chrysler 300 retained its classic design, reminiscent of a Bentley, with its bold grille and stately proportions. Over the years, Chrysler made significant updates to the 300, including new powertrains and technologies, while maintaining its original platform. The car's styling aged gracefully, with each trim level offering a blacked-out appearance and large 20-inch wheels. For its final production year, the 300 was available in Touring, Touring L, 300S, and 300C trims, with the 300C being a limited edition. Despite its luxury exterior, the interior quality did not match, though the 300C featured premium materials like carbon-fibre trim and Laguna leather upholstery.

The 2023 Dodge Charger, largely unchanged since 2015, boasted a sleeker design with sharper LED taillights. Despite its age, the Charger maintained a modern look compared to competitors like the Accord and Camry. The Charger Scat Pack Swinger, with its widebody kit, featured flared fenders, large 20-inch wheels, and a distinctive hood scoop. The interior, however, felt dated, with a small touchscreen and plasticky knobs. Despite this, the Charger offered a familiar and straightforward control layout, with green stitching and unique badges adding some flair to the Swinger model.

The 2023 Chrysler 300C offered impressive power and performance, reviving the spirit of the 300 SRT with a 6.4-litre Hemi V8 engine producing 485 horsepower and 475 lb-ft of torque. This powertrain enabled a 4.5-second sprint to 100 km/h and a top speed of 257 km/h. The 300C featured an adaptive damping suspension, Brembo brakes, and performance tires, with driving modes to adjust various aspects of the car's dynamics. However, the powerful engine resulted in cabin noise and less-than-ideal fuel economy, averaging 13.4 L/100 km.

The 2023 Dodge Charger offered a range of engines, starting with a 3.6-litre V6 producing up to 300 horsepower. However, the real excitement lay in the V8 options, with the Charger R/T's 5.7-litre engine delivering 370 hp and the Scat Pack's 6.4-litre V8 offering 485 hp. The Charger SRT Hellcat models took performance to another level, with the supercharged 6.2-litre V8 producing up to 807 hp in the Redeye Jailbreak variant. Despite its size, the Charger handled well, with precise steering and exceptional braking, though its fuel economy suffered, especially in the Hellcat models.

The 2023 Chrysler 300, while technically a full-size car, felt spacious only in the front seats, which offered premium Laguna leather and various adjustments. The rear seats were less comfortable, with limited legroom and a slouch-inducing backrest angle. Storage space was lacking, with no modern smartphone slots or wireless charging. The trunk, however, offered a generous 461-litre capacity.

The 2023 Dodge Charger, despite its size, felt cramped inside, with limited rear legroom and headroom. The trunk was slightly larger than the 300's, at 470 litres. The Charger's controls were straightforward and easy to use, with large buttons and switches for climate and audio systems. The interior, though dated, provided a familiar and distraction-free environment.

The 2023 Chrysler 300 featured an older Uconnect infotainment system with an 8.4-inch touchscreen. While it offered Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and SiriusXM, the graphics were dated. The 300C included an SRT Dashboard for performance settings and a 19-speaker Harman Kardon audio system. However, it lacked advanced features like a surround-view camera.

The 2023 Dodge Charger also used an 8.4-inch touchscreen with wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The Charger SRT Dashboard allowed for extensive customization of performance settings, including launch control and line lock. While the Charger lacked the latest driver-assistance features, it offered a comprehensive suite of performance-oriented technologies.

The 2023 Chrysler 300 offered limited standard safety features, with most advanced systems optional. The SafetyTec Plus Group included forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and more. The 300 performed adequately in NHTSA tests but received a Marginal rating in IIHS tests, with poor headlight performance.

The 2023 Dodge Charger fared better in NHTSA crash tests, though it still received four out of five stars overall. Advanced safety features like forward collision warning and adaptive cruise control were optional. The Charger's safety ratings were based on older tests, raising questions about their relevance.