The 2022 Chrysler 300 is an old-school ride that’s still a class act when it comes to swagger and personality. The 300 is Chrysler’s flagship sedan, a big four-door that blends performance and luxury in a modern take on classic Detroit. Shop it against the related Dodge Charger, the Genesis G80, and the Nissan Altima.
A few packaging tweaks for the new year generally simplify the 300 lineups, though there are still plenty of configurations. The latest 2022 Chrysler 300 carries over a chunky design theme that was first introduced the better part of two decades ago. The look has aged reasonably well, and a good tech story inside helps.
Underhood, look for either a 3.6-liter V-6 or a 5.7-liter V-8. A slick 8-speed automatic hustles power rearward or to all four corners. Either powertrain is slick, but there’s a lovely swagger to the way the V-8 goes about its business. The fuel economy is not great, though base versions can tickle 30 mpg on the highway.
Where the 300 excels is in comfort. Ride quality is excellent. Its interior is plenty spacious at least in front, with supportive seats; the trunk swallows lots of bags, but the rear seat’s knee room is more limited. Though the 2022 Chrysler 300 doesn’t have Chrysler’s latest infotainment tech, what’s there still works better than nearly any rival.
Engine, Transmission, and Performance
In the large-car segment, the 2022 Chrysler 300 is unusual for its rear-wheel-drive layout and its available Hemi V-8 engine with 363 horsepower. All-wheel drive is optional but only with the standard 292-hp 3.6-liter V-6 engine.
In our testing, a rear-wheel-drive V-6-powered 300S hustled to 60 mph in 6.3 seconds; that’s slow for this class but still reasonably sprightly. A V-8-powered rear-driver netted a snappy 5.3-second result in the same test back in 2015.
The 2022 Chrysler 300 is not a bad-handling car for its size. The helm isn’t the most talkative, but the body roll is well controlled, and the chassis is willing to play—as long as you don’t get overly aggressive.
The stiffer suspension and 20-inch wheels on the 300S make that particular model ride a bit rough, which seems out of step with the 300’s near-luxury mission. If you’re in the market for something comfy, stick with the Touring or Touring L.
Fuel Economy and Real-World MPG
With the 3.6-liter V-6 under its hood, the 2022 Chrysler 300 falls just a bit short of its rivals when it comes to fuel economy. Other competitors—such as the Nissan Maxima—are simply more efficient.
The 2022 Chrysler 300 did match its EPA highway estimate of 30 mpg in our real-world testing, but the Volkswagen Arteon fared slightly better, besting the Chrysler by 1 mpg.
Order up the Hemi 5.7-liter V-8 and this four-door is quite the gas consumer, averaging 19 mpg combined per the EPA’s yardstick. For more information about the 300’s fuel economy, visit the EPA’s website.
Interior, Comfort, and Cargo
The 2022 Chrysler 300‘s entry-level offering is the Touring. It comes with cloth seats and a few amenities. The fancier Touring L and 300S models boast far more features, including power-adjustable front seats with heat and adjustable lumbar support, dual-zone automatic climate control, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, leather seats, and illuminated front and rear cupholders. Heated and ventilated front seats, heated rear seats, a heated steering wheel, and a power-adjustable steering wheel are optional on all but the base model.
Chrysler utilizes soft-touch rubberized plastic with a leather-grain pattern to cover the dashboard and upper door panels of every 2022 Chrysler 300. The texture feels nice but looks artificial. The interior design is aging, and not graceful.
The Kia Cadenza simply outclasses the 300 in this area. The 300, like just about every car in this segment, manages to fit six carry-on boxes inside the trunk. With the rear seats folded, it swallowed another 10. Those seats can be split in a 60/40 arrangement, but they don’t fold completely flat.
Infotainment and Connectivity
We appreciate Chrysler’s Uconnect infotainment system for its ease of use, intuitive menu layout, and snappy performance. The 2022 Chrysler 300‘s standard 8.4-inch touchscreen display will also show the Apple CarPlay and Android Auto interfaces. SiriusXM satellite radio is also offered with a one-year trial period, and in-dash navigation is optional.
Safety and Driver-Assistance Features
Chrysler’s driver-assistance gear, bundled in the SafetyTec Plus package, is available for all but the base model. For more information about the 2022 Chrysler 300’s crash-test results, visit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) websites.
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