2009 Chrysler 300

The Chrysler 300 shares some of the Dodge Charger's problems, including poor side crash scores in tests at the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.  When IIHS testers simulated a pickup or SUV hitting the Charger/300 in the side at 31 mph, they found that the driver would likely suffer serious harm. "Rib fractures and/or internal organ injuries would be likely in a crash of this severity. A fracture of the pelvis would also be likely," IIHS says. Also, the simulated pickup plunged inside the Charger/300 and hit the crash dummy's head. IIHS notes that rear crash protection in the Charger/300 is "marginal," and electronic stability control doesn't come standard on the base trim.

Like the Dodge Charger, the Chrysler 300 also loses points in reviews for its cave-like cabin, poor visibility and disappointing interior for the price. "Note that 300 prices climb quickly with options, and what passes for acceptable at $30,000 seems inappropriately cheap on cars loaded to $45,000," say editors at ConsumerGuide.com. "One test 300 suffered from misaligned body panels and improperly assembled interior trim pieces." As for handling, experts say you'll never mistake even a top-level Chrysler 300 for a European sports sedan -- or a Pontiac G8. Lower-level Chrysler 300 trims are tuned more for comfort, reviews say.

The base Chrysler 300 LX (*est. $26,665) has been discontinued; although a limited number were still available when we checked, experts advise passing on this underpowered trim level. The Chrysler 300 Touring (*est. $26,915) has replaced the LX as the base model, but it still runs on the same 178-horsepower, 2.7-liter V-6 that critics disliked on the 300 LX. With a four-speed automatic transmission, the Chrysler 300 Touring delivers 21 mpg in mixed driving (18 city/26 highway).

The Chrysler 300 Limited (*est. $34,720) includes more standard features (such as heated leather seats and an improved stereo) and important items (such as electronic stability control). It also upgrades to a 250-horsepower, 3.5-liter V-6 engine that the Environmental Protection Agency predicts will get 20 mpg in mixed driving (17 city/25 highway). Reviewers say this engine is adequately powerful, although it delivers only 19 mpg in two real-world expert driving tests.

You get a Hemi V-8 in the Chrysler 300C (*est. $37,135). The 360-horsepower, 5.7-liter engine is paired with a five-speed automatic. This engine discreetly shuts down four cylinders whenever they aren't needed, but the EPA estimates it will still deliver only 19 mpg in mixed driving (16 city/25 highway) -- and in real-world tests, it gets only 16 or 17 mpg.

Not surprisingly, testers say the performance-tuned Chrysler 300 STR8 (*est. $44,160) offers immense power. Its 425-horsepower, 6.1-liter V-8 Hemi also drinks immense amounts of gas (13 mpg city/19 highway/15 combined), and doesn't utilize the cylinder-deactivation feature that's standard on the 300C's 5.7-liter engine. You'll pay a $1,700 gas-guzzler tax on the Chrysler 300 SRT8, which uses a five-speed automatic transmission.

Consumer Reports judges the Chrysler 300 from a consumer's point of view, giving weight to factors like reliability, fuel economy and value. Testers at Edmunds.com, ConsumerGuide.com, Car and Driver and Kelley Blue Book consider those issues to some extent, but they pay more attention to whether the Chrysler 300 delivers sheer driving pleasure. Government and nonprofit websites are good for objective data about safety and fuel economy, and J.D. Power and Associates is a good source for reliability information.