After years of playing third fiddle to GM and Ford when it came to full-size saloon cars, Chrysler hit the proverbial bull’s eye with the iconic Chrysler 300 that was launched in 2004. The styling alone was enough to get buyers to sign on the dotted line, but the dynamics of the car were pretty good, too, especially if fitted with the optional V8 Hemi engines. It was one of few American cars of the period that found moderate success in Europe, with sales of both the 300 saloon and an estate version that the Americans knew as the Dodge Magnum but which was just called 300 Touring on this side of the Atlantic. The 300 arrived at a time that the market was starting to move away from large saloons, and as many of its competitors reached the end of their model cycles, they were not directly replaced, but Chrysler decided that there was still a market for this type of car, and so a second generation 300 appeared in 2011. A careful evolution, this car was also well received in both Chrysler and closely related Dodge Charger forms, and sales have been steady ever since. The most significant changes since then came in 2014 for the 2015 model year with mildly revised styling, but otherwise, there have just been annual tweaks to model variants, trim and equipment. I last sampled a 300 model pre-facelift, back in 2014, so was well overdue getting behind the wheel again. My chance came on arrival at a very sparsely populated Hertz facility at Las Vegas airport when a freshly washed 300S model appeared just as I was giving up all hope of getting anything even vaguely interesting. How would a car that dates back over 10 years in current form, and nearer 20 in many respects shape up?

The 300S shares the same 3.6 litre V6 engine with the Touring and Touring L models, but it has slightly more power than these, with 300 bhp, compared to 292 bhp for the cheaper cars. All of them come coupled to an eight speed automatic gearbox. Despite the sporting appearance of the 300S, this car is more about being a rapid express than a sports saloon. If you want one of those, the closely related Dodge Charger has more of a sporting edge to it. That said, the 300S goes well. There is ample acceleration on offer, and the car remains very smooth and refined at all times. Noise levels are low, especially when cruising at a steady speed, which is what constituted most of my test mileage on the long haul from Las Vegas to Death Valley. There are paddles if you want to change the gears yourself, but I just resorted to using the cylindrical gearlever to select Drive and let the transmission make the decisions, something it did both well and almost imperceptibly. The test car did not have a full tank of fuel, and so the only clue I have on consumption is to take what the trip computer said, which was 27.3 mpg (US), a decent result for such a large car.

Although this is a large luxury saloon, it is actually pretty good to drive. The steering is light but pleasingly positive, so the car is easy to manoeuvre, but you still have a good sense as to where the steered wheels are heading. The 300S handles tidily, and has plenty of grip. This version of the Chrysler comes on large and relatively low profile 245/40 R20 wheels and with what is described a performance suspension, but the ride is still cossetting, proving comfortable without being wallowy. The brakes are powerful and work well. There is a foot operated parking brake. Visibility is generally OK and there is a rear-view camera which helps when backing up. There are a number of electronic safety features with the Blind Spot Warning feature proving particularly useful.

Chrysler made a significant improvement to interior quality with the last major revision, and what you get now looks and feels like a luxury car. There is lots of leather used on the dash, door casings and the steering wheel. The electronic instruments have a lot of blue colour in them and their surroundings, which looks good. There are two large ones, for speed and rev counter with a sizeable trip computer display area between them. You can cycle through the menu options using a button on the left hand steering wheel spoke. Also spoke mounted are cruise control and audio repeater buttons. There is just one column stalk, which operates indicators and wipers, with the lights needing a rotary dial on the dash. The centre of the dash contains a neatly integrated, if slightly small 8.4” touch screen. Functions here include a nine-speaker sound system, Bluetooth, XM Satellite radio, navigation, Apple Car Play and Android Auto and the whole uConnect ensemble proved easy to use. There is a row of buttons beneath the screen. Lower down are a collection of buttons for the automated dual zone climate control.

Upholstery in the 300S is genuine Nappa leather and this does lend the car the air of luxury that befits its market positioning. The front seats are large, feeling almost like large armchairs. Both front seats have 8-way electrical adjustment and there is a wide range of adjustment for the steering column, too. There is a real feeling of space here, with the seats set well apart, and even though there is a large sunroof, headroom is also plentiful.  Seat comfort was excellent and for the colder climates, there are heating elements fitted as standard.

The rear of the 300S is especially spacious. Even though the centre console extends well back, there is plenty of rear legroom, even for a middle seat occupant, and there is ample width to the car so three adults truly would fit across the 300S. Headroom is also plentiful. There is a drop-down central armrest, with cup holders in the upper surface and there are both pockets on the door and on the back of the front seats for those odds and ends.

There is a very spacious boot here. It is both long and wide and should easily cope with the luggage of five people. There is a space-saver under the boot floor, but there Is not much space to tuck anything other than very small items around it. More space can be created by dropping the asymmetrically split rear seat backrests. Provision for the stowage of odds and ends in the passenger compartment comes from a large glovebox which includes a shelf, generous door pockets and a particularly deep central armrest cubby.

With production nearing its end. Chrysler have removed some of the previously available trims, so for 2022, the Chrysler 300 comes in just three versions: Touring, Touring L and 300S. The 300 Touring employs a 292 bhp V6 engine mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission. Rear-wheel drive is standard. The entry-level model also comes with cloth upholstery, an eight-way power-adjustable driver’s seat, a rearview camera, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, dual-zone automatic climate control, push-button start, proximity keyless entry, an 8.4-inch touch screen, a six-speaker stereo, HD Radio, satellite radio, Bluetooth, two USB ports, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. All-wheel drive and a Sport Appearance package (black exterior trim and black 20-inch wheels) are this trim’s only available features. In addition to the base trim’s features, the Touring L gets Nappa leather upholstery, an eight-way power-adjustable front passenger seat, heated front seats, remote start, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert and front and rear parking sensors. The Sport Appearance pack is also standard. All-wheel drive is available, as is an upgraded infotainment system with navigation and a nine-speaker stereo. A few packages are available too. The Comfort Group adds seat ventilation upfront, heated rear seats and a heated steering wheel. The SafetyTec Plus Group provides automatic high-beam headlights, forward collision warning, forward automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keep assist and adaptive cruise control. The 300S, which is recognisable from its black grille and black-finished 20” wheels, comes with a 300 bhp version of the 3.6 litre V6 engine, and a 363 bhp 5.7 litre V8 is available. This is the only trim that does not offer all-wheel drive. Otherwise, it builds on the Touring L with a performance suspension, paddle shifters, a panoramic sunroof, a nine-speaker stereo and navigation. The Comfort Group is available, as is an S Model Appearance package, which includes fog lights and unique sporty styling elements.

The 300S may be one of the oldest designs on the market, but it still has lots of appeal. Even in V6 form, it goes well, and is nice to drive, yet remains very comfortable and with low noise levels is the sort of car you could take across multiple States without really feeling it. It is very spacious inside and is nicely finished. For sure it does not have all the latest gizmos and fripperies, but to my mind, that is more of a Good Thing than not. Sadly, though, time is more or less up on the 300S and production will cease later this year. Take advantage of a large rear wheel drive saloon with a potent petrol engine while you can, as cars of this type would appear to be heading for complete extinction. more’s the pity.