2018 Chrysler 300 vs 2018 BMW 3 Series

When some cars stay pretty much the same for an extended period of time, it's either because they're much loved the way they are and don't need a substantial overhaul, or because they are on their way out and the manufacturer doesn't want to invest in them anymore. The 2018 Chrysler 300 and the 2018 BMW 3 Series are too models that have stayed pretty unmolested for a while now, so let's see why by putting them against each other in a head-to-head comparison.

The enduring and consistent look of the Chrysler 300 is perhaps its greatest strength, rather than any sort of weakness. It's a no-nonsense, confident embodiment of Americana from Chrysler Canada with just the right balance of angles and rounded corners. It's not subtle or cutting edge, but for those who still love to see a big, brash four-door luxury sedan with a big V-8 and very little influence from European automotive design, the 300 just about perfect. It has to be said that the BMW 3 Series is still a handsome-looking car, but it's probably one of the most ordinary and even possibly mundane models in the German automaker's current lineup. And since BMW sectioned-off the coupe into the separate 4 Series, it's definitely lost any resemblance of the wow factor.

You will find a few hard plastics in the cabin of base versions of the 300, but they disappear as you go up the trim levels as things get altogether more sumptuous. But what you do find in the Chrysler at all levels is space, and lots of it. With best-in-class levels of passenger volume and rear-seat legroom, the inside of the 300 is a very comfortable place to be for any length of journey. The 3 Series is a smaller classification of car, so it's only to be expected that there's a lot less room inside. But there are other problems too as the interior looks as though it's had lots of things added-on over the years to update it, but the old stuff is still left in place.

You can have something as "small" as a 3.6-litre V-6 in the Chrysler 300, which isn't a problem as it produces a very healthy 292 horsepower through a very modern eight-speed automatic transmission. The most suitable unit though is the 5.7-litre V-8 with its 363 horsepower that propels this monster to 60 mph in less than six seconds. It's a lot less straightforward when it comes to engines in the BMW as there are quite a few powertrain options. They're all thoroughly modern, and the 3 Series still handles and performs as well as it's always done. It's a very different proposition to the Chrysler, but it's hard to not hanker after the 300 with a big V-8 and rear-wheel drive.

With the V-6 under the hood, the 300 perhaps isn't as thirsty as some might expect. With rear-wheel drive it's rated at 12.4 L/100 km in the city, 7.8 L/100 KM on the highway and 10.3 L/100 KM combined. Unsurprisingly, a four-cylinder 3 Series is a lot more frugal with best ratings of 10.4 L/100 km in the city, 6.8 L/100 KM on the highway and 8.8 L/100 KM combined.

The bottom line here is that the 2018 Chrysler 300 revels in its retro appeal while the 2018 BMW 3 Series is really just getting a little dated. Although the underpinnings of the BMW are very cutting-edge and it does perform very nicely, you get an awful lot more car for a lot less money of you choose to go for the Chrysler instead.

For more details about the Chrysler 300, don't hesitate to get in touch with us today here at North York Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram.