Even as its American cohorts drop like flies around it, the 2021 Chrysler 300 (and its platform twin, the Dodge Charger) will solider on into the new model year. This time around, things are a bit different for the Chrysler, however, as CarsDirect reports FCA will pare down the number of trims you’ll be able to choose.
For 2021, the Chrysler 300 will only come in the 300S and Touring trims. That means the demise of the Touring L (a stepping stone trim level), the Limited and the 300C, effectively cutting the model’s options in half. Touring models will reportedly be available in rear or all-wheel drive configurations, but the top-end 300S will be rear-wheel drive only.
Mind you, the 2021 Chrysler 300 represents the tenth model year this generation has been in production, with its last major facelift coming in 2015. As large American sedans drop out of the market — the Ford Taurus, Lincoln Continental, Chevrolet Impala and Cadillac CT6 are all gone in the U.S. for 2021 — Chrysler’s 300 now has the market to itself on big American sedans as the last full-size sedan option for potential buyers, apart from its Dodge Charger twin.
Changing trims, changing prices
While the 2021 Chrysler 300 is losing some of its trims, that doesn’t mean the remaining models will be less expensive. According to the CarsDirect report, the 2021 Chrysler 300 Touring will actually start at $31,940 (including destination) for the base 3.6-liter Pentastar model, or $405 more expensive than the equivalent 2020 model. The V6-equipped 300S will increase by $1,000 to $38,890.
If you want the 5.7-liter Hemi V8, though, you will have to pony up significantly more dough to get it. The 300S with that engine will reportedly start off at $42,890, which is a $1,400 jump over the 2020 model. On top of that, you’ll still have to pay $1,695 to add the SafetyTec Plus Group, which adds features like lane departure warning, full-speed automatic braking and adaptive cruise control. Beyond the Chrysler 300’s aging platform, spending another $2,000 for equipment that comes standard on nearly all its contemporary rivals — like the Toyota Avalon and Nissan Maxima, for example — power and presence are this car’s main selling points.
Apart from the omissions at the top end of the 300’s lineup, package options on the remaining trims should not change much from 2020. In the meantime, check out why the 300 is the most American sedan you can currently buy below:
