2020 Toyota Camry vs 2021 Chrysler 300

The 2020 Toyota Camry had a renewed focus on quality and appeal, aiming to reclaim its reputation for reliability and value. Its expressive styling, including a bold front fascia and taut lines, marked it as the sportiest Camry yet. The interior featured uniformly nice materials and a driver-focused dashboard, making even the base trims feel upscale. The TRD model added red trim accents and bright red seatbelts, enhancing its sporty appeal. Despite not being a luxury car, the Camry's top trims offered leather and wood finishes, aligning it with entry-level Lexus models.

In contrast, the 2021 Chrysler 300 retained its classic "three-box design" from its 2014 facelift, offering a timeless and straightforward profile. The grille and headlights had evolved, with bi-xenon halogen projector lamps and LED driving lamps on lower trims, and adaptive HID lamps on higher trims. Wheel options ranged from 17-inch silver alloys to 20-inch Black Noise wheels on the 300S. The 300's design exuded a tough, no-nonsense appearance, making it a proud choice for any valet.

The 2020 Toyota Camry offered four distinct powertrains: a 2.5-liter four-cylinder with FWD or AWD, a 3.5-liter V6 with FWD, and a hybrid powertrain. The 3.5-liter V6 produced 301 horsepower and was paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission, providing a smooth and powerful driving experience. The 2.5-liter four-cylinder delivered 203 hp (206 in XSE trim) and offered a lighter, more responsive feel. The AWD system, similar to that in the RAV4, could send up to half of the engine's 184 lb-ft of torque to the rear wheels when needed. Fuel economy for the FWD Camry was 31 mpg combined, dropping to 28 mpg with AWD and 26 mpg for V6 models.

The 2021 Chrysler 300 featured a 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 engine with 292 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque in the 300 Touring and 300 Touring L, and 300 hp and 264 lb-ft in the 300S. The 300S also offered a 5.7-liter V8 with 363 hp and 394 lb-ft of torque. Both engines were paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission, with paddle shifters on the 300S. RWD was standard, with AWD available for an additional $2,750 (not available on the 300S). The V6 provided a quiet and comfortable ride, while the V8 offered a fun, powerful driving experience.

The 2020 Toyota Camry was designed for ease of use, with most controls conveniently placed. The front seats offered increased legroom and hip room compared to the previous generation, while the rear seat had slightly reduced legroom and overall passenger volume. The trunk space was 15.1 cubic feet, smaller than some competitors. The addition of AWD did not compromise the trunk or passenger space.

The 2021 Chrysler 300 provided generous legroom, with 41.8 inches in the front and 40.1 inches in the rear, surpassing many entry-luxury sedans. The overall passenger volume was 106.3 cubic feet, making it spacious compared to competitors like the Genesis G70 and Lexus ES350. The trunk offered 16.3 cubic feet of cargo space, accommodating about four large suitcases.

The 2020 Toyota Camry included Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard, along with Amazon Alexa compatibility and a three-month trial of SiriusXM satellite radio. The standard infotainment system featured a 7-inch touchscreen, with an optional 8-inch upgrade. The system was functional and quick to respond, with hard buttons for major functions. Higher trims offered a 10-inch head-up display and a 7-inch multi-information display.

The 2021 Chrysler 300 featured the Uconnect 4C infotainment system with an 8.4-inch touchscreen, standard across all trims. The system was intuitive, with prominent knobs and excellent steering wheel controls. The $3,495 Popular Equipment Group added a 506-watt amp, nine premium Alpine speakers, GPS navigation, SiriusXM Traffic Plus, surround sound, a trunk-mounted subwoofer, and a dual-pane sunroof.

The 2020 Toyota Camry came with Toyota Safety Sense, including a pre-collision system, dynamic radar adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warning, and automatic high beams. A one-year trial of Safety Connect was included, and blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert was optional. The Camry earned a five-star rating from NHTSA and a Top Safety Pick+ from IIHS. There was one NHTSA recall for leaking engine coolant.

The 2021 Chrysler 300 received "Good" scores in most IIHS crash tests but "Marginal" in small overlap tests and "Poor" for headlights. NHTSA gave it a four-star overall rating, with five stars for combined side barrier and side pole crash tests. Standard safety features included active head restraints, multiple airbags, traction and stability control, and hill start assist. Advanced safety features were available in higher trims and packages, such as the $2,395 SafetyTec Plus Group.