2021 Chrysler 300 Trim Levels with Comparisons & Configurations.

While the Chrysler 300 has been in its current generation (the second, to be more precise) for a decade now, things have not gotten stale in this full-size luxury sedan. 2011 saw a significant overhaul in terms of design, and the 300 has only grown from there. It got a nice face-lift in 2015, and just last year, the cool Red S Appearance package made its debut.

This year, the 2021 Chrysler 300 makes a few changes, the most significant of which are the deletions of the C and Limited trim levels. This pares the line-up down to just the Touring, the Touring L, and the S. Other than that, only a few minor changes occur with regard to standard and optional features getting swapped around due to the trim level deletions. (Hey, their features have to go somewhere, right?!)

Overall, the 300 has aged well, kind of like a fine wine. Although she feels a bit beefier than other full-size sedans while driving, there is a certain charm to her mannerisms. The 300 nails it when it comes to powerful and smooth sailing on the open road. If you do opt for the V8 engine, just take note that, when you push her into full throttle, the exhaust gets noisy, as does the engine. The 8-speed automatic transmission that comes standard does a nice job of shifting gears as needed, never spending time searching for gears. If you upgrade to the S trim level, you get the bonus of having standard paddle shifters!

Round through a tight turn in this big gal, though, and you will feel her bulk. The sticky summer tires and stiffened suspension on the 300S variant don't even do much to help; you're just going to feel like you're piloting a boat instead of driving a car. But at least you will be comfortable inside of the well-muted, plushly-padded cabin. While this isn't technically a luxury vehicle, we would honestly say that the S borders super close on being such.

Don't believe us? Check out the specs for yourself. We are going to compare each of the Chrysler 300's trim levels, pitting them one against the other, until we come to the end. By the time we wrap things up with our choice trim level, you should have a clearer idea as to which 2021 Chrysler 300 trim might be the right one for you.

Compare the 2021 Chrysler 300 Touring vs Touring L Trims. What is the difference?

Let's start things off by going over the base trim, the Touring. These three trim levels are all powered by a standard 3.6L Pentastar V6 engine, unless you go for the optional V8 on the 300S trim (but more on that in the next section). The 3.6-L engine is, as we already mentioned, paired up with an 8-speed automatic transmission. This engine is able to get an impressive power output of 292 hp. It is a rear-wheel drive in standard issue, but you can opt for all-wheel drive on any of these models. A 4-Wheel Independent Suspension Comfort suspension is available on the base Touring trim and is standard on the Touring L.

The Touring L does get a 180-amp alternator, which the base Touring does not have. It also adds the option of having memory for the driver's seat, radio, and side mirrors. A power tilt and telescoping steering column is also an option on the Touring L, whereas it is not on the Touring.

What about how they look on the outside? The Touring and the Touring L do share some of the same exterior design elements but have some differences as well. The Touring trim level comes with a standard selection of nine different paint color options (Amethyst, Gloss Black, Granite Crystal Metallic, Silver Mist, Ocean Blue Metallic, Frostbite, Velvet Red, Canyon Sunset, and Bright White). The body-colored side mirrors can be done in chrome if you want that instead and come with the option of being power heated. Power heating does come standard on the Touring L trim. The Touring L does also give you the option of adding auto-dimming to the side mirrors, supplemental signals, a power multi-function mirror with a manual fold-away function, automatic adjust-in-reverse side mirrors, and manually folding power side mirrors.

The Touring leaves you with the option of adding LED fog lights up front, but they become standard on the Touring L. The Touring L gains options for bi-xenon HID headlights and automatic high beam headlight control. Other options exist for lower LED lamps on the driver and passenger sides and premium SRT fog lamps. The Touring L also has an option for a body-colored front fascia design.

A few grille options are available on both trim levels. On either one, you can get Black Chrome 300S Grille Surround or the Platinum Grille and Surround if you so desire. Lower Grille Close-out Panels are also added to the list of options available on the Touring L trim level.

Variable intermittent windshield wipers come standard on the Touring and Touring L, but rain-sensing wipers can be optionally equipped on the latter. As far as the design goes, you get a lot of available details to help customize either trim. These details range from the 'Black Noise 300' badging to black LED taillights.

The Touring has standard 17-inch painted cast aluminum wheels. If you want to go bigger, you can opt for 18-inch polished aluminum wheels, 20-inch Black Noise aluminums, or 20-inch polished aluminum wheels. Just be aware that the larger wheels might give you a less comfortable ride quality than the standard 17-inch wheels. The 18-inch wheels are standard on the Touring L, and the 20-inch options are still available; the 17-inch wheels are not.

As far as the brakes go, you can opt for advanced brake assist on the Touring L. This will help the vehicle stop in the shortest possible distance during an emergency situation utilizing sensor data from both the Forward Collision Warning and Adaptive Cruise Control systems. Max pressure is applied if an impending crash is detected and the driver is not responding in a timely enough fashion to prevent the crash.

Now that we know a little bit about the exterior, let us take a peek at the interior. The Touring comes in either black or black/linen interior color options and has standard cloth upholstered bucket seats. The Touring L gets a bit fancier by giving you leather-trimmed bucket seats instead. A perforated insert is optional for those seats. The Touring L's front seats are both 4-way power adjustable and have a heating function while heating can be optionally equipped on the rear outboard seats. Ventilated front seats and a rear seat arm rest with a storage cup holder are also optional. None of these features come on the Touring.

As far as infotainment goes, you get an 8.4-inch display for the U-connect 4C, a user-friendly system with an easy-to-use display. On the Touring L, you can opt to upgrade to a version with built-in navigation. Other available features on the Touring L include 5 years of SiriusXM Traffic Service and Travel Link Service, a 5-year subscription to SiriusXM Traffic Plus as well as to Travel Link, a trunk-mounted subwoofer, and surround sound. Smartphone app integration is not available on either of these two trim levels, which does kind of sour the entire deal since most automakers have this as a standard feature across the board these days.

Available sound systems on the Touring L include a 6-speaker Premium Alpine system and a 9-speaker Alpine system. GPS navigation is an option, as is a dual-pane panoramic sunroof, a trunk mat, bright pedals, Mopar's bright door sill design, a HomeLink universal transceiver, adaptive cruise control with a stop function, a heated steering wheel, a remote start system, and Lane Departure Warning Plus.

Compare the 2021 Chrysler 300 Touring L vs 300S Trim. What is the difference?

As you can see, the Touring is bare-bones in terms of equipment, and the Touring L gives you a lot of options that are bundled into a bunch of different packages. So, what does the line-topping 300S give you? Well, let's start by discussing the optional V8 engine. It actually gets the same EPA estimates as the V6 (19 mpg in the city and 30 mpg on the highway), so there is no difference there. It can also tow 1,000 pounds max like the lower trims. But this 5.7L V8 HEMI MDS VVT engine comes with fuel saving technology built right into its Multi-Displacement System, hence why its EPA estimates match the V6. Also, take note that an upgraded 8-speed automatic 8HP70 transmission comes equipped as part of this powertrain. All told, this powertrain can put forth a massive 363 hp and 394 lb-ft.

The 20-inch wheels come standard on this trim level, as does a sport-tuned suspension that gives the 300S a distinctively more athletic ride quality. The exterior is done in painted black styling elements, and you only get to pick between six different body colors.

Inside, you will also find a lot of upgrades. There are, of course, sport front seats and paddle shifters equipped. You also get the 6-speaker Alpine premium audio system as standard equipment on the 300S.

When you go for the V8 in particular, you will see the addition of a few specific elements. Those are: an aerodynamic body kit, the built-in navigation system, and the 9-speaker Alpine sound system. Remaining options left for the 300S trim level include the S Appearance package (which is for the V6 only and includes the aerodynamic body kit), the Comfort Group, the Popular Equipment Group, and the SafetyTec Plus Group.

Which Trim to Choose?

The Chrysler 300 has been around for a while now, but the 2021 still feels fresh enough. From the user-friendly U-connect system to the well-padded, comfy front seats, there are a lot of things to enjoy about the 2021 Chrysler 300. But knowing which one to pick is tough.

We think it is best to stick to the middle of the road here. The Touring L has a good amount of standard equipment and leaves enough room for you to configure the vehicle to your liking without it becoming crazy-expensive. What we recommend doing is snagging the Touring L and adding, at the very least, the SafetyTec Plus Group since it comes with the essentials: Forward Collision Warning, Lane Departure Warning, Adaptive Cruise Control, and the 6-speaker Alpine premium sound system. And, if you can swing it, get the Comfort Group, since that treats you to more niceties (such as ventilated front seats and heated rear seats). It will just depend on how much room you can carve out of your budget.

The 300 might feel like a boat when you drive it, but at least it feels like a glorious yacht. In a sea of full-size sedans, the 300 still stands out.