If you’re looking for an affordable, powerful, rear-wheel drive sedan, you aren’t left with many options anymore. Sure the German brands will sell you a V8-powered four-door in both sedan and wagon variants, but you’ll pay a hefty sum. Really, if you are in the market for a more affordable but quick sedan, you are left with only two choices: the Chrysler SRT 300C and the Aussie-built Chevrolet SS.
Motor Trend recently had the chance to pit the SS and the SRT 300C against one another on the road and the track. The conclusion of this comparison is important, seeing as we heard The Smoking Tire’s Matt Farah say previously how he’d rather have the SRT than the SS and now here they are being pitted against one another—by a professional racing driver, no less.
The first difference between the two cars is the price: Motor Trend’s SS rang in at an expected $45,770, while the $61,570 sticker on the SRT8 nearly made the magazine staffers faint. However, the straight-line speed of the cars presented a somewhat smaller difference. The 300C beats the SS in the sprint to 60 mph, 4.6 seconds to 4.8, while the 300C posts a 12.9 second quarter mile, only 0.1 second faster than the SS.
Despite the close differences in straight-line performance, the cars present a stark contrast on the Streets of Willow Raceway, with racing driver Randy Pobst behind the wheel. Pobst says the 300 had good initial turn-in but suffered from understeer, tall gearing, and brakes, which faded when used heavily on the racetrack.
The SS proved to be the better track weapon, with Pobst saying the brakes “are so solid, exactly the same in the last corner of the last lap as the first corner of the first lap. I feel so comfortable and it gives me so much confidence.” He also lauded the car’s turning feel and lack of understeer. “Turn-in is beautiful and mid-corner has a little understeer but nothing like the 300, a 3/10 at most, and then just such gentle and controllable oversteer on exit.”
In the end, Motor Trend says the SS is the one they would spend their money on. It more civilized and quiet on the highway with less wind and road noise and the faster, more confidence-inspiring car on the racetrack. Add in the siginificant difference in price and this one becomes a no-brainer.
Don’t forget to read Motor Trend’s full review of the Chevrolet SS and Chrysler 300C SRT right here.
Comments
Many people criticise it for its low key looks but they don’t get it. I have had the good fortune of driving this car. The 300 is about attitude but the SS is a true DRIVER’S CAR that’s all about the DRIVING EXPERIENCE and it delivers! This what people don’t seem to understand by looking at it and its performance numbers. The reviews by professional reviewers and racing drivers just confirm my experience. It’s a great car.
The SS is a great car.
The only real issue is I got in one just after driving a new CTS. Accept for the V8 the CTS is a large step ahead. That is not to day the SS is bad it’s just that the CTS is that good.
But the SS easily has the Chrysler cars beat as they were the best in the segment but they also were the only ones in this segment at this price. The SS is just a more refined car.
The price difference was large, but really, the 300 was completely optioned out, and that includes some options that the SS doesn’t have at all (black chrome package, special Laguna leather, adaptive cruise control, panoramic sunroof, Harmon Kardon 19 [!!] speaker sound system; fold away mirrors, SRT Track Experience). Take that away and it’s pretty close in price (though different segments). Take into account they make more 300 SRT’s and there are some serious bargains out there. I got my new 2012 SRT for quite a bit less than the MSRP of a Chevy SS.
As a 300 SRT owner, knowing the SRT is a heavier car, with an older chassis, I wasn’t particularly surprised at the track outcome. The quarter mile was surprising, as Motor Trend themselves have clocked a 12.7@112 in it.
Looks are subjective, but I prefer the presence of the 300. Especially for the price.
Both are great cars.
I think same can be said for the charger srt8 and ss
The thing is the Chrysler may have a little more quarter mile and a few more options but the SS is the better car.
The refinement has made the SS a better car to drive. Both are old platforms and the SS is in the last of it’s life on the Zeta.
The SS is much like the CTS. I drove the old CTS back to back with the new 2014 CTS and the old one was a great drive but once I drove the new CTS the old one pales in comparison. I expect the coming Alpha bases SS will do about the same. You have good and better.
It will be interesting to see what Chrysler/Fiat does once they lose the old Benz parts. I hope they have better planned than what they have done with the Dart and coming 200. While they made them look better they are still behind the competition.
I hope with the RWD they let the Chrysler people do them and leave the Fiat people out.
I drove a 2014 CTS Sport in February and was wholly unimpressed. The 2.0L turbo 4 was a dog, and was really noisy. It was a cold day and I was surprised that the car didn’t have a heated steering wheel which is standard in many luxury cars today.
Interior materials were nothing to write home about. All of the touch sensitive cubbies and cup holders were neat, but really annoying after a bit. They open really slowly. I like the 3D Nav, though.
Really surprised that the MPG on the 2.0 was only 23mpg combined.
The sticker was $61,000 on it. SIXTY ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS. And it was the Performance model not even the Premium package! You can option a CTS with the 2.0 to almost $65K.
Scott, I’ll take your word on the new CTS but it is built to take on high end German luxe machines so it’s good to know that American car makers are finally seriously taking on the challenge. Seems in that respect their near extinction a few years ago has done good. I’m only an average Joe so cars like the SS and 300 are the sort of thing I can aspire to. My point is that the SS and the 300 are not really directly comparable in their aims. I think everyone agrees on this and that the 300 is too hefty for real track work type performance and that was clearly never its goal. On the other hand the SS, which is a true track car, is misunderstood if seen through the lens of the 300, no its a “super sleeper” as some others have called it and great driving experience. The SS’s zeta platform certainly doesn’t feel old at all, on the contrary the SS has such incredible poise that I’m convinced the older CTS does not quite match the driving excellence one obtains from the SS and now having read a number of reviews, this feeling I had is well and truly confirmed. I will allow the expert reviewers and racing drivers to make the criticisms though I agree with the irritations cited in the Motor Trend review, which should be mandatory reading for GM, re the SS steering wheel shape, the seats, garish chrome plastic bits on seats and elsewhere but these things are easily amended GM, so please attend to them. Also, how about AFM in the SS so as to make regular commuter driving less thirsty? I’m sure it will help sales.
Jim the Chryslers and the Zeta are at the end of their lives. The Zeta is now a better refined car as GM invested more recently than Chrysler did.
The Chrysler has more options and a little more power but more does not always add up to the sum of better refined and to drive.
I know GM will do well with the new Alpha based SS and I am not sure what Chrysler/Fiat has planned but I do hope they let the Chrysler guys do the RWD since Fiat is not a real RWD company accept for Ferrari and a few Alfas.
As for price as long as you do not require a V8 you can get a nice ATS and just a little more a really nice CTS. That is what I see as hurting the SS more than anything. Generally if you can pony up $45K for a car you can afford a little more for a much better car yet.
While the so called Muscle car guys may be attracted to the SS the price is just on the edge of some really great cars and it makes it a hard choice. With the more powerful small engines as long as you do not have cylinder envy you can still get the power.
I just wish they could make the new Alpha SS model cheaper in the 30-40K range and make it a real value over the others. With it not being imported they may have the advantage to offer it with more trim levels and engines to help provide a cheaper model Even with a 302 HP V6 at $39K it would make a interesting model. I suspect we may see it treated as the Camaro with V6 and V8 options in a couple years.
As for Illegalmachine.
You drive a base model of CTS against a BMW and Benz and you will find the Cadillac to be more refined. They do not come with heated wheels in the based models and also have noisy 4 cylinders.
If you don’t like the car just say it and not make up a bunch of BS.
Scott, I agree with your argument, it is in a difficult pricing spot and you have to be a genuine Chevy enthusiast you either are prepared to dig deep or have a large wallet. I hope your recommendation does come true with the next Alpha based SS. The current SS does fit well into the Chevy sleeper tradition, its simplicity – one setting, racing – appeals to that minimalist no-nonsense aesthetic but as you point out it is in something of the twilight zone as far as pricing is concerned. Bear with me as I run this little fantasy past you, since I want to this fine machine to do well and re-establish Chevy’s performance credentials: I noticed that the Australian dollar has dropped considerably vis a vis the US dollar. Given this, GM must have some wriggle room to lower the price, say by around 3000 dollars. It should also offer the AFM version of the engine, I know that compromises power but it is still a powerful engine and would appeal to those who may dissuaded by the high fuel consumption. Incidently, it is important to keep past customers happy, so as dictator of GM, I would refund those customers the difference to keep their good faith and just simply point out that GM wishes to share with its customers the benefit of the favorable currency shift. Only a few hundred have been sold so far so this should not be too excessive an imposition. It is a halo car for Chevy, so its not meant to make big money, it is about giving Chevy an aura. Well enough about my fantasies. Thankyou for your interesting replies.
Where are the people now who said this was a
Dog and would get destroyed by srt?
This wouldn’t even be a race if GM put a ZL1 engine or LS7
Let them eat…dust for opening their mouths before engaging their brains. And yes, indeed to your suggestion. I’d also like a shifter version and Chevrolet say that if sales meet their targets the option will be made available. Yes sir!
Jim-
Here is what I think is in play from what I have heard from the RWD engineers over the last couple years.
This car was on the way a while ago but timing was everything. If it came out too soon with the older G8 platform sales would still be limited and it would could have been cut due to low volumes and profits with the ever changing dollar.
They waited till the new VF arrived knowing full aware that the new car would only be here for short time to be replaced with the Alpha.
Here is what I have been told. Back in 2010-11 I was told this car would be here and the work was in progress. I then was told the Camaro can be built on a line that will be with models you would not expect. This did not happen with the 5th gen so I assume it means the sixth gen.
Finally it was made clear as soon as the VF was introduced a Chevy engineer stated the car was short term and would only be around 3 years in the present form long before Holden said they were closing down production. I assumed we may have been getting an Alpha SS but Holden would keep the Zeta but that is not how it worked out.
The Three years of the Zeta was about right to follow the Camaro once it arrives. Also GM has encouraged many to compare the present car to being a 4 door Camaro. Is this a hint to where they are taking this as while the Zeta is what the Camaro is based on but and Alpha may be even closer.
The long and short of it the SS is here for a couple reasons as it is. One GM needed a car now to play a roll in NASCAR. Two GM could establish this segment with a good car for a limited time till the one they really intend on is here. Three. It helped Holden build more cars.
Also to factor in the SS is about where a CTS was. Now that the new CTS is here it has gone up to give Buick and Chevy more room to work.
The reality is the SS will never be much cheaper unless they do a V6 car like a base Camaro. The fact is the average price of a car is $32K. Pricing of the Camaro will be similar to the new SS as is the present car. The key for the next model is to get a it more fuel efficient to open the door to larger sales.
Now we may see some limited special models as hinted about. But it will be limited and even more expensive. These high HP cars will never be cheap again with a V8 as the only way possible to limit sales on these high power models is price.
But if they can do a Alpha SS with a V6 with mid 300 HP range it will be fun and we already know the Chassis will be sweet and may be a bargain sport sedan.
The only way we will ever get a cheaper smaller RWD coupe will be with a small Turbo 4 based on a sub Alpha platform that is set for production as of yet. With the sales of the small RWD coupes of late I really wonder if GM will approve it as sales for the Toyota and Subaru and even the Hyundai coupes have been disappointing for each MFG. If GM could also do a solid sedan to make up some production they could consider it.
I really love the coupes but the market is soft on them and the Camaro is in the strongest areas matching the affordable price with a somewhat affordable price.
We will always have performance but we may just have to adjust to what kind and size package it comes in as the V8 will be here but will not be affordable as it once was.
Brian temper yourself as while the SRT needs a face lift worse than Joan Rivers it is still a fast and powerful car. GM is beating them in refinement here so don’t get too silly.
Why didn’t they offer a v6 in the SS to sell more?
I have no problem with GM not offering a manual! They don’t really sell that well!