Compare the2022 Chrysler 300VS 2021 Honda Accord

The 300 has standard Active Head Restraints, which use a specially designed headrest to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Active Head Restraints system moves the headrests forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Accord doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

The 300 offers all-wheel drive to maximize traction under poor conditions, especially in ice and snow. The Accord doesn’t offer all-wheel drive.

Both the 300 and the Accord have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, daytime running lights, rearview cameras, available crash mitigating brakes, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rear parking sensors and rear cross-path warning.

The Chrysler 300 weighs 583 to 1230 pounds more than the Honda Accord. The NHTSA advises that heavier cars are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH, results indicate that the Chrysler 300 is safer than the Honda Accord:

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

There are over 2 times as many Chrysler dealers as there are Honda dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the 300’s warranty.

The battery on the 300 is in the trunk, which protects it from hot underhood temperatures that can degrade battery life. By keeping the 300’s battery 20 to 30 degrees cooler, its life is increased by years. The Accord’s battery is in the hot engine compartment.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the 300’s reliability 14 points higher than the Accord.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the 300 second among large cars in their 2021 Initial Quality Study. The Accord isn’t in the top three in its category.

The 300 has more powerful engines than the Accord:

As tested in Car and Driver the Chrysler 300 V6 is faster than the Honda Accord 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder:

An engine control system that can shut down some of the engine’s cylinders helps improve the 300 V8’s fuel efficiency. The Accord doesn’t offer a system that can shut down part of the engine.

The 300 has 3.7 gallons more fuel capacity than the Accord (18.5 vs. 14.8 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

For better stopping power the 300’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Accord:

The 300 V8/AWD’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the Accord are solid, not vented.

The 300 stops much shorter than the Accord:

For better traction, the 300’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Accord (245/45R20 vs. 235/40R19).

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the 300 offers optional 20-inch wheels. The Accord’s largest wheels are only 19-inches.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the 300’s wheelbase is 8.6 inches longer than on the Accord (120 inches vs. 111.4 inches).

The 300’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (52% to 48%) than the Accord’s (59.8% to 40.2%). This gives the 300 more stable handling and braking.

The 300S handles at .85 G’s, while the Accord pulls only .81 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The 300S executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1 seconds quicker than the Accord (26.7 seconds @ .66 average G’s vs. 27.7 seconds @ .61 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the 300’s turning circle is .8 feet tighter than the Accord LX/EX-L’s (37.4 feet vs. 38.2 feet). The 300’s turning circle is 2.2 feet tighter than the Accord 2.0T’s (37.4 feet vs. 39.6 feet).

As tested by Car and Driver while at idle, the interior of the 300S is quieter than the Accord Sport (39 vs. 41 dB).

The 300 has .9 inches more front hip room, 1.2 inches more front shoulder room, .6 inches more rear headroom, 1.1 inches more rear hip room and 1.2 inches more rear shoulder room than the Accord.

To allow full utilization of available cargo room, the 300’s trunk lid uses gas strut supported hinges that don’t intrude into the trunk. The Accord’s useful trunk space is reduced by its intrusive beam hinge.

The 300’s standard folding rear seats are split to accommodate bulky cargo. The Accord LX’s standard single piece folding rear seat is not as flexible; long cargo and a passenger can’t share the rear seat.

The 300’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Accord’s (1000 vs. 0 pounds).

Standard Trailer Sway Mitigation on the 300 uses the Electronic Stability Control sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The Accord doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

The 300 uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Accord uses a prop rod to support its heavy hood. It takes two hands to open the hood and set the prop rod, the prop rod gets in the way during maintenance and service, and the prop rod could be knocked out, causing the heavy hood to fall on the person maintaining or servicing the car.

The engine in the 300 is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the Accord. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because the accessory belts are in front.

The power windows standard on both the 300 and the Accord have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the 300 is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The Accord prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

The 300’s power window, power lock and cruise control switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The Accord’s power window (except driver window) and power lock switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are standard on the 300 to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The Accord doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

To help drivers see further while navigating curves, the 300 Touring L/S offers optional adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle. The Accord doesn’t offer cornering lights.

A power rear sunshade is optional in the 300 Touring L/S to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The Accord doesn’t offer a rear sunshade.

The 300’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Honda only offers heated mirrors on the Accord Sport 2.0T/Sport SE/EX-L/Touring.

The 300’s standard rear and side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The Accord offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

On extremely cold winter days, the 300 Touring L/S’ optional heated steering wheel provides comfort, allowing the driver to steer safely and comfortably before the car heater warms up. The Accord doesn’t offer a heated steering wheel.

Both the 300 and the Accord offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the 300 has standard rear air conditioning vents to keep rear occupants cool in summer or warm in winter. The Accord doesn’t offer rear air conditioning vents, only heat vents.

Insurance will cost less for the 300 owner. The Car Book by Jack Gillis rates the 300 with a number “1” insurance rate while the Accord is rated higher at a number “8” rate.

The 300 will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the 300 will retain 36.68% to 39.61% of its original price after five years, while the Accord only retains -377.8% to 54%.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the 300 is less expensive to operate than the Accord because typical repairs cost much less on the 300 than the Accord, including $304 less for a starter, $263 less for fuel injection and $151 less for a fuel pump.

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Chrysler 300 and the Honda Accord, based on reliability, safety and performance.