Luxury - The Buick's amenities keep up with the competition, but they don't raise the bar.
Performance - Better than that of its Cadillac stablemate, but the gas pedal is extremely touchy, and the engine is just plain loud.
Quality - Some of those quality surveys aren't lying: GM has done a terrific job of making everything feel solid and luxe.
Each car was judged in four categories with a maximum score of 25 points for each. To account for cost differences, we awarded bonus points in reverse order of price (the least expensive car received four bonus points, while the most expensive received none).
Power: 4.6-liter 275-horsepower V8
Fuel economy: 17/25 mpg
Under the skin, the Buick and the Cadillac are first cousins, as they share the same drivetrain, suspension and other mechanical components. That means torque steer is still an issue, but the Buick is the more sensible choice.
For starters, it just looks better: The Lucerne has a pleasing design that borrows a little from Lexus and a little from Volkswagen but manages to pull it all together into a perfectly respectable package. Behind the wheel, the Lucerne feels less pillowy than the DTS, and the shorter wheelbase is a plus - you feel as if you could actually steer this car without having to plan your move two blocks ahead.
But since the two share the same engine, they suffer the same problems: an oversensitive throttle and a poorly muffled engine. The slightest touch of the accelerator causes the V-8 to roar unpleasantly and the car to jerk ahead.
Inside, the Buick continues the tasteful-if-forgettable theme. There's a nice center console that's easy to use, and various knobs and switches feel like they came from a more expensive car. On the other hand, the seats could use more wraparound support (you sit "on" them rather than "in" them), and the unilluminated gauges are almost illegible in the daytime.
In an era when even proletarian Accords and Camrys have backlit displays that are crystal-clear at any time of day, is there any reason not to expect the same on a car that costs thousands more?
Luxury - A surprisingly well-equipped car - Bluetooth, AWD, parking sensors and a simple navigation system.
Performance - Totally insane amounts of power, but expertly channeled to all four wheels with absolute control.
Quality - A low score primarily due to the interior. Fit and finish are fine, but the materials are basic and a little harsh.
Each car was judged in four categories with a maximum score of 25 points for each. To account for cost differences, we awarded bonus points in reverse order of price (the least expensive car received four bonus points, while the most expensive received none).
Power: 5,7-liter 340-horsepower V8
Fuel economy: 17/24 mpg
Unless you've been out of the country for the past few years, it's unlikely you've missed the hype surrounding Chrysler's full-size sedan. The 300C still turns heads when it rolls down the street (really: driving around New York in a black one caused everyone from teens to seniors to swivel), and it still has auto designers running back to their drawing boards
But what gets drowned out in all the talk of the 300's appearance is how good a car it is (one of the first and best fruits of the oft-maligned Daimler-Benz/Chrysler amalgamation). When you sit down in a 300 and close the door, there's an unmistakably Teutonic thunk. And there's more to it than that: The 300 shares its suspension and transmission design, steering, interior controls and four-wheel-drive technology with Mercedes-Benz's last-generation E-Class (which was no slouch itself).
That's the surprise of this car: You could write it off as a superficial styling exercise, but then it wows you by also being a serious driving machine.
There are many different kinds of 300 you can buy. The base models, with their six-cylinder engines, are nice, but the reason the 300 takes the blue ribbon here is that Chrysler had the crazy idea of stuffing a 5.7-liter V-8 under the hood. With 340 horsepower, the "Hemi" provides the 300C with almost as much thrust as its rich uncle, the Mercedes-Benz S550.
That kind of power is impressive in any kind of vehicle, but to find it in what should've been a humdrum large sedan is astonishing. And for a car this large, it's surprisingly nimble. Pulling a U-turn reveals the tight steering radius that Mercedes (and now Chrysler) is known for.
The Chrysler is also tremendously well equipped: navigation, Bluetooth, rear-parking sensors and all-wheel-drive are available.
The 300 falls short only in the cockpit. The dash is utilitarian, at best. The sharp lines and hard plastics are a victory of bean counting over design. Then again, you're less likely to focus on the aesthetics of the dashboard when you're cruising a twisty two-lane road and that Hemi V-8 is warbling under the hood.
The 300C started out as a looker, but it also has the goods. It wins.
