Looking for an old school brash and bold large American sedan, packing V8 muscle and a soundtrack that punctuates its lack of political correctness? That's the Dodge Charger. Just don't tell anyone it's also refined, comfortable, and luxurious. After all, it's got a macho image to protect.
Over the years, the Charger has moved from being merely a caricature of a classic American sedan to becoming a fully developed and satisfying car. It relies on a solid structure inherited from Mercedes-Benz, uses a world-class eight-speed automatic that is also used in Audis, BMWs, and Jaguars, and has one of the best infotainment systems in the business. Ultimately, the Charger is not just about brawn. It also packs some sophistication and offers a lot of bang for the buck. Under a luxury brand name, a sedan delivering that much content and performance would have cost another $20,000 or more.
The Charger is a large car with plenty of elbowroom, a roomy backseat, and a large trunk. The cabin has a genuinely premium feel, from the comfortable, multi-adjustable seats and luxurious dashboard to the comfortable ride and quiet cabin. The Uconnect infotainment system makes interacting with your phone, apps and other features easy and stress-free.
Of course, you'll want to enjoy the thrust and sound of the V8 -- and there's no denying it's enjoyable nature. With 20 mpg overall, you don't have to feel too guilty about it. Handling is commendably responsive for such a large sedan.
The Charger's coupe-like silhouette cuts into rear and side visibility as well as rear-cabin access. The flip-style door handles are also a bit of a pain.
The Charger scores big in owner satisfaction -- presumably by virtue of style, performance, and relative affordability -- but reliability over the years has been hit or miss.
Navigating the trim lines
The Charger has a surprisingly wide and varied line-up, from rental-fleet special to a fire-breathing, road-going missile. SE models are rather basic, available only with the 3.6-liter V6. SXT models add desirable equipment, including automatic climate control, the Uconnect 8.4 touchscreen infotainment system, and heated front seats. Stepping up to this trim level also lets you get options like navigation and advanced safety equipment. Both the SE and SXT are available with all-wheel drive.
All other Charger trims come equipped with a standard V8. The R/T uses a 370-hp, 5.7-liter V8, which seems modest next to the 485-hp, 6.4-liter V8 in the Scat Pack and SRT 392. Then again, both of them seem positively demure next to the Hellcat's supercharged 6.2-liter V8, packing a nuclear-grade 707 hp. Sadly, all-wheel drive isn't available with the V8 engines, except as a police-fleet only special.
Climbing through the V8-powered model lineup also adds more enthusiast-grade equipment. The R/T Road & Track model adds upgraded brakes, on-screen performance readouts, and Super Track Pack mode over the basic R/T. Both the Scat Pack and SRT 392 bring sport-tuned suspensions and increasingly higher-performance tires and brakes. These cars are performance bargains, especially compared to imported sports sedans. Of course, the Hellcat gets all of the performance goodies, down to specific steering tuning and a 200-mph speedometer -- which the Hellcat fully uses.