Dodge Charger

I don't think that there is anything wrong with a four door Charger. In fact, I rather like the new Charger sedan. The debate about this car's four-door styling has been raging ever since the car was first unveiled, so I won't really say anything to add fuel to the fire. However, I will go on record as saying that I really like it's boxy-yet-curvy muscular shape. It's bitchin'!

I don't know how I did it, but I was able to wrangle the keys to a Charger away from the suits at DaimlerChrysler. This wasn't just any Charger, this was an Inferno Red Charger R/T. You know, the one with the 340 horsepower HEMI. Now I'd finally get to see what all the fuss is about.

Since I mentioned the engine already, I may as well talk about it first. For those that don't know, the HEMI is the "big, bad" engine that Dodge likes to put in just about every car it makes. The HEMI V8 found in the Charger has a massive 5.7 liters of displacement and has an incredible 390 lb.-ft. of torque. Oh, and in case you missed the second-to-last sentence of the previous paragraph, it also has 340 horsepower.

So this HEMI is marketed as the "be-all-end-all" performance engine. Muscle car guys tremble with excitement at the mere mention of the name and other car fans are always like, "Damn, that thing's got a HEMI"... or something like that. To be honest though, the HEMI engine in the Charger really isn't all that. Sure, it's got nice pick-up and a nice amount of torque, but stabbing the throttle of the Charger wasn't as exciting as stabbing the throttle in a car like... say... the Mitsubishi EVO.


Part of this problem is the car's weight. Our Charger R/T tips the scales at a very heavy 4,100 pounds -- almost 1,000 pounds heavier than the aforementioned EVO. Don't get me wrong, the Charger still has a nice amount of pick-up, but it just doesn't feel exciting.

Another part of this lack of excitement has to do with the overall refinement of the car. It's too refined and quiet -- at least it is for a muscle car. Throttle response is good, but there is no feedback from the car. There is no exhaust note to make mention of, and I don't feel any kind of rumble when I give the car some go-juice. I'm sure that a tuned exhaust would bring some of that excitement back, which makes me confused as to why Dodge chose to keep the Charger R/T quiet. This is supposed to be the modern muscle car, remember? Make it loud and rough! Make the engine scare small children and animals!

The handling of the Charger is okay, but it's nothing to write home about. It's very comfortable, but I was able to get it to break traction in turns with just a slight amount of throttle. I'm not talking tail-happy, bitchin' smoke bellowing oversteer here either -- it seems like Dodge engineered this car to understeer (as it's safer and stuff...). Even though the R/T comes with a "sport" tuned suspension, wheels and tires, I think it's not enough. However, I feel this too is an easy fix: Dodge stuck some all-season tires on the R/T, so some stickier rubber would do a lot to improve the Charger's at-the-limit handling characteristics.


Driving the car is actually pretty easy. The Charger is a very nice sedan to drive. As I'm a small car-guy, it took me a while to get used to parking the thing. Its very high hood and rear deck make it hard to see where the outside corners of the car are. Other than that, it's almost too easy to drive. It's a very comfortable car whether it's on a long road trip or stuck in traffic.

The cabin of the Charger is a nice place to be. The design is very clean and very modern, and of course, I like it a lot. That said, the plastic used feels kind of cheap -- especially on the doors. There is a bit of gap and a lot of flex to be found in the door plastics. Is it enough for me to think less of the car? Not really. It is worth mentioning, though.

The seats are also said to be "sporty". They look cool and they appear to have some aggressive side bolstering on them. However, they are kind of wide... but then, I'm kind of skinny. I wasn't sliding all over the place, but I'd still like to have a narrower seat. But that's just me.


One last thing about the interior: the Charger R/T test car came with a back seat DVD entertainment. Normally, I hate these things with a passion. They come off the roof -- right in the middle -- and block all rearward vision. Call me crazy, but I like to see what's around me when I drive... Anyway, the Charger's back seat entertainment system is done right. It's stowed in the center console, and when popped out for use, sits very low. This is a win-win setup for both the driver and rear seat passenger(s). Way to go, Dodge!

Overall, I think the Dodge Charger is a great sedan. Do I think it's the ultimate kick-ass modern day muscle car? No. I'm sure that description suits the Charger SRT-8, but I didn't drive that car, so I can't comment on it. The Charger R/T I did drive is a great sedan with a nice amount of power, and it still looks awesome enough to turn heads. Not a bad package from the company that used to be known for the K-car and minivan.