Overview & Reviews

Popularized by NASCAR dominance and later a hokey TV show, the Dodge Charger is one of America's most revered performance nameplates. Originally an icon of the muscle car era, the Charger was reborn as an affordable performance sedan -- and it's one of the better ones available in this market niche.

The current Dodge Charger may not be the two-door muscle car you remember from the '60s (to the chagrin of traditionalists, it's a four-door sedan), but it does a fine job of being a modern interpretation. As a bonus, the latest Charger has a usable interior and plenty of standard equipment. Think of it as a muscle car the whole family can enjoy.

Current Dodge Charger
The current Dodge Charger is based on the same platform used for the Chrysler 300. As such, the Charger has four doors and is a fairly large sedan. Its front-end styling is much more aggressive than the 300C's, and the rear roof line slopes downward in a coupelike fashion.

The current Charger is available in five trim levels: SE, SXT, R/T, SRT8 and SRT8 Superbee. The SE and SRT8 trims are only offered with rear-wheel drive, while the SXT and R/T can be rear-drive or all-wheel drive.

The SE and SXT come with a 3.5-liter 292-horsepower V6 engine that achieves good fuel economy given its output. Adding the Rallye Appearance Group or Blacktop package raises horsepower to 300. A five-speed automatic is standard on the SE; an eight-speed automatic is optional for the SE and standard for all SXTs.

Stepping up to the R/T gets you a 370-hp 5.7-liter V8 engine along with a sport-tuned suspension and a variety of luxury, convenience and technology items that are mostly available as options on the V6 trims. The R/T's Super Track Pak gets you additional handling and braking upgrades, including a three-mode adjustable stability control system.

The SRT8 ups the performance ante further by essentially pairing the Super Track Pak items with a 470-hp 6.4-liter V8. It gets an abundance of luxury features standard, but should you be OK with less stuff, the decontented SRT8 Superbee should do the trick. We hope you like yellow or black paint, though, as they are mandatory, along with some not-so-subtle Superbee graphics.

The current Charger scores points not only for the plentiful power output of its big V8 engines, but the ample grunt and decent fuel economy of the entry-level V6 as well. The spacious cabin, improvements in ride quality and interior design also contribute to the overall appeal. There are a couple downsides, notably a lack of rear headroom and lifeless steering, but overall the Dodge Charger is one of the most fun-to-drive large sedans on the market.

Used Dodge Charger Models
The current Dodge Charger was heavily overhauled for 2011. Although it maintained the platform of its predecessor, it is largely a redesigned model. Besides styling changes, interior quality, driving involvement and overall refinement were dramatically improved. Its new V6 engine was also a huge step up from the old six-cylinders. In the current Charger's first year, only the SE and R/T trim levels were available.

Although it's closely related to the current model, the Dodge Charger from 2006-'10 differed in many ways. At its debut, only SE, R/T and SRT8 trims were available. The SE had a 250-hp 3.5-liter V6, while the R/T had a 340-hp version of the current car's 5.7-liter V8. The SRT8 came with a 6.1-liter V8 good for 425 hp. All came with a five-speed automatic transmission. For 2007, a 190-hp 2.7-liter V6 engine became standard on the SE, while the 3.5 became optional.

From 2006-'10 Dodge offered a couple performance packages for the Challenger R/T -- the Daytona and Road/Track packages included sport-tuned suspension and steering. There was a SXT trim level from 2008-'10; it came standard with the 3.5-liter V6. Other notable changes for this period included an improved interior and new features in 2008 and an increase to 368 hp for the R/T for '09.

Overall, we were impressed by this revived Charger's spacious cabin, comfy ride, affordable price and available all-wheel drive. Of course, the big V8 was a nice bonus as well. However, the V6 engines were always disappointing, especially the 190-hp 2.7-liter, which was both underpowered and inefficient. As such, we would avoid it. The cabin also had a low-buck feel (even after the interior was improved for '08), with subpar materials and forgettable design. Rear seat entry was also hampered by the sloping roof line. But overall, this Charger will be a solid choice for a large sedan.

From a historical standpoint, the Dodge Charger originally debuted as a1966 model. This Coronet-based coupe had a unique look, with a sweeping fastback and concealed headlights. But it's the second generation of the Charger that was most popular. This was the one that served as the basis for the winged and race-wining Charger Daytona of 1969 and, later, the bright orange "General Lee" from the 1980s television show The Dukes of Hazzard.

Less popular were three successive generations of Chargers. Third- and fourth-generation models from the 1970s were emasculated by new emissions regulations. A fifth generation, made available from 1982-'87, was a variation of the front-drive Dodge Omni 024 economy hatchback. Near the end of its production, there were sporty, turbocharged versions modified by Carroll Shelby that culminated in the Shelby Charger GLH-S.

User Reviews:

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  X police charger - 2006 Dodge Charger
  By Bobby Murray - January 31 - 12:29 am

  Bought an 06 ex county Police charger with 120k on it from a dealer...besides oil changes and now one set of tires at 165 k I have done nothing but enjoy the handleing and performance of the car...the extras left on it like the push bar and cage and the two anyenas due help to cut through traffic as well....was a great purchas and has been a reliable car

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  2013 srt8 plum crazy purple - 2013 Dodge Charger
  By dmitri - December 7 - 9:33 am

  great car could be a little bit nicer shifter bezel and instrumentation, actually gets great mpg on Highway driving, great sound system Harmon Kardon, and definitely get some good all season tires if driving year round.

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  True Review on my 07 Charger - 2007 Dodge Charger
  By Micah Chambers - October 22 - 10:31 pm

  I have had this car since January of 2013. At that time, it had 89,700 miles and it currently sits on 140,000. I have only replaced one part in 50,000 miles. My main issue with the car is the lack of power. Obviously I bought the smallest engine but I used it for commuting for a while. I added a K&N cold air intake system to it and also an exhaust package to boost air flow, gas mileage, and sound.

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  Bold and Beauty Bravely - 2015 Dodge Charger
  By eddie - September 9 - 10:18 pm

  I have the rallye SXT model which comes with the beats. Its lighter on the road and moves with ease. DODGE is definitely winning the trust and market of car lovers. I will go in for the dodge charger any day any time. I was born DODGE.

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  Nice car - 2015 Dodge Charger
  By Jim - September 1 - 1:33 am

  I live in a rural area and a full size vehicle plays a vital role for a number of things, specifically safety. Wildlife tend to be suicidal. Winter tends to over stay its welcome and the number of big rigs on the road out number the little ones by a huge amount. I researched many of the full to mid-sized sedans. I wanted and need a few specific things, such as 4 doors, sporty feel, sporty look but didnt destroy my gas bill too bad. I looked at the Camaro, Mustang, Challenger, then the Accord, Toyota and BMWs. For the money, hands down the Charger took the cake. The Camaro and Mustang were hard to pass up but for the value, it just didnt do it for me plus I wanted 4 doors. The mid-size cars just didnt provide much more for a few miles to the gallon. They had a tinny feel and were too compact feeling. The Charger is a spunky, responsive and comfortable car that also turns heads all under 30K. Coupled with the warrantys, it was hard to beat.

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  more bang for the buck - 2015 Dodge Charger
  By DB - August 30 - 8:00 pm

  A fine vehicle

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  Driving My Dream - 2007 Dodge Charger
  By Ruler P - August 9 - 2:02 am

  I just bought a used 2007 Charger SRT-8 a little over a month ago and I absolutely love it! Its the car I always wanted and with all the options. Now, the car does have over 100K miles on it so Im expecting some minor mechanical issues to pop up soon but so far so good. The 6.1L engine is EXACTLY the size motor that should be in a car of its size. With that power, it handles like a dream. The sport suspension and 20" wheels do take some getting used to especially if you commonly drive in areas with uneven pavement. One thing to know if youre considering buying any charger from 2006 to 2008 is that the Nav radios have NO AUX INPUT (3.5mm jack or USB) for an ipod or MP3 player. Honestly, that sucked but I bought an adapter that plugs into the back of the stereo now Im good to go. I thought when I bought the car that I wouldnt get much attention seeing as how there are two newer generations out plus there are so many customized versions out on the road. However, theres still a fair amount of car enthusiasts out there that still appreciate the 1st generation Charger ESPECIALLY if you have a HEMI! Ill be keeping mine until it becomes a classic!

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  Hemi with AWD, whats not to love! - 2014 Dodge Charger
  By J. Demkovich - July 28 - 1:03 am

  My wife asked about getting a Charger, and I knew owners loved them but I was surprised to see that reliability complaints were few and far between. So I agreed to look at one and I am so glad that we did! After 18 months the car now has 18K trouble free miles with two repairs: 1) the sunroof lost its mind after about a year - it refused to work until it was reset and reprogrammed by a dealer and 2) it came with a cracked panel in the trunk that was replaced by the dealer. We purchased the AWD version because I personally would not consider a RWD car (which most Chargers are) in Chicago where we live. AWD works great in snow and we feel very secure driving it in the worst weather. It switches into AWD when the temp goes below the upper 30s and the mileage drops in the winter - we get 2-3 mpg less in the winter vs summer. I do wish it had a switch to disable AWD but it does not. The AWD R/T has a softer suspension and different tires than the standard R/T. We like it this way because it is a family car for us and everyone is comfortable in the car. AWD also makes "burnouts" pretty much impossible, but if you are looking for acceleration there is no substitute for four wheels putting Hemi power on the road! The car is really fun and comfortable to drive in any weather. Last comment: 2014 was the final year for the AWD Hemi R/T so 2014 is the year to get if you want this model.

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  New 2015 Charger SXT AWD...just bought - 2015 Dodge Charger
  By wsteph72 - July 1 - 2:47 pm

  Just bought my new 2015 Dodge Charger SXT AWD. Love all the "gadgets" and such, but in the end, it is the performance that really matters. This car is fun to drive and still has plenty of room. I think Im like most guys who would really prefer to have the ability to get a new Challenger Hellcat, but...alas...we have families and responsibilities and many many more important things to drop that much money on! That being the case, the Charger is a GREAT car for all those reasons. It will not only get you and the family from Point A to Point B....it will do it in style and youll have a blast getting there!

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  The 1st Review!! - 2015 Dodge Charger
  By joner800 - June 15 - 7:35 am

  i upgraded from a Chrysler 300 w/5.7 Hemi to the Scat Pack as i wanted more performance and couldnt afford the SRT price premium. i just rolled over 2600 miles and have not regretted my decision one bit. the power and performance bang-for-the-buck is unbeatable. the ride is firm but liveable and cabin materials quality is fantastic. if you think all Chargers look like rental cars, think again in Scat Pack/SRT trims, this is the meanest looking sedan out there. and i can have my son in his car seat in the back, my wife in the passenger side, and room in the trunk for plenty of beach or sports gear and be completely comfortable.