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:

• 

  2011 Dodge charger Rallye - 2011 Dodge Charger
  By davidnc - September 5 - 7:10 am

  I purchased the charger on aug 12,2011.First reaction was seemed a nice reliable car,the v6 offered enough hp(almost 300hp) for my needs .For my real muscle car I have a 95 stang with 460 in it . Had car 3 weeks I put 600 miles total, first week had to replace drivers door handle keyless entry issue Lador day weekend gages flashing offf and on couldnt start car nothing worked except for strobbing gages on an off which stopped after 10 minutes . My confidence in this car is now zero.Its at dealership.I havent even made my first payment Im glad I wasnt on road trip.Previous car wae 1995 jeep wrangler with 335,000 miles with no major issues too bad this car is already having them.

• 

  Went back to Dodge - 2008 Dodge Charger
  By jp384 - August 24 - 1:31 am

  After sinking large amounts of money into a Pacifica we traded it for the charger. Its everything I hoped it would be. Got it used so it needs the 60k service soon (at 58k now) but checked out on Carfaxs and we got the go ahead from our mechanic, along with an extend warranty. Handles better then my old Intrepid and much better then the v6 3 ton Pacifica. Best drive on highway 101 Ive ever had, and I know I have the power to pass if needed, along with fantastic brakes to stop. No knocks, trany problems or electrical problems but I dont hot rod it or floor it all the time. Very responsive and forgiving at the same time. If you buy used, take it to the mechanic first.

• 

  Update to my review from 8/6/10 - 2008 Dodge Charger
  By jagon91 - August 13 - 6:20 pm

  Fell in love with the car and my only problem then was the hard shift in the transmission. Now not only does it do that all the time but my mpgs have gotten worse. My steering column has gotten stuck while driving around a corner under a bridge which in turn messed up my turn signal lever. Also the sentry key is a joke. New battery every 2 weeks for that thing. not cheap at $8 a piece. The key died and I got stranded over an hour away from home in a small town that had only had a gas station. Talked to dodge about my problems but they wouldnt do anything to help at all. They wanted me to replace my key for $245! Never will I buy from dodge again.

• 

  2011 Charger W/Rallye Apperance Group - 2011 Dodge Charger
  By joshhumphrey - July 24 - 3:22 pm

  This car is awesome. I fell in love immediately it has everything you could want. The 20 wheels in the Rallye package will get you car noticed. Has a powerful v6 3.6 engine thats more than satisfying. Handling is great along with little road noise. The inside is very comfortable, but the back seats seem to have a little less space than previous years. The touch Screen is great along with the audio. A nice 4 door with style!

• 

  Very Impressed with Dodge - 2011 Dodge Charger
  By mwhitworth - June 30 - 12:45 pm

  Bought a white SE. Have the base model but still a very nice car. I have never owned a Dodge before until now. Can’t believe how nice the inside is. The cloth seats are nice but a little firm. Might need to break them in a little. Powerful V6 and quiet when cruising in ecco mode. The car is Lexus quiet at 70 mph. Very solid car too over bumps. No cheap plastics inside like the previous models and has a nice solid feel inside with soft material throughout.

• 

  I would highly recommend this car - 2011 Dodge Charger
  By mattman6 - June 24 - 2:10 pm

  We have had this car since April (put on about 3,000 miles) and have taken several trips with it. The seats provide excellent support for extended trips, the ride is feels solid with out being overly soft or to harsh. The car is extremely quiet, and the biggest surprise is the fuel economy. Daily driving is short trips around town we average between 20-21, on the highway we have averaged 28-30 at highway speeds of 70-75 with 5 people, gear through the hills of PA. We havent had any issue with it. The transmission is a little sluggish at times shifting but overall its a solid car. Fit and finish are excellent.

• 

  Amazing! - 2011 Dodge Charger
  By 1atomic - June 5 - 1:01 pm

  We are very impressed with our new 2011 Dodge Charger R/T and delighted we opted for AWD, a "must have" in the Northeast. Our new Charger was ordered all "optioned out" and the price was still below that of its rivals.

• 

  Dodge Charger RT Girl - 2006 Dodge Charger
  By chargerrtgirl - June 3 - 3:53 pm

  I LOVE this car!! I wanted to get something with plenty of room but still sporty, my husband and I went shopping and we saw this red Charger RT and I automatically wanted to drive it! I pressed the gas and I had that feeling, The feeling of LOVE!!! I have had it for a year and I love it now as much as I did the day I drove it home.

• 

  Read This IF YOU WANT A CHARGER - 2007 Dodge Charger
  By james1969 - May 18 - 5:58 pm

  The Charger is an absolutely fantastic car but it not worth getting if its not the R/T. People who say the charger is an unreliable car all purchased the models below the R/T which are absolute crap. The 5.6 v8 HEMI is a beast of an engine and it gets my car beast of a car moving faster then anyone can image. The exhaust doesnt make the sound you would want a charger to make when the car isnt movie but one you push on the gas it truly sounds like a muscle car. The Charger R/T has amazing room for taller folks in the front and bad even with the seats moved back all the way, a superb audio system, and a wonderfully designed interior, and it handles just like an E class mercedes.

• 

  Love my new R/T - 2011 Dodge Charger
  By rangedev - May 16 - 5:57 pm

  Love this car to the point I had to write about. I am a tall and wide guy (63 250) so I need some head and shoulder room. Car shopping left me sick of small "economical" cars with road noise problems or big plush SUVs with wimpy engines. After that I had been eyeballing the Challengers with the 2011 Charger as a close second. Side by side with the new Charger: its killer new interior, the updated scooped doors, and tail lights put me over the edge. The R/T plus RWD fulfilled all gadget-lust needs (heated/cooled cup warmers, etc...) plus thick leather, killer dash... purchased. So far commuting 280 with cc on at 77mph, and mashing pedals all around town I am holding at 18mpg combined.