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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  Charger R/T - 2008 Dodge Charger
  By Willcomm - August 17 - 11:10 pm

  Great car..I am very happy with the performance and fuel mileage. I am getting 14-21 and I am using mid grade with NO ethanol. I do not use it and wont till I am forced to. The car performs very well under hard accel and handles like a dream. I am looking to trade it for the SRT8 as I want to go to 425 HP . I was going to go with Challenger but refuse to fork over 20K extra for availability markup. The R/T will quench most driver wanting high end performance as well as daily driving. I wasnt thrilled about 4 doors but I drive it, not sit in the back. GREAT car for 24K and I think most will be happy. I also purchased a Base SE model I traded it off with 758 miles on it.No guts!

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  RT with R/T Sports Package - 2007 Dodge Charger
  By CallMeTheBreeze - August 7 - 11:18 am

  I get roughly 19.5 City and 26 Highway with the MDS. The car is quiet, smooth riding and very comfortable ( 62 , 240 )while cruising and very agile, throaty when accelerating. Dependability has been excellent thus far with 30k. The steering, seating and pedal adjustments are great for the long haul road trips. I have a 1970 Charger R/T show car and I get many compliments on the 1970 when out and about yet I also get a lot of positive comments while driving the 07.

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  Just Purchased - 2007 Dodge Charger
  By Bruce - August 6 - 2:49 am

  I just purchased a 2007 Dodge Carger R/T. It rides and drives like a dream. I can set cruise at 75 mph and it feels like Im floating. The handling could be better Ive made the rear end dance around a sharp corner with esp on. I did a rolling start at 15 mph on an onramp by the end of the ramp I was at 105 mph. That 390 ft pound of torque pushes you back in the seat and shoots off the line like a slingshot. I love how quiet it is when you are driving normal, but when you nail it its like music to my ears with the exhaust note. All in All I am very impressed with the Charger R/T. I would suggest to anyone who love quick cars to buy one.

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  It handles extreme climates! - 2007 Dodge Charger
  By zman - August 5 - 3:04 am

  I bought my 3.5 SE brand new from the dealership after an amazing test drive! It has the basic package but that was my choice. Im 26 years old, 64" high and 300 lbs heavy, I reside in the UAE, where temps reach up to 122 (50 c) in the shade, and humidity up to 100% and my Charger has no trouble handling all that. Had it for a year now and no troubles what so ever... great value for money and the a/c unit is absolutely fantastic, it cools down the interior within minutes Very comfortable, visibility is great despite thick A and C pillars, cos the mirrors cover it all. Ive driven lots of cars (Saab, Honda, Mitsubishi, Toyota, BMW) and none of them matches the performance of my 3.6 V6 Charger

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  Can you say HEMI - 2006 Dodge Charger
  By Bob - August 4 - 10:16 pm

  I drive this car daily, and it is fun to drive. It is roomy, rides nice, and plenty of power. It is also functional with lots of room in the trunk and a backseat someone can sit in without there knees being in there mouth. One thing about this car it is not for new drivers, it can fool you because it rides so nice because of its size you can be doing 100 mph and it feels like 70 mph. The sterio with the big woofers in the door and amp are nice. The navigation computer works fairly well, and my son loves the DVD player he uses it as a CD player with the headphones so he can listen to his music and I can listen to mine. All in all it is a nice car that turns heads and is fun to drive.

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  "BAD" Dodge - 2006 Dodge Charger
  By Robert Benson - July 30 - 4:46 pm

  The V6 Charger is an excellent car to have. Performance is more than sufficient, gas mileage is terrific, and the comfort and looks just cant be beat. The SE baseline is no base car. Beautifully done cloths seat with trememdous comfort in seating, contrasting interior color combinations makes it very attractive - more so than the leather versions. The dash is uncomplicated and refreshing to see. Fun to drive, even spiritedly ! Definitely an eye catcher for sure. Go the next step with a performance chip (to use regular gas) and a free flowing intake and exhaust and youll unleash a muscle car proportion capability.. Great fun, with no lose in mileage. Just a great car, bar none. Thanks Dodge!

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  Awesome Car - 2008 Dodge Charger
  By PooJesse - July 27 - 7:47 pm

  So first off, this car is awesome. I got a lot of looks in it. Put some dual exhaust on it, made it sound way cooler! A little boost in power as well. I was at work after hours and was doing donuts with it. No lack of power in the V6. :-D

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  awsome car - 2008 Dodge Charger
  By snackers - July 25 - 2:10 pm

  This is a great car, smooth ride, roomy interior and looks sweet. Gas mileage is not the best but when It rides and looks like it does, who cares.

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  Nice Car - 2006 Dodge Charger
  By Dave - July 24 - 8:33 am

  Bought this car new in November 2005 and now have 4000 miles, mostly city and suburban driving. It has been everything I hoped it to be. Lots of power, comfort, and quality surrounding you. Wife loves driving it and some of the electronic features are added pleasures. No problems with it, other than a squeaking brake at times while backing out of the driveway. Fit and finish is excellent, would highly recommend this for a comfortable ride and aggressive modern styling.

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  Family Muscle Car - 2007 Dodge Charger
  By tabill - July 21 - 10:58 pm

  Ive read the other reviews and cant believe that no one has mentioned that its hard to see the traffic light because of the low window. Overhead lights hard to see, have to duck down. You have to look at the traffic light to the left, in Chicago. The R/T drives like it just wants to keep going and never stop. It really takes off on the highway. City driving in Chicago is about 16/17 mpg. Havent taken the care on a trip, but am sure the multiple displacement cylinders would do wonders for mileage.