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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charge it back... - 2008 Dodge Charger
By charge it back - July 19 - 8:10 pmThis car looks as if its going to float with ease, and it is very deceiving! Very nice to look at then you get in it and Wonder "what have I gotten myself into". My 3 yr old pacts more Punch then this car. Maybe they should put the battery back under the hood (LOL) the gas leaves faster than the car actually goes! I wouldnt recommend this vehicle to my enemy! For what you pay its not worth it! Im sorry it is such a let down in performance but the compliments are great. Only if they knew. So to sum it all up the gas miles suck, performance is weak but hey I look good driving it. Guess thats worth it. Not! Let me even out the compliments it has great trunk space. So know its worth it. Not!
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Blinded by design - 2008 Dodge Charger
By Tamdive - July 18 - 12:00 pmThis car is as beautiful on the inside as it is on the outside. Driving is smooth, but reminds me of driving a pickup truck. On the drivers side, there is a terrible blind spot. This one "flaw" has convinced me never to own one. Also, the high rear combined with a small rear window-makes it difficult to see out the rear window.
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Watch Out! for this car! - 2007 Dodge Charger
By SXT Driver - July 15 - 7:53 pmI bought a used (rental) SXT 3.5 and It is trouble. I find myself doing 80 mph in 65 mph zones. If complete attention is not paid to the car who knows how fast itll go. Looking forward to the day I accidentally go over a 100. Steering is very sensitive, needs some getting used to. This is America! we need bigger cup holders
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Nice Car - 2008 Dodge Charger
By Nice Car - July 15 - 7:32 amThis is an awesome car, its got more than enough room inside and looks fantastic outside too. This car has one amazing stereo the bass is unreal for a base factory system. Comfort and smoothness of the ride is amazing. Gas mileage on the highway is fantastic but around the city is very disappointing I can actually watch the gas gauge dropping as I drive. Chryslers hidden secrets in their warranty details are a little sneaky. If you have a problem with the car and you take it in to have it looked at if theres nothing found wrong you will be charged labor as they will not cover that under warranty, not a prob with makers like Hyundai. Overall nice car though.
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Pleased customer - 2006 Dodge Charger
By DavesRT - July 15 - 4:06 amI sold my 96 Impala SS to purchase this new Charger R/T so far I am very pleased fast, smooth, So far only draw back is handling my SS had 110K miles on it but still handled like a sports car. The Charger is very fast and I perfer to leave the stop light first. No problem so far.
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happy with the car - 2007 Dodge Charger
By las vegas - July 5 - 7:20 pmBought the car 2 days ago from a used car lot with 12k miles. The 3.5 has lots of power and impressed co-workers. Only problem is that door swings back to closing position when opened. Otherwise, one of the best cars ive ever bought
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MOPAR Performance is back! - 2007 Dodge Charger
By HemiVic - June 28 - 10:33 pmI purchased my 2007 Silver Charger RT 5.7 Hemi in October 2007. It was a Dealer Demo with 5200 miles that already had some very nice modifications that included stainless steel dual exhaust, 20 inch wheels, and tinted windows! My personal modifications included a K&N Cold Air Intake and and an Amsoil synthetic oil system. This is the nicest car that I have ever owned. The handling, comfort, and acceleration are excellent! The leather heated seats are fantastic! I love the MDS system when cruising the interstate which is suppose to save fuel! My mileage is 18.5 city and about 25 on the interstate. Not bad for a 5.7 HEMI! My only recommendation for improvement would be for the blind spots.
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Thank God for the 30 day guarantee - 2006 Dodge Charger
By Jules - June 28 - 1:46 pmThis car was horrible. I had to look over the scooped hood just to see the hood. Very uncomfortable even with leather. Awfully cheap feeling and looking interior. Sorry for ever buying it, but thank God for the guarantee. The only thing good was the power. For riding on a Mercedes platform, it was horrible.
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Daytona Rocks - 2006 Dodge Charger
By Justin - June 25 - 9:40 amI purchased one of the 2000 available TorRed Daytona Chargers. I have to say that I set the bar way too high now for future vehicles. It is fast, fun, and handles better than I ever thought a car could.
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2006 Charger RT Great Ride - 2006 Dodge Charger
By Peter - June 21 - 4:16 pmThe new Charger really delivers the performance and comfort. All my friends happily jump in all 4 doors when we go for a ride. The car looks very serious from the outside and inviting on the inside.
