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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  Love my Charger SRT-8 - 2007 Dodge Charger
  By 2007 Charger SRT8 - May 25 - 9:18 pm

  Just got my SRT-8, great muscle car that handles and rides so well. Great styling, the HEMI absolutely rocks. The distinctive rumble when you step on the gas, yet ride quality is not sacrificed. The best part is that you get a great muscle car that you can take the family in. My wife loves it as well. Nice features, UConnect, navigation and Sirius radio are wonderful options.

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  Fun car, if you dont mind the fuel - 2007 Dodge Charger
  By Chris - May 23 - 12:51 pm

  This is a really fun car to drive, the seats are ultra comfy, the gauges are neat looking at night, and the autostick is actually pretty quick shifting. Great car if you dont mind the awful fuel mileage. For the price, fully loaded, you cant get much better than this.

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  I had hoped wed stopped building boats - 2006 Dodge Charger
  By ebegbee - May 22 - 12:20 am

  Soft floating ride, hard seats, horrible blind spots, noisy engine, hard shifts. What else, horrendous ergonomics: cant adjust rear view mirror easily, it is too close to roof line. Waistline is too high, ergo cant rest elbow on door with window open. Cheap plastic interior, door mounted window switch bracket now broken. Awful cheap radio. Turn signal stalk too low on steering column, too easy to grab cruise control stalk by mistake. The most sensitive car to side winds I have ever driven, is it the steering geometry or just the aerodynamics of the bricklike shape? Need I go on, this is a sorry piece of automotive engineering rightly relegated to to rental fleets.

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  I love this car! - 2008 Dodge Charger
  By Felicia - May 21 - 2:14 pm

  This car is all I expected and more. Not only is it a good looking muscle car, we can fit the whole family plus groceries without feeling cramped. I love the look of the car and the Inferno Red (just like the picture) is such a nice color. It drives great, has good pick up and gets better than decent gas mileage. What more can you ask for!

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  Thanks MOPAR - 2007 Dodge Charger
  By Jim - May 21 - 2:05 pm

  Our r/t has the road and track option which is the Daytona without graphics, 350 hp, seats heated and same as Daytona with embosed r/t in seat back, very comfortable and secure, sunroof, 20" wheels and tires, front and rear spoilers, trip and info computer, adjustable peddles, Im 6,2" so this makes the car custom fit the wife 5,7" and me to a tee. Steering wheel moves up and down and in and out as well. Controls well placed. The wife is getting 20 mpg to and from work, at 70 on highway on Cruise about 24 mpg. Not bad for a bullet when wanted. It will tease a heavy foot. Mds is seamless. Low tire warning. Auto stick shift when wanted. All with life time warranty drive train. A+ mopar

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  Very well balanced - 2008 Dodge Charger
  By nick - May 19 - 8:47 pm

  Looked at the base models in the paper and the se plus with the new day pkg was only 19,175. The 3.5 HO V6 is very responsive and fast. No hemi with 4$ gas. The Sirius is cool but cuts out in parking garages. The appearance is outstanding, I like it more and more everyday. Very, very roomy the interior is laid out nicely easy to use buttons and HVAC controls. Good gas mileage, handling and control. Always a ford man, this is my first dodge, and I am very happy.

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  Proves American Cars are Trash - 2008 Dodge Charger
  By Merc - May 19 - 1:36 am

  So I had a 2008 Charger as a rental from Enterprise (for a month while my 2006 VW Jetta TDI was being repaired). Other than the fact the car is comfortable and rear wheel drive, this car makes me realize that American car makers need to revamp their designs. Pros: -Stock Stereo is pretty darn good -Very comfortable and Roomy -Rear wheel drive can be entertaining Cons: -No power at all. Acceleration is weak -TERRIBLE gas mileage. I spent 250 in a single month with minimal driving I know this is short, but to me, a lack of power and poor MPG is a deal breaker. I would never own this car at current.

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  Playin Hookey - 2008 Dodge Charger
  By usmcpride - May 18 - 5:16 pm

  Ah, my very own Charger, Pearl Black, and making the stang gang turn their heads. I had a 66 Charger in high school, 383, 4 speed, California rake, and a lotta looks. This 2008 , well, just about the same. Its fun to drive, and it has enough power for what I need to do. The gas mileage was good, went from West Texas to Vegas, and we got 31mpg, (was cool enough no a/c). Would I buy again, well duh, yea!!!. And I love washing and detailing, the lines just seem to caress my washing glove.

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  I luv this Charger - 2008 Dodge Charger
  By Cherie - May 18 - 11:11 am

  We have had different car models, I traded my Maxima in for the Charger. And glad i did. It is an amazing comfortable car, cabin quiet, and love my Sirius (free for a year by the way). And the Navigational system is wonderful. She, (yeah its a she.) Hugs the road, and the Hemi, wow! Gotta watch the speedometer. The inside is very comfortable for all. and Really love the heated seats during the winter..and the Sunroof during warmer months. Who says muscle cars are just for men?

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  charger srt-8 - 2008 Dodge Charger
  By junior_racer - May 17 - 11:15 am

  A friends father of mine purchased a 08 srt-8 charger and this friend drove it for a while. Finally, I had got the chance to ride in the car. I was so excited. I knew it had loads of power and torque. This car is amazing. Dodge, great job on this vehicle. The power and torque are a perfect match for this car and when the pedal is put to the metal, your back is glued to the seat with a twist, leaving a pleasant smile on your face when your thrill is finally over. Dodge, great job. Two thumbs up!