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 it - 2008 Dodge Charger
  By John Wargo - February 11 - 5:08 pm

  Traded in a 2001 BMW 740iL that had 80K. I got fed up with the Bimmers cheap plastic parts and frequent broken parts. I wanted to buy an American car to replace it. I drove a Mercury Sable (wife felt the seats were too short and steering wheel was too close to dash. The Impala didnt have much rear leg room so we test drove a charger. It had decient rear leg room and looked like a younger persons car(Im 42 and not ready for a crown vic) I got the 5.7 Hemi with the 29R performance package. I really like this car. We got the My Gig with NAV and bluetooth, Sirius TV and Radio and the rear seat TV. This car has more features than the BMW and guess what, they all work, The sport seats look great

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  Great Car!!! - 2006 Dodge Charger
  By deedo27 - January 28 - 8:23 pm

  Bought this car when Mustang wanted couldnt be found. Wanted hemi, but settled for V-6, more affordable. Love the styling, reminds me of old Chargers...ride is smooth, and handles great, 50/50 weight distribution makes this car a real agile machine.

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  Awesome car and Super Dealer - 2016 Dodge Charger
  By Craig Anderson - January 26 - 1:56 pm

  Looking for a new car that has it all, then look no farther than a Dodge Charger. My SXT Rallye AWD is amazing. The 300HP "Pentastar" V6 does everything I had expected it would. Even with AWD, the car accelerates very well, runs smoothly and quietly, and delivers great economy. It easily gets 27mpg on the highway, and handles extremely well. The seats are firm yet comfortable, and the car heats up quickly in our cold Minnesota weather. In terms of road-holding ability, the car gets an A plus. It goes through the snow like a champ, and feels very secure all the time. I have had many compliments on the appearance of the car, and I particularly like the RT touches that comes with the Rallye package. I also own a Dodge Challenger Scat Pack Shaker, so Im fully aware of what a muscle car feels like. The Charger is not really a muscle car, but if you think about it, 300HP not too long ago was considered a real hot rod. So I recommend the Charger SXT Rallye, as a great all around family sedan that also provides the look and the fun of Muscle car.

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  Foxfire! - 2008 Dodge Charger
  By hombre - January 25 - 10:30 pm

  I have always wanted to kick myself for selling my 1969 Charger (a 383 with a 4-barrel carb.) but now Im over that. Ive finally found a car that is more fun to drive than the 69. The 2008 RT has better performance and handling and all of the luxuries provided by 21st century technology. Way to go Dodge!

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  I Love It - SRT8 - 2008 Dodge Charger
  By Neferet01 - January 24 - 11:15 am

  Dodge lady forever! I have the "SRT8". When you step on the petal, it doesnt ask any questions, it just goes. I love it. I also like the "option" of choosing auto and/or manual. I dont care to much for stick shifting and it kinda helps me. Super easy to change shifts only should you choose to. I just love the speed on this monster. Its the best car Ive ever had. I would recommend it to anyone. Again, be aware...it takes off like an airplane, for real - no kidding. My husband almost missed this flight. Turns out he wants one too...

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  Very Nice Sedan - 2007 Dodge Charger
  By Theron - January 22 - 7:46 pm

  This is the largest and most comfortable car Ive ever had. Its the basic SE version but with the 3.5L engine/5AT upgrade. This is a really roomy car! Despite the chopped off styling its not at all cramped inside. The interior is pretty simple and plain looking but I like it a lot, especially the old school straight across dashboard. I chose this car over a similarly priced midsize sedan because I really enjoy the heavy and solid ride. You can also feel that it is well balanced and turns very easily. Im getting 17mpg per tank in heavy city traffic commuting and 27 on highway trips at 70-80.

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  New 2008 Super Bee owner - 2008 Dodge Charger
  By Girl Super Bee owner - January 20 - 1:43 pm

  I just bought the new 08 Super Bee, after owning an 07 Purple Daytona RT. Love this car. I thought the Daytona was fun. The new My Gig is awesome, and love the Blue pearl. Ride and steering feel tighter than the Daytona. I got number 046 out of 1000.

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  Awesome Vehicle - 2006 Dodge Charger
  By Carl Tripodi - January 14 - 1:53 pm

  I just plain love my new 2006 Dodge Charger. I am finding any excuse to drive my Charger, and my kids love riding in it. The Charger is an awesome sight to behold, it looks and performs like a true muscle car. I have gotten nothing but compliments about my Charger. Everything rocks with the Charger, even the stereo. I hope Chrysler keeps it up, they seem to know what American cars are suppost to look like and perform.

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  Alot of bang for your buck! - 2006 Dodge Charger
  By Mike - January 1 - 9:13 pm

  I love my 2006 Charger. For the money- (I paid $29,995)-I got a black RT that is an absolute head turner. The only gripes I have are the placement of the cruise control lever(GOOFY), and the rear spoiler should have been standard- I had to buy mine off of EBAY. The review in Car & Driver does not do this car justice. There is no car out there that can give you Hemi power and "4" doors besides the 300C. I own a 2003 Ram 2500 with this same engine. I knew it could move my pickup in a hurry. I just had to see what it could do in the Charger. Wow!

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  Wow What a car! - 2007 Dodge Charger
  By Andy - December 31 - 1:36 pm

  This is the most fun I have had driving a car since my very first car! The ride, handling and performance is top notch and I still have room for my family of three teenage kids! The ultimate muscle car performance with room for everything. I love the 60 - 90+ in a matter of seconds for passing! I have the RT with the Performace package which I highly recommend. Thank you Dodge for finally making a sedan with performance and styling!