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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  Hemi Charger! - 2006 Dodge Charger
  By Randy - February 23 - 10:36 pm

  Hemi is great. Trip to Lake George, 2000 miles round trip averaged 24MPG not bad for this much power. Fun to drive. Easy to pass pretty much anything. Very comfortable. Pricy at $35,000 but worth it. My employee discount (Im an electrician at the brake factory) was $500 - for taking the DC loan.

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  GREAT VEHICLE/ GREAT DEALER - 2016 Dodge Charger
  By VOLNEY WILLIS - February 21 - 2:32 pm

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  Great Car - 2006 Dodge Charger
  By Wheelecw - February 4 - 1:50 am

  If youre getting the R/T go with the road and track package also. It is worth twice what it costs. The interior is amazing, tires give a much better look and the handling is absolutely amazing for a 4,000 lb car. The trunk is huge, the car is huge. It has more space than you could ever need. The power is great and the mileage is amazing for a 350 HP beast. Ill warn everyone right now. One test drive and you will buy one, no questions asked. It has more ride, performance, and comfort that anyone could ask for at its price. It has such a smooth ride that at 70 MPH it feels like your doing 20 MPH.

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  Satisfied Customer - 2006 Dodge Charger
  By Happy Hoosier - February 4 - 12:33 am

  Overall this car is great. Great looks, great power and great fun to drive. I have had numerous people approach me at the gas station to look at the car. While some purists may not like the fact that it is a 4-door sedan, I can say that without that feature I would not have been able to justify buying it. This configuration is much more practical and I think it does not detract from the muscle car image of the car. It is nice to have the good looks comfort, and power in a 4-door car.

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  AZ now you see me, now you dont - 2006 Dodge Charger
  By AZSlappy - January 26 - 8:23 pm

  I love this car !!!! It has enough room for me, I cant belive it .. I am a BIG guy 295lbs..I just traded in my F150 Lariot Supercrew ( which I loved ) for this amazing ride. I love everything about it..My only complaint is that it seems to shift hard from 2nd gear to 3rd...maybe its normal. I can ttell you. But by far the best for the money !!!!

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  Great Job Dodge - 2006 Dodge Charger
  By Quarter Midget Mom - January 2 - 12:23 pm

  I absolutley love my Charger. City wide my gas mileage is easily 22- 24mpg. My husband can only seem to get about 16mpg! After 11 months and 20,000 miles; people still stop me and ask how I like it, how it drives, and if Id buy another one. Yes I plan too! Ive not experienced any problems whatsoever. Great job Dodge!!

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  Love my Charger - 2006 Dodge Charger
  By J. Lorenzo - December 29 - 5:56 pm

  Was always a Chevy lover but as soon as I saw this new Charger, had to have it (Chevy and Pontiac missing the boat on styling). I drive 30 miles each way to work and it is a pleasure. Car gets plenty of attention and I get ask about it all the time. My wife was scared of the power at first but now wants to drive it all the time. I can say with truth that I have no regrets about buying this cool car. Great for family and greater for me who loves the power.

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  Dream Car - 2006 Dodge Charger
  By Brian Pahlm - December 14 - 12:13 pm

  Its not a 2 door so what? I ordered this car on June 28th and just got it on the 8th of Sept. The audio is great for stock, the sunroof is a great option, but for the money ($1600) the road and track option is the way to go. Up graded stearing, exhaust, suspension all for the right price. Its not orange or yellow so hopefully ill be able to avoid some tickets. With 350 horsepower for 33,175 msrp you cant go wrong. Light em up

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  The Bad Boy of All Cars - 2006 Dodge Charger
  By DA MILE - December 14 - 1:40 am

  This car is the bomb. I love the way it drives. Everybody looks at me as I drive this baby down the street. Even my co-workers like it. They just cant stop talking about my Charger. To be honest, this is the dream car that I wanted, and I’ve got it now.

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  My choice of Charger - 2006 Dodge Charger
  By Sheila Fudge - December 8 - 1:46 am

  I was wanting to change from driving an SUV to a car. I was looking for better fuel economy but still wanted safety and performance. My husband drives a Dodge Ram 4X4 with the Hemi motor and suggested I try the new Charger. I was suprised at the high mileage rating. After test driving it I knew I wanted it. I have been totally satisfied with my purchase.