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:
Showing 591 through 600 of 743.00-
First New Car - 2006 Dodge Charger
By RealoRc - August 16 - 7:50 pmThis car is just amazing. I still enjoy staring at the Charger in the driveway from my window. Depending on your options you can get a RT for less than $100 per horsepower! Room for five and 16.1 cubic feet of cargo capacity is perfect for road trips. Mopar even has a snowboard roof mount. Its really the perfect vehicle, power, looks, price, interior capacity. Fuel costs for 100k miles between 17mpg and 27mpg is really just a few grand.
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PERFECT - 2006 Dodge Charger
By ok - August 9 - 4:50 pmI bought this car thinking I was getting a above average sedan, not knowing i was getting a head turning, comfortable, horse power blessed machine. Truly a work of art in a sedan
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Great 2006 Charger SXT - 2006 Dodge Charger
By glenmrobinson - August 7 - 12:13 pmThis is my third Dodge, and by no means will it be my last. The people at Dodge hit a grand slam when they brought back the Charger. This car is awesome in every respect. Great design, inside and out. Everything is driver friendly, and most of the equipment is standard. They used to be options, and that is a big plus for Dodge. It is so quiet and smooth. The transmission shifts without any of the usual delay or jerking, and the auto stick is great when in the mountains or if youjust want to shift it manual. Great job Dodge!
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Daytona R/T Charger - 2006 Dodge Charger
By Ed Halko - July 2 - 6:23 amI waited many years for a Hemi in a pssenger car again. My car is a limited edition #1099 of 4000 in production. It is fun, fast and turns heads. Everywere I take this "Beast" people want to know if they can take it for a ride. My response, cut me a check for $40,000 and ride all you want.
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Dodge Got It Right - 2006 Dodge Charger
By Berks - June 27 - 10:26 amI bought my Road and Track Charger a couple of months ago and I just love it! The style in and out, the power of the Hemi, the Mercedes influence. It just all adds up to the best car Ive ever owned. So much fun to drive. You see and hear this car coming and you know its a beast. Yet someone actually thought it was a BMW, its so good looking (I got the Bright Silver). Interior seating and room is spacious and comfortable, which was a big deal for me with a family of four to tow somtimes. Stock 500W sound system is perfect. Theres so much good stuff. If youre thinking about this ride, do yourself a favor and just go test drive it. Youll be hooked.
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Go For It - 2006 Dodge Charger
By Thom - June 25 - 7:46 pmThe 3.5 liter is the best deal price- wise. It gets about 20 miles to the gallon, and is great on acceleration. Only uses 4 cylinders on interstate driving. Uses 6 when needed.
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Excellent! - 2006 Dodge Charger
By KCgene - June 19 - 4:30 pmThis car is a perfect 10. While it may not be exactly an economy car. For so much engine the fuel economy is actually pretty darned good. If I can keep her at 55mph, I can actually pull 30 miles to the gallon. And still have the Hemi horsepower in an instant. And it definitely stands out in a crowd. This car gets a lot of looks
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Great car - 2006 Dodge Charger
By Richard - June 15 - 7:36 amIm very impressed with my Charger SXT.The ride is unbelievable.The handling is great,wherever you want the car to go it goes there.The car solid built.Brakes are great,and steering as easy as anything Ive driven.The styling has nice features.I enjoy my ride every time.This car, I think will be a hit for Chrysler like the 300.
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As fun to drive as my 70 Roadrunner - 2006 Dodge Charger
By Virgil F. Bowers, Jr - June 5 - 1:13 pmIve never drove a car through the Smokies that I did not have to use the brakes coming down the mountain. It handled great. I could keep right with the a BMW driven by a young person. The Charger is a great car to just drive. Gas mileage on highway 24.9mpg city 17mpg. If you want a quick car and dont want to spend $50,000, buy one.
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Charger R/T - 2006 Dodge Charger
By TB - June 4 - 6:26 amThis is my daily driver, and I run between 1,000 to 2,000 miles a month. The car drive like a dream, plenty of power in all speeds and handles well. I love this beast!
