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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  06 Charger R/T - 2006 Dodge Charger
  By J Lewis - October 11 - 4:16 am

  I waited 20 years for Dodge to build a car like the new Charger. I have an early production Charger R/T with no options. I love the beast! Lots of power, especially at low RPM, big brakes, and decent handling without killing the ride. And the styling is just great! Excellent fuel economy for a full size car if you keep your foot off the gas (good luck at that). The power steering is typical Mopar - lots of feel, but also lots of boost and no centering power, so you have to keep an eye on the car. She will wander off if you arent careful. It helps to drive with both hands, which also makes the turn signal and cruise control placement make sense.

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  Infuriating Garbage - 2016 Dodge Charger
  By DANIEL DALY - October 9 - 12:44 pm

  Where to start? So I bought this car (2016 Charger SXT 3.6 V6 Rallye fully loaded) based on expert reviews. Do not trust them. This car is the prime example of what is wrong with the American auto industry. Great ideas that are poorly executed. The styling is kinda boring. The interior is a plastic sea of bland styling and afterthought peices. Poor quality plastic at that. Its as if they couldnt think of anything to fill in the blandness so they just tried to rely on the gizmos to impress you. Speaking of gizmos, lets start with the instrument cluster. It is a great looking instrument cluster. Very impressive actually. Reminds me of offerings from the German brands. It is also easy to navigate. There is hardly any reason for your hands to leave the steering wheel. It is clear they want your attention on driving. It probably also helps to keep your eyes out of the cockpit so you dont notice how bad the interior really is. The seats are very comfortable and have many adjustments. You cannot change the color of the interior lighting like you can on the Ford system. The infotainment system is okay. Much better than the Ford Sync system. It is responsive and easy to navigate. I have also had to reset it nearly every time I drive it. The Uconnect system is honestly not worth the hassle. Trying to get my Samsung S5 and this system to cooperate is a pain. The app is straight up garbage. Wifi in the car is a joke. They also charge $40 per month for this "feature". It just stops working after using it for any amount of time. The voice commands especially for the navigation is abysmal. It was bad in the Ford but so much worse in the Dodge. Dont even bother to use the voice feature with the navigation. The navigation itself is okay. Seems to work as advertised. It is a superior system to Fords in this regard. The voice system is half baked at best. Seriously the worst system in the cars I have owned. Even Hyundai has a better system. Its a complete waste. Now, lets chat about the nuts and bolts. Power is supremely lacking for a supposed 300 hp V6. I live in Colorado and have 650 miles on the car and can tell you it is absolutely terrible on the power. My buddies 2008 Toyota Camery has better power. As a matter of fact the Audi A4 has a better feel to the power with an 80 hp deficit. I should have bought the Audi. Lessons learned. The AWD is infuriating. You wouldnt think it would be as most cars with AWD just kinda leave it on. This car is rediculous. The AWD stays off and leaves the car in RWD normally. If the temperature is 40° or lower the AWD comes on. If you run the wipers for an amount of time the AWD activates (thats true). If you activate sports mode the AWD activates so now you can burn more gas with no real benefits at all. You dont get more power. You dont get better handling it just revs longer before shifting. Seriously, thats it. If you turn off the traction control the AWD activates. If you use the paddle shifters the AWD activates. In manual mode the AWD activates. It is so stupid to leave the driver no control over the system. For instance, if I want to downshift going down a hill the car will throw on the AWD and then I can burn more gas for no reason. Or if its cold and dry out I am killing my MPG with the AWD for literally no reason at all because it is 39° outside. This car allows no fun at all because of the half baked idea with the traction control and "sport" mode. What is wrong with the ding dongs at Dodge? This system makes no sense. Dont even try to drive it agressively, it will kill your fun quick. It handles like a grandpa boat. Thats all I can say about that. Oh and when I tried to take this terrible car back I had discovered it depriciated $10,000.00!!!! All within 250 miles of driving it. I expected $5000 or even $8000 and frankly would have paid it just to be rid of this awful car. But $10,000? Seriously!?! Best I can do is warn others to stay away. Please learn from my stupidity. Do not even consider this car. It is the worst possible decision to purchase this car and I regret it immensely. For this much money you can do way better.

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  Baby Boomer reclaims Muscle Car Memories - 2006 Dodge Charger
  By ART - October 4 - 2:23 pm

  The Charger SRT is more than I expected, especially since I never bought a Chrysler product for myself, ever! Have enjoyed Mustangs (302,Cobra Jet), Corvettes (ZR1) over the years, but this car has just about everything. Performance, looks, conveniences and amenities are excellent. Seems to turn heads at will. This one is black and beautiful. Also my wifes favorite color combinations. This is a keeper!

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  Lovin my muscle car - 2006 Dodge Charger
  By Gina - September 15 - 10:40 am

  The Dodge Daytona RT Top Banana, in color is so awesome! I am lovin the way it handles, the ride is great too. The front seats are so comfy, the way they comform to your body makes for a comfortable ride. I am lovin the stereo system, I love the way I can control the sound system from the steering wheel with the slight touch of a button.

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  Jesss Charger - 2006 Dodge Charger
  By jessica - September 15 - 10:06 am

  I love the power of my car. I love the design. Everyone thinks I am driving a luxury car, but I wished that I would have waited and got the SRT8

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  My Brand New Dodge Charge went up in flames - 2015 Dodge Charger
  By Margarita Amini - September 11 - 10:00 pm

  Park my car, went to have lunch, when I heard a customer say: Theres a car on fire. Turns out It was mine. I can see through the window of the restaurant white smoke, then flames. I ran to try to salvage my belongings but it was to late. When the fire was turned off my fire department there was nothing left of my brand new Dodge Charger. This car was my second Charger Ive purchased. Its an amazing car. I took care of it like it was my baby. Having it details monthly and serviced accordingly with the dealer. What happened, we still dont know. Why? Im just grateful that I, or my children where not in the car when this happened. Not to mentioned that I parked it in my garage all the time with just a few feet away from my living room. It could have been worst. What happens next? Will this be covered under warranty? Not even a year old.

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  Yes, it has a Hemi! - 2006 Dodge Charger
  By Jodie - September 3 - 1:46 am

  This is the best car on earth! I love my Charger RT, with the sun roof open the sattelite radio blaring on the radio, cruisin down the road it doesnt get any better. EVERYONE looks at it!My friend says it looks like the Batmobile. The back seat and trunk are huge! Its great for a family. I got out of the mini van an into a dream car! The power is so great. It handles so easy. I make excuses just to go drive it! Thanks Dodge!!!

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  My RT - 2006 Dodge Charger
  By Ruben Garza - August 23 - 7:43 pm

  This car has a lot to give a person who likes the feel of four doors but has the power to be, more than just a four door sedan. The gas mileage is good could be better, but over all it performs, like a sports car. I get lots of looks when I first bought this vehicle, people just did not know of it, that what so nice about this vehicle people are just starting to catch on.

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  Fun 2 Drive. Eye candy! - 2006 Dodge Charger
  By cedric - August 11 - 12:20 pm

  I must say that I was not in the market for this car but when I went to the dealership boy I was surprised! I encountered more stares when I first had my baby for a week. Now it likes the whole world wants one.

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  I love this car. - 2006 Dodge Charger
  By 06 RT - August 3 - 10:20 am

  This car makes owning a four door fun. It is comfortable and roomy, but fast and is a blast to drive. Its a real head turner. I have received nothing but compliments from people about it. I have always loved the classic Chargers and when Dodge brought out the new one with four doors I was honestly a bit disapointed. After driving one my disapointment turned into anticipation to pick one up... I bought it that day.