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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  X police charger - 2006 Dodge Charger
  By Bobby Murray - January 31 - 12:29 am

  Bought an 06 ex county Police charger with 120k on it from a dealer...besides oil changes and now one set of tires at 165 k I have done nothing but enjoy the handleing and performance of the car...the extras left on it like the push bar and cage and the two anyenas due help to cut through traffic as well....was a great purchas and has been a reliable car

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  think again - 2014 Dodge Charger
  By melvin - January 5 - 8:31 am

  I purchased 2014 sxt plus in January 2015 In just 1 year the car has left me stranded twice. First time the battery and the key battery had died and couldnt be recognized by vehicle had to get it towed to service. Second time January 2016 car just cut off completely engine light came on in the middle of the road early morning on my way home from work.

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  Absolute garbage. - 2006 Dodge Charger
  By James Smythe - December 29 - 2:43 pm

  I have had this vehicle for over two years now and drive it consistently. Be prepared to buy brakes and rotors on a constant basis. Look up this issue on the internet. Dodge put small, two piston calipers on a 4000 # car, causing it to warp rotors at a rapid rate. The lug nut design is set up in a way that you have to hammer a socket onto the caps to get them off, destroying them in the process. Once theyre all off, you can remove the lug nuts, then the tire. So good luck if you get a flat and have to change it. It is an extra $38 every time my tires come off because I have to replace the caps. The car could have a lot of power, but the computer takes over and effectively destroys any throttle response. When shifting into Drive, if you step on the gas the vehicle will literally sit and do nothing for two seconds, then all of a sudden decide to go somewhere. The blind spot visibility is low, so check a couple times before changing lanes. All in all, this is a poorly designed vehicle. Please save yourself the wasted money.

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  Highly Impressed - 2015 Dodge Charger
  By NOMJR - December 11 - 10:53 pm

  I didnt know what to expect, but my time and money was well spent. I highly recommend this vehicle for your next purchase.

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  2013 srt8 plum crazy purple - 2013 Dodge Charger
  By dmitri - December 7 - 9:33 am

  great car could be a little bit nicer shifter bezel and instrumentation, actually gets great mpg on Highway driving, great sound system Harmon Kardon, and definitely get some good all season tires if driving year round.

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  My Review would have been better 1 year ago! - 2006 Dodge Charger
  By Dor - November 19 - 2:24 pm

  One year ago I thought I really loved my Dodge Charger with the Hemi engine. The navigation system was cumbersome and outdated, but I loved it anyways. Then June of 2015 out of nowhere I am driving and I see smoke coming out from under the hood. I immediately pulled over and opened the hood, smoke bellowed out. I had the car towed to the dealer and I was told a piston ceased and I needed a new engine. I was quoted $7k for a rebuilt with warranty and $3200 for a used engine. That just makes me mad! I took care of my car, why did the engine fail. The mileage is 120,000, I was hoping to drive it a few more years. Researching online I found several owner complaints of the 2006 Dodge Charger engine failure, all with similar experiences. The forums are saying that the engine design has caused premature engine failures. Nice. So I contacted Chrysler directly as my extended warranty was through a year prior. I was told that there is nothing they can or will do for me, they said it is unfortunate that it happened, but oh well. Anyone who is looking to buy a Dodge Charger should check out the online reviews and never purchase one without an extended warranty and unless you are a car enthusiast or mechanic, sell the car before the warranty is up! And so much for customer appreciation.

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  Only had this vehicle a month but so far so good - 2015 Dodge Charger
  By Gary White - November 16 - 9:40 am

  The Rallye edition with the 8 speed trans with paddle shifters on the steering wheel makes it a fun drive. The premium wheels give it good curb apeal. More power and better transmission shifting than the 2010 edition I previously had that I sold with over 100K miles with no issues. Best looking sporty 4 door car.

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  feels like a 4 cylinder Honda accord - 2015 Dodge Charger
  By Otto Sanchez - November 10 - 1:20 pm

  I have purchased this car 3 months ago and I am so disappointed about it. This car runs worst than my girlfriends 2014 honda accord(I hate hondas BTW, my first car was a 2010 civic). Poor acceleration even though I have the Rallye version that is supposed to have 300 horse powers it feels like a 4 cylinder car with 150 HP. Suspension is the worst thing, honda is well known for his hard suspension, but this car is even worst than a honda. I like the interior and LOVE the speaker sound(Beats) and distribution. I wish I could have my challenger back, that was the best car I have ever owned. Had to change it because I had a baby so 2 doors car was a little uncomfortable, but after 3 month I prefer to live with that rather than this dodge accord, sorry charger.

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  performance meets practicality - 2015 Dodge Charger
  By Steve - October 26 - 10:32 am

  I went with the SXT AWD Rallye edition as this is my work commuter car and Maine winter roads can be treacherous and gas mileage was a factor. However, if the AWD was still available with the HEMI I probably would have gone with the V8, just because you know Im a man who doesnt want say "it has a Hemi". The Rallye editions comes standard with true factory duel exhaust and bumps the V6 up to a legitimate 300HP. Its no slouch and fun to drive. I love the active cruise on my daily interstate commute of 95 miles round trip. radio/navigation is easy to operate, much better than the one in my previous ford Taurus or the Rav 4 my wife had. Hands free is simple and intuitive. I have never averaged less than 25 mpg (heavy foot the first few weeks) in mixed driving and usually it hoovers around 27mpg, on one long 500+ mile road trip I averaged 29.5mpg, really great when you consider the cruise was set at 75 most of the time. the lane departure system works great on highway trips, but it can be disabled with a push button and on narrow roads that is relief as it can intrude on the driving experience. The breaks could be just a touch better if they went with 4-piston calipers, but they get the job with a bit of fade on the tail end of a hard stop. Build quality, material feel, ride comfort and ergonomics are outstanding, chrysler has come a long way from the cheap hard plastics of past vehicles. Overall no complaints and no buyers remorse after 5000 miles I still really enjoy this car.

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  True Review on my 07 Charger - 2007 Dodge Charger
  By Micah Chambers - October 22 - 10:31 pm

  I have had this car since January of 2013. At that time, it had 89,700 miles and it currently sits on 140,000. I have only replaced one part in 50,000 miles. My main issue with the car is the lack of power. Obviously I bought the smallest engine but I used it for commuting for a while. I added a K&N cold air intake system to it and also an exhaust package to boost air flow, gas mileage, and sound.