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2010 Dodge Charger (By Ian D. Merritt/Cars.com) |
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The Dodge Charger is proof that Chrysler once made damn good cars and has the potential to do so again.
Back in the automaker's mid-decade glory days, the Mercedes-engineered Charger and its Chrysler 300 sibling stole the show. Largely unchanged, today's Charger has aged noticeably. But the car still has its draw. With the Pontiac G8 gone -- and the Ford Crown Victoria's headstone nearly in the ground -- the pickings for big, affordable rear-wheel-drive sedans are slim.
The lineup
From the base Charger SE to the high-performance SRT8, Dodge offers four engines across six trim levels. All-wheel drive is optional. For 2010, the previously optional side curtain airbags are now standard.
I tested an all-wheel-drive Charger R/T this time around, but we've logged plenty of miles in other drivetrains over the years.
Confident moves
Endowed a year ago with variable-valve timing, Chrysler's 5.7-liter Hemi V-8 packs heat. All-wheel drive saddles the Charger R/T with another 183 pounds, but even with four occupants I was able to scoot up to highway speeds with power to spare. With 395 pounds-feet of torque at an accessible 4,350 rpm (or 400 pounds-feet with the R/T's optional, and confusingly named, Road/Track package), there's no waiting to unlock extra oomph as the tachometer needle climbs; the Charger R/T moves vigorously from the get-go. Displacement matters, and the era of big V-8s is fading fast. Enjoy the Charger's while you can.
All-wheel-drive V-6 Chargers and all V-8 Chargers get a five-speed automatic. It's a good transmission, though the gated shifter can be a bit reluctant to move into Drive. Upshifts are smooth and rarely happen too early, and highway kickdown comes without undue lag.
Less responsive is the Charger's all-wheel-drive system, which features an active transfer case that can automatically disconnect the front axle and route all power to the rear wheels. The benefits are tangible -- preservation of rear-wheel-drive handling and better fuel efficiency -- but somewhere along the way Chrysler forgot the whole point of all-wheel drive: traction. The system kicks power to the front wheels only after the rears have spent precious seconds spinning over slippery surfaces. It's hardly a seamless transition, and when you need to move out on a rainy day, the Charger's all-wheel-drive system doesn't live up to its calling.
On the open road, the Charger's suspension rides softly. But overall ride comfort is good, and the cabin remains well-isolated on rough pavement -- something that complements its general quietness at highway speeds. Bear in mind our test car had 18-inch wheels (17s are standard) and standard suspension tuning. The Road/Track option adds a performance suspension and 20-inch wheels to the R/T, while the SRT8 has its own setup, also with 20s. The latter rides quite firmly; some may find it too punishing.
The steering wheel turns with light effort, but at parking-lot speeds I encountered pockets of less power assist, creating a sort of nonlinear, lumpy resistance buildup. At higher speeds, the steering feels too light; its skittish nature requires more corrections to stay on course than a full-size car should. Note that the Road/Track setup's performance steering and wider tires -- P245/45R20s, versus the P225/60R18s on our test car -- will likely affect steering feel, as will the SRT8's hunkered-down setup and high-performance summer tires.
Find some back roads, and it's not difficult to drift the Charger's tail out. Our all-wheel-drive tester was easy enough to reel back in, but performance enthusiasts will want to upgrade to the SRT8, or at least opt for the Road/Track package. Without it, the R/T's noticeable body roll and sloppy steering turn-in work against any corner-carving.
Four-wheel-disc brakes are standard. Antilock brakes are included on all but the Charger SE, where they're optional; all-wheel-drive V-6 and all V-8 models have larger front discs. Our test car's pedal delivered firm, linear stopping power. Easing off the brakes left something to be desired -- the pedal felt too on-then-off to get going again smoothly.
In terms of power, other Chargers run the gamut. I haven't driven the 2.7-liter V-6, but given its modest horsepower, the midgrade fuel requirement seems peculiar. The 3.5-liter delivers adequate, though never enthralling, acceleration. Its 250 horsepower rating could be inflated, given the engine hasn't been certified according to the industry's latest SAE ratings, which typically dock a few horses. (Both Hemi V-8s have been certified.)
On the other end of things, the SRT8 delivers strong thrust, a satisfying exhaust note and precise handling. Back in 2006, our friends at "MotorWeek" clocked a Charger SRT8 hitting 60 mph in 5 seconds flat. That's not bad for a 4,160-pound car. With massive 14.2-inch front discs and four-piston Brembo calipers front and rear, the SRT8 stopped from 60 mph in 128 feet. The SRT8's performance returns poor enough gas mileage to strap it with a $1,700 gas-guzzler tax.
Aging fast
Our tester's leather seats felt cheaply upholstered and short on lateral support; the bolstered seats in the Road/Track group and SRT8 address both those issues. The materials used below elbow level in the Charger have a crude, unfinished look, and where competitors upholster their A- and B-pillars, Chrysler's are plastic. Certain controls, from the hazard lights button to the trunk release, lack design cohesion with the rest of the cabin, and while other Chryslers have adopted Mercedes-like window switches, the Charger's are cruder. The navigation system has decent graphics but a small map view that's squeezed between a litany of on-screen shortcut buttons.
Both rows of seats provide ample legroom and headroom, but the low roofline and squat windows limit visibility in all directions. Pull up to a stoplight, and you may have to crane your neck forward to see when the signal changes.
Nuts and bolts
Back in the automaker's mid-decade glory days, the Mercedes-engineered Charger and its Chrysler 300 sibling stole the show. Largely unchanged, today's Charger has aged noticeably. But the car still has its draw. With the Pontiac G8 gone -- and the Ford Crown Victoria's headstone nearly in the ground -- the pickings for big, affordable rear-wheel-drive sedans are slim.
The lineup
From the base Charger SE to the high-performance SRT8, Dodge offers four engines across six trim levels. All-wheel drive is optional. For 2010, the previously optional side curtain airbags are now standard.
I tested an all-wheel-drive Charger R/T this time around, but we've logged plenty of miles in other drivetrains over the years.
Confident moves
Endowed a year ago with variable-valve timing, Chrysler's 5.7-liter Hemi V-8 packs heat. All-wheel drive saddles the Charger R/T with another 183 pounds, but even with four occupants I was able to scoot up to highway speeds with power to spare. With 395 pounds-feet of torque at an accessible 4,350 rpm (or 400 pounds-feet with the R/T's optional, and confusingly named, Road/Track package), there's no waiting to unlock extra oomph as the tachometer needle climbs; the Charger R/T moves vigorously from the get-go. Displacement matters, and the era of big V-8s is fading fast. Enjoy the Charger's while you can.
All-wheel-drive V-6 Chargers and all V-8 Chargers get a five-speed automatic. It's a good transmission, though the gated shifter can be a bit reluctant to move into Drive. Upshifts are smooth and rarely happen too early, and highway kickdown comes without undue lag.
Less responsive is the Charger's all-wheel-drive system, which features an active transfer case that can automatically disconnect the front axle and route all power to the rear wheels. The benefits are tangible -- preservation of rear-wheel-drive handling and better fuel efficiency -- but somewhere along the way Chrysler forgot the whole point of all-wheel drive: traction. The system kicks power to the front wheels only after the rears have spent precious seconds spinning over slippery surfaces. It's hardly a seamless transition, and when you need to move out on a rainy day, the Charger's all-wheel-drive system doesn't live up to its calling.
On the open road, the Charger's suspension rides softly. But overall ride comfort is good, and the cabin remains well-isolated on rough pavement -- something that complements its general quietness at highway speeds. Bear in mind our test car had 18-inch wheels (17s are standard) and standard suspension tuning. The Road/Track option adds a performance suspension and 20-inch wheels to the R/T, while the SRT8 has its own setup, also with 20s. The latter rides quite firmly; some may find it too punishing.
The steering wheel turns with light effort, but at parking-lot speeds I encountered pockets of less power assist, creating a sort of nonlinear, lumpy resistance buildup. At higher speeds, the steering feels too light; its skittish nature requires more corrections to stay on course than a full-size car should. Note that the Road/Track setup's performance steering and wider tires -- P245/45R20s, versus the P225/60R18s on our test car -- will likely affect steering feel, as will the SRT8's hunkered-down setup and high-performance summer tires.
Find some back roads, and it's not difficult to drift the Charger's tail out. Our all-wheel-drive tester was easy enough to reel back in, but performance enthusiasts will want to upgrade to the SRT8, or at least opt for the Road/Track package. Without it, the R/T's noticeable body roll and sloppy steering turn-in work against any corner-carving.
Four-wheel-disc brakes are standard. Antilock brakes are included on all but the Charger SE, where they're optional; all-wheel-drive V-6 and all V-8 models have larger front discs. Our test car's pedal delivered firm, linear stopping power. Easing off the brakes left something to be desired -- the pedal felt too on-then-off to get going again smoothly.
In terms of power, other Chargers run the gamut. I haven't driven the 2.7-liter V-6, but given its modest horsepower, the midgrade fuel requirement seems peculiar. The 3.5-liter delivers adequate, though never enthralling, acceleration. Its 250 horsepower rating could be inflated, given the engine hasn't been certified according to the industry's latest SAE ratings, which typically dock a few horses. (Both Hemi V-8s have been certified.)
On the other end of things, the SRT8 delivers strong thrust, a satisfying exhaust note and precise handling. Back in 2006, our friends at "MotorWeek" clocked a Charger SRT8 hitting 60 mph in 5 seconds flat. That's not bad for a 4,160-pound car. With massive 14.2-inch front discs and four-piston Brembo calipers front and rear, the SRT8 stopped from 60 mph in 128 feet. The SRT8's performance returns poor enough gas mileage to strap it with a $1,700 gas-guzzler tax.
Aging fast
Our tester's leather seats felt cheaply upholstered and short on lateral support; the bolstered seats in the Road/Track group and SRT8 address both those issues. The materials used below elbow level in the Charger have a crude, unfinished look, and where competitors upholster their A- and B-pillars, Chrysler's are plastic. Certain controls, from the hazard lights button to the trunk release, lack design cohesion with the rest of the cabin, and while other Chryslers have adopted Mercedes-like window switches, the Charger's are cruder. The navigation system has decent graphics but a small map view that's squeezed between a litany of on-screen shortcut buttons.
Both rows of seats provide ample legroom and headroom, but the low roofline and squat windows limit visibility in all directions. Pull up to a stoplight, and you may have to crane your neck forward to see when the signal changes.
Nuts and bolts
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