The first-generation Dodge Charger, introduced in 2006, was known as much for its head-turning styling and ((over-the-top)) power as it was for its cheaply-trimmed interior and old-school-Mercedes handling. For 2011, the Charger has had a complete re-do, and the timing couldn't be better -- Chrysler is working hard to revitalize their image and rebuild their reputation. Is the Charger a step in the right direction? Read on.
Larger photos: Front - rear - all photos
First Glance: Doors and attitude
First things first: I know there are purists out there who can't stand the idea of a four-door Charger -- those who feel that a proper Charger looks like this. I used to be one of them, but I've come to grips with the idea of a Charger sedan. After all, Chrysler has given us the two-door Dodge Challenger, a perfect homage to the original. And if they are determined to mine the glories of Dodge's past, what other name are they going to use? Monaco? Coronet? Swinger? Sorry, but I just can't see anyone leaning up against the hood of this car and saying "Hey, man, check out my new Polara R/T!" And so Charger it is. We traditionalists will just have to get over it.
And while we can argue about how many doors a Charger ought to have, I think we can agree that it must have attitude -- and that's one thing the 2011 Charger certainly isn't lacking. The outgoing Charger was a bit over-the-top, but the new car has fallen clear down the other side -- and I love it. The new prow (link goes to photo) is pointier, with sharper, meaner, Viper-like angles around headlights. Deeply-dished body sides mimic the Nixon-era two-door Charger, and out back, a full-width loop of LEDs make up the taillights. And those of us who have spent hours at car shows drooling over classic Chargers will find a few subtly familiar shapes and angles around the back window and trunk. The previous Charger was a cool looking car, but this new one is a work of art.
Charger's dash is a huge improvement over the old car; materials and switchgear are top quality
Photo © Aaron GoldIn the Driver's Seat: A whole new world
It's the Charger's cabin that has seen the most radical improvements. The old Charger's dashboard was a cheap plastic clone of the Chrysler 300, but the new car gets a unique dash design trimmed with top-quality materials and switchgear. All Chargers get a big, bright LCD touch-screen that controls the heating, stereo and optional Garmin-based navigation system, with redundant controls below for oft-used tasks such as changing the volume or turning down the fan. Except for the optional backup camera, which looks like a video recording from the early '70s, the screen's graphics are crisp and clear and the software responds quickly to your touch. A small LED display on the instrument panel serves as a digital speedometer; very handy, because as cool-looking as the new gauges are, the small numbers are a bit hard to read. This same display can also show fuel economy or next-turn directions from the navigation system.
As with the old Charger, space is not in short supply in either the front or back seats, although there's not much rear headroom and the trunk is a bit smaller than you might expect given the Charger's massive size. Visibility is quite good -- the old Charger's windshield was like a gunnery slot, but I had a much easier time seeing out of the new one.
I was really surprised to see how many advanced features the Charger now offers. My test car had rain-sensing wipers, blind-spot warning, and active cruise control -- proper luxury-car stuff, and all of it worked very well, although the Rear Cross Path warning -- which beeps if you are backing out of a spot and a car is coming down the aisle -- seemed a bit over-protective.
On the Road: Go, HEMI, go!
292 hp V6 is standard; this is the fantastic 5.7 liter V8 found in the Charger R/T
Photo © Aaron GoldDodge offers three powertrain packages for the Charger. SE and Rallye models get an all-new 292 hp 3.6 liter V6 with rear-wheel-drive, while the R/T is powered by a 370 hp HEMI V8 with rear- or all-wheel-drive. (A 465 horsepower rear-drive SRT8 version is on the way for 2012.) All engines come with a 5-speed automatic transmission, with a fuel-saving 8-speed automatic to be offered later in the model year.
My test car was a rear-drive R/T, and the 5.7 liter V8 feels better than ever. Acceleration is muscle-car-quick and the soundtrack is a perfect blend of induction howl and exhaust bellow. I love that -- nowadays we don't buy V8s for power; we buy them for the experience, and the Charger R/T delivers V8-ness by the bucketful. But that experience costs money: EPA ratings for the rear-drive V8 are 16 MPG city and 25MPG highway, and I averaged just 16.9 MPG -- slightly less, oddly enough, than I averaged in a 470 hp 2011 Dodge Challenger SRT8 -- so the Charger isn't exactly the ideal car for a $4-per-gallon-world. That said, I've sampled the V6 in the Charger's sister ship, the Chrysler 300. It's an excellent engine that delivers all the power this two-ton car needs. EPA figures are only slightly higher -- 18 city/27 highway -- but real-world fuel economy should be better, and the V6 can be paired with nearly with all of the Charger's available bells and whistles, including the R/T's aggressive body trim and spoiler.
The 2011 Charger rides the same Mercedes-based platform as the old car, and while handling and steering feel have been improved, they still aren't top-notch. My test car had the $400 Super Track Pack, which adds sport-tuned steering and suspension and more aggressive brakes and tires, but I still found it a bit soft and disconnected when compared to my favorite sport sedans. That said, the Charger hustled through the Top Secret Curvy Test Road with remarkable agility for such a big car, and I appreciated the smooth, quiet ride when I was cruising around town.
