Automotive Writer
This week, though, I’ve been driving the Dodge Charger, a muscle car that shatters those stereotypes. Not only does it have four doors — making it the last of the V8-powered, spacious American sedans that once packed our nation’s highways — but my test car came loaded with more luxury gadgets than an Apple Store.
Of course it includes the fancy Chrysler Uconnect system with a big digital screen on the dash, but it also has some surprises like adaptive cruise control, high beams that turn on and off automatically, and heated and cooled cup holders.
Available with HEMI V8 power, the Dodge Charger has American strength and an aggressive front end to match.
It’s the polar opposite of those stripped-down muscle cars in my head.
Granted, all those add-ons jacked the price of the test car up to $41,645, a huge premium over the $26,295 base model. They not only make it feel fancier but also much more refined than I expected from a Charger.
One of the most pleasant surprises is the suspension, which has a taut, tightly controlled feeling that’s unusual in a car this big. That well-sorted driving feel is partially the result of Dodge’s $400 “Super Track Pak” option on the test vehicle, which adds Goodyear performance tires, a sport suspension, heavy-duty brakes and specially tuned steering.
The heart of any good muscle car, though, is the engine. You can get a V6 that’s rated for 31 mpg on the highway in the basic Charger, but you’d be missing out on what makes this car truly unique: the fact that you can still get a HEMI V8 under the hood.
That alone makes this car an anachronism, the kind of car that waves its middle finger at Obama-era fuel efficiency. It’s rated for 16 mpg in city driving, the natural result of utilizing a giant engine that makes 370 horsepower and 395 pound-feet of torque.
The Charger’s interior can be surprisingly luxurious for a domestic muscle car, with a long list of optional add-ons.
But oh, it’s worth the fuel bill.
Putting a HEMI into a four-door family car may sound illogical, but whoever made that decision at the Chrysler Corporation deserves a free pass to car-guy heaven. The roar of this V8 under full throttle is enough to justify eternal bliss for its inventor, so rich is its exhaust note and thrilling its acceleration.
It’s enough to make you forget the Charger has four doors and a roomy trunk. When you opt for the V8, that makes this car the only one I can think of that’s equally fitting for the school run and the quarter-mile run.
At a Glance
What was tested?
2013 Dodge Charger R/T ($29,995). Options: Customer Preferred Package 29R ($4,000), Daytona Edition Group ($2,500), Driver Confidence Group ($995), Adaptive Cruise Control Group ($925), Navigation ($995), Super Track Pak ($400), Power Sunroof ($840). Price as tested (including $995 destination charge): $41,645.
Wheelbase: 120.2 in.
Length: 199.9 in.
Width: 75 in.
Height: 58.4 in.
Engine: 5.7-liter HEMI V8 (370 hp, 395 lb.-ft.)
Transmission: Automatic five-speed overdrive with auto stick
EPA Mileage: 16 city/25 highway
RATINGS
Style: 9
Performance: 10
Price: 7
Handling: 9
Ride: 8
Comfort: 9
Quality: 6
Overall: 8
Video Review:
What’s cool about the Charger
http://bit.ly/2013charger
Why buy it?
It’s an American muscle car that happens to have four doors. It’s absolutely thrilling to drive with the HEMI V8.