2021 Dodge Charger Review

　　

2021 Dodge Charger Review

byKurt NiebuhrSenior Vehicle Test Editor

　　Kurt Niebuhr has worked in the automotive industry since 2005. A automotive photographer by trade, Kurt is now one of zzdcar' high-performance test drivers. He's driven and photographed hundreds, if not thousands, of vehicles all over the world, so Kurt's library of automotive experiences would certainly make for a good book. When not dreaming about getting his racing license or trying to buy out-of-date film for his cameras, Kurt can usually be found cursing at his 1966 Mustang.

　　The sensible sedan buyer wants a fuel-efficient engine, but not at the expense of too much power, a comfortable interior and some of the latest advanced driver safety aids. The rabid enthusiast wants the biggest, most powerful engine available in a sedan, a wide-body kit with ridiculously wide wheels, and a top speed in excess of 200 miles per hour. For those two buyers, there is the 2021 Dodge Charger.

　　

Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2021 Dodge Charger SXT 4dr Sedan (3.6L 6cyl 8A) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.04 per gallon for regular unleaded in North Dakota.

Monthly estimates based on costs in North Dakota

　　$159/mo  for Charger SXT

　　Charger SXT

　　SXT 4dr Sedan (3.6L 6cyl 8A) (Most Popular) - $30,570 MSRPSXT 4dr Sedan AWD (3.6L 6cyl 8A) - $34,170 MSRPGT 4dr Sedan (3.6L 6cyl 8A) - $32,570 MSRPGT 4dr Sedan AWD (3.6L 6cyl 8A) - $35,570 MSRPR/T 4dr Sedan (5.7L 8cyl 8A) - $37,570 MSRPScat Pack 4dr Sedan (6.4L 8cyl 8A) - $42,245 MSRPScat Pack Widebody 4dr Sedan (6.4L 8cyl 8A) - $48,240 MSRPSRT Hellcat Widebody 4dr Sedan (6.2L 8cyl S/C 8A) - $70,570 MSRPSRT Hellcat Redeye Widebody 4dr Sedan (6.2L 8cyl S/C 8A) - $79,170 MSRP

　　vs

　　$197/mo

　　Avg. Large Car

　　So varied are the Charger's six trim levels that it's hard to believe they're even the same model. Entry-level Chargers are equipped with a V6 engine and offer available all-wheel drive. At the top, there's a 797-horsepower (that is not a typo) supercharged V8 engine and enough audacious colors and graphics packages to satisfy the most extroverted buyers. Between those two extremes are plenty of option packages and even more engine options to tailor this sedan to almost anyone's needs. Read our Expert Rating to see if the Charger's strengths overpower its weaknesses.

　　zzdcar Expert Rating

　　Our VerdictThe zzdcar Vehicle Testing Team evaluates a fresh batch of vehicles every week, pairing objective assessments at our test track with real-world driving on city streets, freeways and winding roads. The data we gather results in our Expert Ratings. They’re based on 30-plus scores that cover every aspect of the automotive experience.

　　Average

　　7.4

　　out of 10

　　zzdcar TESTED

　　Rated for you by America's best test team.

　　

Performance

8.0/10

　　How does the Charger drive? This is a big and heavy car that gets going in a hurry, at least with one of the V8 engines installed. Our Scat Pack test car covered 0-60 mph in just 4.6 seconds. Braking performance is also excellent. In town, the pedal response feels a bit soft at first, but short stopping distances inspire confidence. On our test track, a simulated-panic stop from 60 mph took just 102 feet.

　　Through high-speed corners, the Charger stays surprisingly flat. Unfortunately, it's not a very engaging experience since you don't feel connected to the car. Notably, midcorner bumps can degrade stability and cause a lot of movement at the rear of the car. The overly sensitive gas pedal is also a problem. Flex your big toe and the Charger bolts off the line. The only remedy is to be super gentle.

　　

Comfort

7.0/10

　　How comfortable is the Charger? The Charger's front seats provide plenty of bolstering and lumbar support. They'll keep you comfortable on a long road trip and keep you in place when the road gets twisty. The rear seats are also well contoured with similarly supportive padding.

　　On the downside, we could feel just about every bump in the city and on the highway from our Scat Pack test car. Base Chargers will ride a little more softly. There's a fair amount of road and tire noise at highway speeds too. Everything is damped down by a lot of sound insulation, but the Charger is no hushed highway cruiser.

　　

Interior

7.0/10

　　How’s the interior? The Charger is spacious on the inside, especially in the front. The back seat fits adults well too. There's enough head-, hiproom and shoulder room for at least two adults and one kid in the back. It's much roomier than a two-door muscle car.

　　The Charger's wide roof pillars impede your view. The small rear window and sloping windshield also affect visibility. You can see out of the car while moving forward relatively well, but it's nearly impossible to truly look through a corner on a curvy road. The sloping rear roofline means you'll have a hard time getting into and out of the back seat without grazing your head.

　　

Technology

8.0/10

　　How’s the tech? Dodge's Uconnect system is one of the best around. It responds quickly to inputs and catalogs music collections with lightning speed. An optional 19-speaker stereo drives up the price quite a bit (we'd skip that option), but the voice controls and navigation are excellent.

　　A collection of driver safety aids, such as adaptive cruise control, forward collision mitigation and lane keeping assist, are part of the optional Technology Group. All work pretty well. The adaptive cruise control's following distance is relatively conservative.

　　

Storage

6.5/10

　　How’s the storage? The trunk is decently sized, but there's a high liftover height and the space narrows significantly toward the back. Non-performance-oriented competitors in the midsize segment do much better. The door and center console pockets are relatively small, and they're paired with small can-size cupholders. Rear seat storage is limited too.

　　Car seat anchors are hard to see in all three seating positions. The back seat is wide enough for bulkier child safety seats, and there's generally enough space to fit them behind the front seats, but the Charger's low roof makes it difficult to load a seat and attend to a child.

　　

Fuel Economy

5.5/10

　　How’s the fuel economy? The Charger is definitely not the car you buy for fuel economy. The big 6.4-liter V8 is better than the supercharged Hellcat engine, but only marginally. The EPA estimates 18 mpg combined with the 6.4-liter engine. We averaged 19 mpg on our 115-mile evaluation route.

　　

Value

6.5/10

　　Is the Charger a good value? Most of Dodge's development budget went toward what's under the hood of this car. Build quality is good but not great. Nothing was rattling or squeaking in our test car. But lots of the plastic interior surfaces feel a bit cheap for the price point.

　　As far as the ownership experience goes, expect to spend a lot of money on gas if you've got a V8-powered Charger. Warranty and roadside assistance coverage is average.

　　

Wildcard

9.0/10

　　You'll find fewer brute-force muscle cars on the road these days, and pretty much none are equipped with a big non-turbocharged V8 and four doors. The Charger with its optional engines and many customization options really is in a class of its own.

　　If your idea of fun is blasting tunnels, chirping the tires, and setting off with eye-watering speed, then this car in this configuration will be right up your alley. It's no sports car, but it handles curvy roads well too. Everywhere you drive the Charger (except the gas pump), you'll be smiling.

　　

Which Charger does zzdcar recommend?

The Charger experience is best enjoyed with a V8 engine. But we think the 6.4-liter available in the Scat Pack offers the best bang for your buck, and it opens up the option for the desirable wide-body treatment. To that, we'd add the Navigation and Travel package and the Driver Confidence package. We'd also spring for the Widebody package because it looks so cool.

　　

2021 Dodge Charger models

The 2021 Charger is available in six major trim levels: SXT, GT, R/T, Scat Pack, SRT Hellcat and SRT Hellcat Redeye. All Chargers use an eight-speed automatic transmission. Rear-wheel drive is standard, though the SXT and GT trims offer all-wheel drive as an option.

　　The Charger comes with five available engines.

　　The SXT and GT have a 3.6-liter V6 (292 horsepower and 260 lb-ft, or 300 hp and 264 lb-ft for the rear-wheel-drive GT and all-wheel-drive SXT and GT) The R/T gets a 5.7-liter V8 (370 hp, 395 lb-ft) Stepping up to the Scat Pack introduces a 6.4-liter V8, also known as the 392 (485 hp, 475 lb-ft) SRT Hellcats use a supercharged 6.2-liter supercharged V8 engine (717 hp, 650 lb-ft) The top dog, or cat, is the SRT Hellcat Redeye's even more powerful supercharged 6.2-liter V8 (797 hp, 707 lb-ft)Trim levels include:

　　SXT

　　Starts you off with:

　　17-inch wheels Keyless entry and ignition 7-inch touchscreen infotainment display Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility Dual-zone climate control Leather-wrapped steering wheel Power-adjustable front seats Remote start Cruise controlGT

　　Has a sportier look and gains:

　　LED foglights Heated outside mirrors Sport suspension Functional hood scoop 20-inch wheels 8.4-inch infotainment touchscreen Upgraded audio systemR/T

　　Includes the looks of the GT with V8 power:

　　Active exhaust Unique 20-inch wheelsScat Pack

　　Ups the power and performance with:

　　Specially designed 20-inch wheels Limited-slip differential High-performance brakes More aggressive sport seats Heated steering wheel and front seats High-performance suspension Launch control Performance drive modesSRT Hellcat and Redeye

　　Add even more performance and luxury with:

　　Flared fenders Unique 20-inch wheels Ultra high-performance brakes Adaptive suspension Aggressive bodywork Ventilated seats Heated second-row seats Driver-seat memory settings Leather-trimmed interior Power-adjustable steering wheel High-performance tiresVarious option packages (Dodge refers to them as groups) can be had across multiple trim levels and can include technology, luxury, styling and performance features. Significant ones to be on the lookout for include:

　　Plus Group Daytona Edition Group Technology Group Blacktop Package Performance Handling Group Driver Convenience Group Navigation and Travel Group

　　

2021 Charger Highlights

Type: SRT Hellcat Redeye WidebodySedanSRT Hellcat WidebodySedan

　　Trim: SXTGTR/TScat PackScat Pack WidebodySRT Hellcat WidebodySRT Hellcat Redeye WidebodySXT

　　

Base MSRP	$30,570
Engine Type	Gas
Combined MPG	23 MPG
Cost to Drive	$159/month
Seating	5 seats
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place	16.5 cu.ft.
Drivetrain	rear wheel drive
Warranty	3 years / 36,000 miles