As a grownup, I should probably know better.
Oh, sure, we all used to admire Bo and Luke’s antics when the Bridge Out sign flashed on-screen, and you know a bright orange muscle car was about to take to the air. It’s part of everyone’s childhood.
Then you grow up and start learning about the number of Dodge Chargers that got bent and broken during the filming of The Dukes of Hazzard, and you realize it’s all sleight of hand. A roaring Mopar V-8, fishtailing through the dirt, is just kid stuff.
In short, you’ve got to put the toys back in the cupboard, and go to work in an office where your manager looks suspiciously like Boss Hogg. Them Duke Boys better remember to attach a cover sheet to their TPS reports – or get ready to start coming in to work on Sunday.
And yet, when the working day is done and you head down to the parking garage, maybe there’s something waiting for you that might play Dixie in some forgotten corner of your memory. Maybe the responsibilities of life mean you’ve got to have a sedan instead of two welded-shut doors, but maybe your life can still have a little Hemi in it.
Design
When the Charger first arrived as a four-door, full-sized sedan, the Mopar faithful weren’t too impressed. The original Charger was a coupe, and this new machine, which shared a platform with the Chrysler 300, seemed like a cynical attempt to cash in on nostalgia with a more-practical offering.
Just when they’d got used to it, Dodge changed the recipe again, with a facelift that blacked out the front grilles. Not everyone liked the updates. Mopar fans are a traditional lot.
I think it looks great. The addition of an appearance package to this R/T model adds blacked-out trim pieces and a set of mean-looking 20-inch alloys. Combined with the Charger’s blunt styling and considerable size, this is a vehicle with heft and presence.
Further, unlike more conservative mid-size offerings, Dodge will also sell you a Charger in some pretty wild colours. No, you can’t get a big “01” decal on the door from the factory, but the Charger is a machine with all the charisma of a TV star.
Environment
Both the Charger and the Challenger play the retro card inside and out, and arguably better than the Mustang or Camaro do. The former is a bit plastic in places, the latter a little cramped.
The Charger isn’t really a competitor to Ford and GM’s pony cars, but it could give them lessons on how to integrate modern features like a central touchscreen with an old-school-look flowing dash.
Everything looks good initially, but Dodge still has a little work to do here in terms of comfort. A big American sedan like this should feel like a rocket-propelled couch, and while the rocket part is there (we’ll get to that in a minute), the couch is not. The seats are pretty firm up front, and the rear seats aren’t as roomy as you’d expect for a full-size machine.
In addition, the more you poke and prod at the interior materials every day, the more flimsy they seem. There’s plenty of style going on here, but for substance, we might need to look under the hood.
Performance
The Charger has four main engine options, stretching from a 292 horsepower V-6, right through to the 707 h.p. supercharged V-8 of the Hellcat. That’s more choice than you’ll find most places.
Let’s say you’re looking for the sweet spot between price and V-8 muscle. If drag-racing supremacy isn’t your thing, but you want a little more punch than the usual-suspects V-6 family sedan, the R/T model hits the nail on the head. With a sledgehammer.
Yes, the 5.7-litre Hemi V-8 doesn’t have the absolute punch of the larger 6.4 and supercharged 6.2-litre offerings. However, its 370 h.p. output is backed up by 395 foot-pounds of torque, most of which is available early in the rev range. With a 5.0-litre Mustang, just for contrast, you have to rev it up. The Charger R/T is a stump-puller; just like muscle cars used to be.
Paired with an eight-speed automatic that’s as good as you’d find in most luxury cars, the big engine adds a dose of thrill to even mundane tasks. It’s now got the same dual-mode exhaust as its more powerful brethren, so kicking it into sport mode and stomping the throttle brings a titanic bellow from the engine.
Of course, just like muscle machines of yore, the Charger is pretty heavy. Most of the more powerful turbocharged hatchbacks will match or exceed it in performance numbers. There’s also a considerable amount of understeer, and a ponderous sense of weight from behind the wheel.
So what? This is chapter and verse from The Book of Duke. If you want safe, plain, and practical, may I suggest you pop down the road to the Toyota dealership, and ask to see an Avalon in an easy-to-clean silver.
But if you want a V-8 soundtrack to the grocery run, a sense of heft and potency behind the wheel, and just a double helping of character, the Charger R/T is a grand slam. Yes, it’s the automotive equivalent of a double cheeseburger, and some of that cheese is certainly of the processed variety. It might not be all that sensible or good for you, but it tastes great.
Features
Dodge’s feature loadouts are flat-out bewildering. While the trim levels make sense, it can be hard to pin down exactly what you want. By the time you’ve moved up to the R/T package, there’s not much that needs added on. At a total price of $51,905, my tester probably didn’t need the $4,595 premium package. I’d skip it, although it’s an annoyance that Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are bundled with the navigation.
Fuel economy figures are not going to tempt you out of your Prius. While 14.7 (litres per 100 kilometres) in the city and 9.4 on the highway are reasonable numbers for a big, heavy V-8 car, gas isn’t as cheap around here as it is in the U.S. On the other hand, the Charger will happily hit that highway figure all day long. The eight-speed transmission and effortless low-end V-8 grunt work hand-in-glove.
Green light
Fantastic soundtrack; strong curb presence; plenty of choice; lots of character.
Stop sign
V-8 thirst; so-so interior quality; gets expensive with options.
The checkered flag
Practical enough for adult life, but everything the kid inside you dreamed of.
Competition
Dodge Challenger ($40,695): Unfortunately, the Charger doesn’t really have a direct rival. The closest would be the Chevy SS, which never made it into showrooms North of the border, and is now sadly defunct anyway.
Really, the main rival to the Charger is parked right next to it at your local Dodge dealership. The Challenger is less practical than the four-door sedan, but if anything it’s got even more character. Pricing is pretty close too.
Even better, you can get Dodge’s two-door with a manual transmission. It all depends on picking between the kid in the back seat or the big one in the driver’s seat.
