Dodge Charger

Angular Front Exterior View - 2008 Dodge Charger 4-door Sedan SRT8 RWD

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Shopping for a 2012 Dodge Charger? MSRP: $25,495 - $45,795

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The current Dodge Charger is a four-door, rear- or all-wheel drive large sedan, though it has been built in many guises over the years. Its main competition is the Ford Taurus, Hyundai Genesis, Nissan Maxima and Chevrolet Impala, though in R/T and SRT8 form it has few direct rivals. Priced from around $25,000 to $40,000, the Charger is available in a range of trims and powertrains to suit most needs.

The original Dodge Charger was built in 1965 as an option package for the Dart GT, then from 1966 to 1978 as a rear-wheel drive, two-door muscle car. It was built in four generations over the 12-year run, though the second-generation car, built from 1968-1970 is probably the most recognizable. This version was, and still is for many, the iconic Charger. During the late 1960s and early 1970s, the Charger was available with the same engines as the Challenger, including the 426 cubic-inch HEMI, the 440 Magnum and 440 Six-Pack. From 1983 to 1987 the Charger was re-envisioned as a compact hatchback. The Charger name then took a hiatus until the new sedan was released in 2006.

Based on the same platform as the Dodge Challenger muscle car, the Charger sedan made legitimate claims to the Charger heritage, with design cues that reinforce those ties. In base SE form it featured a not-so-muscular 2.7-liter V-6 engine paired to a four-speed automatic, but still delivers the size and comfort of a large sedan. The SXT trim level substituted a 3.5-liter V-6 and adds Sirius Satellite Radio, traction and stability control, plus a power driver's seat among other options. The R/T package added a 5.7-liter HEMI V-8 engine rated at 368 horsepower, and a special AutoStick automatic transmission, a performance exhaust, plus steering wheel-mounted audio controls, power/heated front seats, and power heated folding side mirrors. The range-topping SRT8 featured a 6.1-liter HEMI V-8 and 425 horsepower output, capable of hauling the big sedan to 60 mph in the low-five-second range.

An aggressive appearance package, tauter handling, and upgraded interior make the SRT8 a very different car than the base SE. Both the R/T and SXT models can be fitted with all-wheel drive, making them better-suited to colder climates and all-weather driving.

For 2011, Dodge gave the Charger a redesign, with more Challenger-like styling on the outside, combined with a more modern and contemporary interior that felt far better detailed that the old interior, which felt too plasticky for some of the Charger's more expensive models especially. Chrysler's Pentastar V-6 was introduced as the base engine, making 292 horsepower, while Hemi-powered models were bumped up to 370 hp and the top SRT8 was boosted to 6.4 liters and 470 hp. The Charger also became more tech-proficient, with a new Garmin nav system, an in-car WiFi system (using USB dongles), and got some safety-related systems like active cruise control and blind-spot monitoring.

For those considering the V-6 Charger, 2012 is the model year to get; that's when Dodge introduced a new eight-speed automatic transmission that gave the base SE and SXT models a far more refined feel, as well as improved performance and highway fuel economy of up to 31 mpg.