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2008 Dodge Challenger Quality Review

November 5, 2008

COMFORT AND QUALITY | 8 out of 10

Expert Quotes:

looks and feels great
Motor Trend

good-quality materials
Edmunds

ample space for even larger and taller drivers
ConsumerGuide

The 2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8 is not only a serious performance car, but is also more practical and comfortable than one might expect in this segment.

Chrysler's SRT (short for "Street and Racing Technology") performance division is known for adorning its interiors with suede, leather, and a special "carbon-fiber weave." The shifter, door pulls, and steering wheel are wrapped with this material, and Motor Trend says, "This stuff looks and feels great." TheCarConnection.com found that the 2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8 is widely praised for the high quality of the materials used in its interior, although ConsumerGuide is less impressed than most, calling these materials "not cheap looking, but certainly not special, either."

The seats in the 2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8 are highly regarded by most, including ConsumerGuide, which says, "The aggressively bolstered [front] seats provide long-trip comfort" and "Compared to the similar-mission Ford Mustang, Challenger's rear-seat accommodations are palatial." In fact, the rear seat is designed to properly accommodate three passengers instead of only two and, as Edmunds reports, "features a fold-down armrest and a [60/40] split/folding back that opens up to the 16.2-cubic-foot trunk." The trunk is also larger than in the Mustang.

Unlike in sport coupes of yore, this Challenger's rear windows don't go down, and there's a B-pillar, which creates a blind spot. Visibility and access to the rear are not among the 2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8's strong points, but as Motor Trend writes, this is "not uncommon in any coupe."

Conclusion

The 2008 Dodge Challenger has a nicely finished interior with front seats that are both supportive and comfortable enough for long trips. Rear seating and visibility aren't great in the Dodge Challenger; 2008’s are still significantly better than average in this type of car.

COMFORT AND QUALITY | 8 out of 10Expert Quotes:looks and feels greatMotor Trendgood-quality materialsEdmundsample space for even larger and taller driversConsumerGuide The 2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8 is not only a serious performance car, but is also more practical and comfortable than one might expect in this segment. Chrysler's SRT (short for "Street and Racing Technology") performance division is known for adorning its interiors with suede, leather, and a special "carbon-fiber weave." The shifter, door pulls, and steering wheel are wrapped with this material, and Motor Trend says, "This stuff looks and feels great." TheCarConnection.com found that the 2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8 is widely praised for the high quality of the materials used in its interior, although ConsumerGuide is less impressed than most, calling these materials "not cheap looking, but certainly not special, either." The seats in the 2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8 are highly regarded by most, including ConsumerGuide, which says, "The aggressively bolstered [front] seats provide long-trip comfort" and "Compared to the similar-mission Ford Mustang, Challenger's rear-seat accommodations are palatial." In fact, the rear seat is designed to properly accommodate three passengers instead of only two and, as Edmunds reports, "features a fold-down armrest and a [60/40] split/folding back that opens up to the 16.2-cubic-foot trunk." The trunk is also larger than in the Mustang. Unlike in sport coupes of yore, this Challenger's rear windows don't go down, and there's a B-pillar, which creates a blind spot. Visibility and access to the rear are not among the 2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8's strong points, but as Motor Trend writes, this is "not uncommon in any coupe." ConclusionThe 2008 Dodge Challenger has a nicely finished interior with front seats that are both supportive and comfortable enough for long trips. Rear seating and visibility aren't great in the Dodge Challenger; 2008’s are still significantly better than average in this type of car. 2008 DODGE CHALLENGER SRT8 STYLING | [9 out of 10] Cars.com: "unmistakably the Challenger from any angle" Edmunds: "handsome retro styling" Car and Driver: "looks spectacular in orange" Motor Trend: "direct, heritage-inspired connection to the original" The styling of the 2008 Dodge ...

Read More of this Review:

  1. styling
  2. performance
  3. quality
  4. safety
  5. features

Other Choices:

The Mustang is a perennial player in the muscle car segment. Unlike the Challenger and Camaro, the Mustang never went out of production. Comparing today's models, the 2008 Mustang is nowhere near as large as the 2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8. You can seat three in back in a Dodge; don't try that in the current Mustang or the upcoming 2010 Camaro, which we bring up here even though it doesn't go on sale until 2009. If you like your muscle with additional practicality, perhaps the four-door Pontiac G8 GT is more up your alley. It has a rumbling V-8 and rear-wheel drive to boot, and a new 402-hp version with a manual transmission is on the way for 2009.

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See the Dodge Challenger in Other Years:

2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007

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