2010 Dodge Challenger Quality Review

For the most part, the Challenger has a very comfortable and well-appointed interior. The supportive front seats—good for long road trips—are a plus. But other cabin details leave some critics wanting.

Reviewers almost unanimously rave about the front seats in the 2010 Dodge Challenger. Cars.com holds nothing back when talking about the "excellent leather seats with good side and back support" that they feel are "easily the best [they've] seen in a Dodge." On the Dodge Challenger SRT8, Car and Driver reports that the "thick, high-backed Alcantara-and-leather performance seats...glue the driver in place regardless of lateral forces," while the Dodge Challenger "R/T and SE models also feature comfortable and nicely bolstered bucket seats."

While there are five sets of seat belts in the 2010 Dodge Challenger, you'll probably want to stick to four. Cars.com observes that "head and leg room also are great up front, but foot room is more moderate in back." Automobile Magazine agrees, claiming that "pushing the front seats too far back causes rear legroom to disappear in a hurry," and noting that "anyone beyond booster-seat age will be too big for the middle rear spot." ConsumerGuide remarks that rear-seat "entry and exit are sporty-coupe awkward."

Coupe design aside, the Challenger remains surprisingly practical. The trunk is particularly noteworthy and the backseats fold forward. ConsumerGuide says that "for a sports coupe, Challenger has impressive trunk space" that "offers more room than many midsize sedans." Automobile Magazine also makes a point of mentioning the "the generous trunk space (16.2 cubic feet) and fold-down rear seatbacks…impart some genuine practicality into this sports machine."

While TheCarConnection.com's editors point out that the Challenger has a better interior than Dodge's front-wheel-drive models, a number of reviewers find fault in some of the details—especially the materials used throughout the cabin. ConsumerGuide feels that the "Challenger's cabin houses plenty of cheap plastic, but everything is nicely assembled." The Jalopnik reviewer also slams the "horrifyingly plastic interior," while Car and Driver says that the Dodge Challenger SE's "mostly black interior features some silver-painted plastic that does less to warm up the interior than to reflect its cheapness." Fortunately, ConsumerGuide points out that Dodge Challenger "R/T and SRT8 are available with chrome, faux carbon fiber, and suede accents that help dress up the interior a bit."

Reviewers are consistently impressed with the overall refinement of the Dodge Challenger, which almost surely trumps the other muscle cars in this respect. ConsumerGuide calls the Dodge Challenger SE "surprisingly refined," and says that it's "nearly silent when cruising." Motor Trend also refers to the Dodge Challenger as a "refined car" with a "much quieter" ride than the competing Ford Mustang. Of the noises that occasionally invade the cabin, one of the most prominent is the note from the "tuned exhaust system" that Jalopnik contends "sounds great in the lower gears."

Ride comfort is widely lauded. Cars.com cites "a nice blend of sport and comfort," and they note that "big craters and railroad tracks give Challenger only a slight jiggle." ConsumerGuide raves about the "surprisingly supple" ride, "especially given this car's performance mission."