Saab Dealing With Abandonment Issues...
Green
Trucks
Luxury
Family
Brand
Muscle
See more sites from  HighGear  M E D I A  >>
Compare this car to others like it Try our car compare tool now

2009 Dodge Charger Safety Review

March 21, 2009

SAFETY | 7 out of 10

Expert Quotes:

Good," frontal offset impact; "poor," side impact
IIHS

Five stars, front impact; four stars, side driver impact; five stars, side rear passenger impact
NHTSA

The Charger SRT8 has standard antilock brakes and an electronic stability system (they're a $1,025 option for the base Charger)
Cars.com

The 2009 Dodge Charger offers unimpressive crash-test results overall, with decent ratings from the federal government and less impressive scores from the insurance industry. The fact that some of the more usual safety features aren't standard is a bit disappointing as well.

The 2009 Dodge Charger excels in NHTSA crash tests, according to TheCarConnection.com's research. In federal government tests, the 2009 Dodge Charger earns perfect five-star ratings in both of the front impact tests, as well as five stars for side rear passenger impacts. The only blemish on its NHTSA scorecard comes in the side driver impact category, where the 2009 Dodge Charger earns four out of five stars. The IIHS tests reveal a different side of the Charger. In insurance industry tests, the 2009 Dodge Charger earns the highest possible rating, "good," for frontal offset impacts, but also a worst-possible rating of "poor" in side impact tests. That’s without the optional side airbags; with them the rating improves to "marginal."

Speaking of safety equipment, the Dodge Charger offers some noteworthy features as standard on the high-performance models. Cars.com observes that the "Charger SRT8 has standard antilock brakes and an electronic stability system (they're a $1,025 option for the base Charger). Side-impact airbags for the front seats and side curtain airbags are grouped together as an option, too." Reviewers are generally impressed with the stability system, as Autoblog says it "actually lets the rear end slide out just a bit around corners before gently nudging it back without ever jerking the chassis around," allowing for a little winter-time fun. Car and Driver reviewers note that "dual front airbags and tire-pressure monitors are standard on all models," but "disappointingly, curtain airbags and front-seat-mounted side-impact airbags aren't standard; they're options on all trim levels except the SE, on which they're not available at all. Anti-lock brakes, traction control, and electronic stability control are optional on the SE but standard throughout the rest of the lineup."

Another item hampering the Dodge Charger in the safety category is driver visibility; several reviews read by TheCarConnection.com point out various problem spots from the driver's seat. Cars.com says that "the position of the rearview mirror and the car's upright A-pillars impede visibility when you're driving on curvy roads." Autoblog also notes that "the relatively upright windshield means the leading edge of the roof extends forward quite a bit. If you are at an intersection where the stoplights hang over the center, you may need to lean forward to see them," while ConsumerGuide points out that the "thick front roof pillars obscure [the] view to front corners."

Conclusion

The 2009 Dodge Charger is one of the few remaining big sedans without standard side airbags, and its crash-test safety doesn’t match its strong, assertive stance.  

SAFETY | 7 out of 10Expert Quotes:Good," frontal offset impact; "poor," side impactIIHSFive stars, front impact; four stars, side driver impact; five stars, side rear passenger impactNHTSAThe Charger SRT8 has standard antilock brakes and an electronic stability system (they're a $1,025 option for the base Charger)Cars.com The 2009 Dodge Charger offers unimpressive crash-test results overall, with decent ratings from the federal government and less impressive scores from the insurance industry. The fact that some of the more usual safety features aren't standard is a bit disappointing as well. The 2009 Dodge Charger excels in NHTSA crash tests, according to TheCarConnection.com's research. In federal government tests, the 2009 Dodge Charger earns perfect five-star ratings in both of the front impact tests, as well as five stars for side rear passenger impacts. The only blemish on its NHTSA scorecard comes in the side driver impact category, where the 2009 Dodge Charger earns four out of five stars. The IIHS tests reveal a different side of the Charger. In insurance industry tests, the 2009 Dodge Charger earns the highest possible rating, "good," for frontal offset impacts, but also a worst-possible rating of "poor" in side impact tests. That’s without the optional side airbags; with them the rating improves to "marginal." Speaking of safety equipment, the Dodge Charger offers some noteworthy features as standard on the high-performance models. Cars.com observes that the "Charger SRT8 has standard antilock brakes and an electronic stability system (they're a $1,025 option for the base Charger). Side-impact airbags for the front seats and side curtain airbags are grouped together as an option, too." Reviewers are generally impressed with the stability system, as Autoblog says it "actually lets the rear end slide out just a bit around corners before gently nudging it back without ever jerking the chassis around," allowing for a little winter-time fun. Car and Driver reviewers note that "dual front airbags and tire-pressure monitors are standard on all models," but "disappointingly, curtain airbags and front-seat-mounted side-impact airbags aren't standard; they're options on all trim levels except the SE, on which they're not available at all. Anti-lock brakes, traction control, and electronic stability control are optional on the SE but standard throughout the rest of the lineup." Another item hampering the Dodge Charger in the safety category is driver visibility; several reviews read by TheCarConnection.com point out various problem spots from the driver's seat. Cars.com says that "the position of the rearview mirror and the car's upright A-pillars impede visibility when you're driving on curvy roads." Autoblog also notes that "the relatively upright windshield means the leading edge of the roof extends forward quite a bit. If you are at an intersection where the stoplights hang over the center, you may need to lean forward to see them," while ConsumerGuide points out that the "thick front roof pillars obscure [the] view to front corners." ConclusionThe 2009 Dodge Charger is one of the few remaining big sedans without standard side airbags, and its crash-test safety doesn’t match its strong, assertive stance.    2009 DODGE CHARGER STYLING | [8 out of 10] Autoblog: "The look has grown on people over the years and remains fairly unique" Car and Driver: "Handsome exterior styling" ConsumerGuide: "Instruments are large and easy to read" Reviews read by TheCarConnection.com show that this ...

Read More of this Review:

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

Other Choices:

There aren’t any other rear-wheel-drive domestic-brand sedans that directly face off against the 2009 Dodge Charger. Its closest rival is likely the Pontiac G8; the G8’s performance is excellent, with handling that surpasses that of the Charger, but appearance can mean everything to sport sedan buyers, and the G8’s sheetmetal just doesn’t have that magic. For those interested in a little more luxury and a more conservative appearance, the Hyundai Genesis is a new and very formidable rival; especially in V-8 form, the Genesis provides respectable overall performance with a feel like luxury-brand cars costing $10,000 more. The Nissan Maxima is another rival; its styling and interior are eye-catching and sporty, but its more laid-back performance character doesn’t quite match its looks. The Ford Taurus is another alternative in the V-6 realm, but it’s a different type of vehicle altogether—comfort-oriented and tops for safety. However, things might get more exciting next year when a new Taurus SHO performance model debuts.

Next Steps:

Get a free price quote

for the 2009 Dodge Charger from a dealer near you

Check Insurance Rates

for the 2009 Dodge Charger

Check Financing Rates

for the 2009 Dodge Charger

Check Local Classifieds

for a 2009 Dodge Charger near you

See the Dodge Charger in Other Years:

2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005

Comments (0 total)

Be the first to post a comment

Post a comment

Post anonymously, or
(Required)
(Required - will not be published, sold or shared)
(Optional - your 'posted by' name will link to the URL)

Remember Me?

I have read TheCarConnection.com's privacy policy