The Affordable V8 Sedan

Over half a century ago, Dodge showed the world a new type of car that would change the world to what we know it as today. Throw a big V8 with gobs of power in a 2 door coupe that can go fast in a straight line, and make it affordable. Dodge named it the Charger and boy did it take charge. It was an iconic car throughout the muscle car era, but it slowly became ugly and not as interesting. Somehow it made it to it's seventh generation as depicted above (refreshed) with this model shown. In its sixth generation debut, the Charger nameplate was made for an all-new, 4 door sedan. Growing up, I must admit, I hated this move by Dodge. When I received my driver's license, I hated seeing any Charger in my rear-view mirror thinking it was a police officer because local authorities have turned to using them as part of their fleet. But now, after finally driving this car, I finally understand why there are so many on the roads. They're affordable V8's with tons of room for friends and family. Plus, with this model shown, it comes with many luxuries that higher-end models have. Sport exhaust and suspension, ready alert braking, electrically assisted power steering, comfortable seats that are heated, space, and enough safety features to protect an egg in an accident.

The Charger's interior is almost like any other luxury model. It is spacious, looks pretty, and feels as comfortable as a Tempur-Pedic bed. There are plenty of buttons that have multiple functions and then there are some buttons that are specifically programmed to do one thing. The most obvious button is the "Sport" button located underneath the infotainment screen. It changes the behavior of the car and the exhaust noise as well. The steering wheel is not at all spartan in any way and feels very natural in my hands. Looking around the cabin I notice that I have enough space for 4 other people who can all sit comfortably. To make a simple comparison, I can buy a Mini Cooper for almost $2,000 more and not be able to lug my friends around for a trip to the beach. To fit my friends in a Mini they would all feel like sardines in a can, but if they were all in the Charger they would have enough space to move around like potato chips in a "Lays" family size bag. The trunk, though, offers enough space for a couple of suitcases for road trips.

The styling of the Charger is quite mesmerizing. Dodge was able to give something with boxy figure lines and curves that can accentuate the rest of the car. Dodge really did fit a square peg in a circular hole with the Charger. It is aggressively beautiful looking. It wants the attention like a like an angst teenager blaring metal music at an opera. I say metal music because the exhaust from the 5.7L Hemi engine makes the most headbanging noise for a sedan. Its not a soft whimsical 4 cylinder or a simple elegant V6. It is something out of a rock concert that I could not just get enough of. Performance is almost just as good as it's looks. Although the banging V8 is nice and loud, it lacks power. It lacks actually so much power that its acceleration is a slow 5.1 seconds and the 1/4 mile is finished at just under 14 seconds. What is the Charger R/T's power? A mere 370 horses and 395 pounds of torque. It is quite pathetic for a V8. It reminds me of the 80's muscle cars all over again. But luckily the Charger is a near 4,300 pound 4 door sedan, which is it's only excuse.

What it lacks in power, it makes up for in cornering. Thanks to the electrical power steering, the Charger feels light. Going in and out of corners feels like any normal sports sedan that has fancy suspension components. Thanks to the sport suspension, body roll is kept to pretty much a solid zero. As for ride comfort, going over such things as potholes and railroads, it feels like driving on a freshly paved motorway.

All in all, I feel that the 2018 Charger R/T is best for someone who has a family, wants a V8, and some form of luxury for a respectably cheap price. The price for this model shown, just under $36,800. It is cheaper than an RS Camaro, more doors and space, and a V8. What more could someone want? I know. More power is what everyone wants. So maybe instead of getting just the regular R/T, pay for the ScatPack which is an extra $6,000, but it offers a bigger 6.4L motor and one-hundred more horsepower.

I would like to take a moment to thank City Dodge, Chrysler, and Jeep in Burlington, New Jersey for allowing me to use their car for this review. I appreciate their professionalism and cooperation.

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