MM Review: 2011 Dodge Charger R/T
05-07-11, 04:13 PM
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MM Review: 2011 Dodge Charger R/T
By CL-member request, a Review of the all-new 2011 Dodge Charger R/T.
http://www.dodge.com/en/2011/charger/index.html
IN A NUTSHELL: A classic 60s Muscle-Car, but now with 4 doors for Baby-Boomers and their kids ...or Grand-kids.
I received a request from a well-respected CL member for a review of the all-new 2011 Dodge Charger R/T...a classic 1960s American muscle-car that I myself grew up with in high school over 40 years ago. I saw a couple of different versions the 2011 Charger at the D.C. Auto Show in January and generally liked what I saw....the 2011 version is a noticeable improvement over the past model in several areas.
The Dodge Charger was originally introduced in 1966 as a two-door fastback version of the mid-sized Dodge Coronet. Its styling was very similiar to the competing AMC/Rambler Marlin, and the big-engine versions also competed with the Pontiac GTO, Buick GS350/400, Chevy Chevelle SS, Oldsmobile 4-4-2, Mercury Cyclone, Plymouth Road Runner, and other similiar mid-sized two-door muscle-cars. Huge 426 Hemi and 440 V8 powerplants were added for performance...with up to triple-deuce carburators. Charger R/Ts, Dodge Super-Bees, Dart 340s, and other cars in the famous Dodge 'Scat-Pack" series of muscle-cars were easily-spotted by the distinctive "Bumble-Bee" stripes around the trunk-lid and rear-fenders. In 1970, two of my favorite colors, at extra-cost, were added.....Sub-Lime-Green and Plum-Crazy (Purple), along with the also-extra-cost Hemi-Orange, Lemon (Yellow) Twist, and Tor-Red. Like with many other American muscle-cars, though, fuel-economy and emission rules in the 1970s forced the Charger's demise, and the car faded from the scene.
A natural-gas-burning Charger concept-car was brought back some 25 years later in the show-car circuit, painted a Burnt-Orange metalflake color, but nothing much became of it. A small FWD Charger 2+2 sport-coupe (including a Shelby version), based on the sub-compact Dodge Omni/Plymouth Horizon, had been produced in the early 1980s, but, like most Chrysler products of the era, was poorly-built and unimpressive....I remember test-driving one.
A much more serious Charger was introduced some years later, in early 2005, after the Chrysler merge with Daimler (Mercedes). This car, in size and power, along with its brother Dodge Magnum wagon, was much more of a true replacement for the old 60's/early-70s Charger than the silly Charger 2+2 had been. It brought back the mid/full-size (though now unibody) frame, (courtesy of the Mercedes E-Class), big V6/V8 power, and something to, once again, back up the Charger name. Only this new Charger had something a true American muscle-car had almost never seen before....4 doors. Of course, to some extent, that made sense.......many of the Baby-Boomers I had grown up with had long-since gotten married and had kids, and, in some cases, even grand-kids. It also had, for the first time, an AWD option, for buyers in bad-weather areas. This new, resurrected, 4-door Charger recaptured some of the lost spirit of the 1960s, but, even with the big frame, RWD, and V8-muscle, it was still lacking in some areas. Its interior quality, trim materials, thin-plastic parts, and overall assembly-quality left some to be desired, and its reliability record, while not the worst of Chrysler products, was mediocre.
So, for 2011, after Fiat's acquisition of Chrysler, it was time to introduce a new, improved, upgraded version of the Charger....and upgraded and improved it is...the new interior, for example, is light-years ahead of last year. And the Charger is not the only new-generation, improved Chrysler product to be released this year.....it joins the also-new Chrysler 300 (done on the same platform) and Jeep Grand Cherokee, which is also all-new and
has vastly-upgraded interior and drivetrain-refinement.
Eight (?) versions of the new Charger are offered....SE RWD, Rallye RWD, Rallye-Plus RWD, R/T RWD, R/T AWD, R/T-Plus AWD, R/T Road and Track RWD, and R/T-Max RWD/AWD. (the web-site is a little confusing on these details, and no paper-brochures were available today at the Dodge shop). All R/T models get the ubiquitous 5.7L Hemi V8 with 370 HP/395 ft-lbs. of torque and a 5-speed automatic Sport-shift transmission. The others get the equally-ubiquitous 3.6L V6 with 292 HP HP and 260 ft-lbs. of torque, and the same 5-speed automatic. No manual is offered....a marketing error, IMO, in a purpose-designed American muscle-car. AWD is not offered with the V6 models; only the RWD...another marketing error, IMO. I couldn't find the new SRT-8 Charger with the larger 6.4L Hemi either in stock or on the website. The Dodge people say it probably won't be released until later in the year (maybe early fall), in conjunction with the new SRT8 Chrysler 300 and SRT8 Jeep Grand Cherokee. Also (supposedly) to be released later in the year is a new 8-speed automatic transmission.
For the review, per the request, I chose a black RWD R/T model with two-tone black/beige-cloth interior.....the only R/T that particular dealer had in stock. R/T models seem to be selling pretty well (myself, I would choose AWD), and not every dealership has much of a pick of them on the lot to choose from (I imagine the new SRT-8 will be even harder to get when it is released). I basically enjoyed drving it...by today's standards, it had the big, heavy, American-car feel, with muscle-car power, that I remember so well from my youth, but haven't seen or felt much of lately outside of a few pony-cars. The test-drive, however, was marred by a slight, but noticeable, steering-wheel shimmy at steady cruise-speeds and while accelerating at moderate speeds. That, of course, could have been from a number of things, such as out-of-round/out-of-balance wheels/tires, wheel-balance-machines that are not calibrated or used properly, or a defect in the steering/suspension. Steering-wheel shake, back in the 70s and 80s, used to be a very common problem on new cars right from the factory, especially as cars downsized, got lighter, and got rack-and-pinion steering and more-sensitive front-suspension components for better road feel/response, but you don't see it as often anymore on today's cars. Still, I find it occasionally on a new car I'm test-driving...it's not rare. And, thinking back to the late 60s/early 70s, with the sloppy construction and huge number of assembly-line defects in the Chrysler products of that era (The all-time record of defects in a single brand-new, car, for Consumer Reports, was in a 1970 Plymouth Belvedere), one or two small issues is certainly no big deal today.
But, on the whole, even with a suspension/tires that rode a little more firmly than I liked, I basically enjoyed the test-drive.....the positives I found with this car generally outnumbered the negatives. Details coming up.
MODEL REVIEWED: 2011 Dodge Charger R/T FWD
BASE PRICE: $30,170
OPTIONS:
Wheels/Tunes Package: $1195
Sunroof: $950
DESTINATION/FREIGHT: $825 (slightly more than average)
LIST PRICE AS REVIEWED: $33,140
DRIVETRAIN: RWD, Longitudinally-mounted 5.7L Hemi V8, 370 HP @ 5250 RPM, 395 ft-lbs. @ 4200 RPM, 5-speed Sport-Shift automatic transmission.
EPA MILEAGE RATING: 16 City / 25 Highway
EXTERIOR COLOR: Black Crystal Clearcoat Metallic
INTERIOR: Black/Light-Frost-Beige Cloth
PLUSSES:
Much better Charger retro-looks than before.
4-door utility and a usable back seat.
Smooth, powerful 5.7L Hemi V8.
Refined 5-speed automatic Sport-shift transmission.
Very quick steering response for a large car.
Relatively flat cornering.
Firm, effective brakes.
Good wind-noise control.
Good road-noise control.
Good-to-excellent paint job.
Generally nice paint colors...but where are the 1970/71 classic shades?
Strong, solid exterior sheet metal.
Very solid-closing doors (especially by today's standards)
Generally good underhood layout.
Nice hood-struts instead of a prop-rod.
Vastly-improved interior-trim over previous version.
Nicely-padded dash/door-panel trim.
Well-done steering wheel and leather wrapping.
Plush-feeling, comfortable seat fabric.
Widely-adjustable power-seats for comfort.
Split-rear seats fold for added cargo space.
Nice stereo-sound quality....but not a killer.
Clear, easy-to-read main-gauges.
Heated/cooled cupholders.
Push-button engine start/stop.
MINUSES:
No manual-transmission offered....an oversight in an American muscle-car.
AWD offered only on R/T models...it should be offered with the V6 as well.
R/T RWD and/or AWD models not readily in stock at some dealerships.
Sunroof housing impacts on both front/rear headroom for tall persons.
Tight rear legroom for tall persons.
Annoying (IMO) zig-zag shift-lever.
Awkward step-on parking brake.
Brake pedal not ideally-located for large shoes.
No body-side mouldings for parking-lot protection.
Cheap-feeling, hard-to-swivel side-mirror housings (a problem in many American-designed cars).
Rather complex stereo video-screen.
Cheaply-finished trunk.
Temporary spare tire.
Inconvienent battery-location under the trunk floor.
Tacky trunk-lid spoiler.
Bring back the classic paint-colors from 1970-71.
Slight steering-wheel shake on my test car.
Spotty reliability on past versions....and the new version, of course, is untested.
EXTERIOR:
The new 2011 Charger's restyled exterior, despite the retention of the 4-door set-up and the typical-for-now Dodge Cross-hair grille, is much more retro-looking than before. A whole row of taillights, like the original 60's-era Chargers, has been added across the rear of the car. Behind the two front wheel-wells are concave-scalloped areas in the fenders, also like the late-60's cars. The comparable heavy-gauge sheet metal, strong and solid, also harkens back to the original cars. The 4 doors shut with a solid-thud that you don't see much of anymore, even on the Charger's Ford-Taurus and Buick-LaCrosse competition. The obsession with weight-reduction and cost-cutting in many of today's cars has led to a lot of tinny-feeling bodies and doors....the new Charger, happily, avoids much of that. The paint-job is nicely-done.....Chrysler, like GM, has made big strides lately in paint-quality, though, overall, I think GM now has a slight edge in the paint department. the paint colors offered are generally nice (especially for the red and burnt-orange), but I'd like to see the classic 1970/71 Lime Green and Plum-Crazy purple added. (A limited-edition run of Plum-Crazy Dodge Challengers WAS done not long ago, however, but not on the Charger). The two outside mirrors, like those on many American-designed vehicles, have cheap-feeling plastic housings and don't swivel easily...it takes some force. The small plastic spoiler on the trunk-lid looked and felt tacky.....but, of course, it doesn't attract your attention like the massive, high, NASCAR-inspired wing on the 1969/70 Charger Daytona/Plymouth Road-Runner SuperBird. And, with the nice, heavy, solid sheet-metal and doors, Dodge didn't bother to spend just a tiny-bit more and at least put side-body mouldings on to protect the paint from parking-lot dings. Too bad. And, though I forgot to try it and verify it on the new Charger itself, many other Chrysler-products (and American-designed cars) don't give you a locking gas cap or filler-door, setting the stage for gas-siphoning in this age of the $4-a-gallon stuff.
UNDERHOOD:
Open the solid hood, and two nice gas=struts hold it up instead of a manual prop-rod. Under the hood is a nice insulation-pad. The basic underhood layout is not bad, despite the big engine, mostly because of the fairly large size of the engine compartment. The 5.7L Hemi V8, mounted longitudinally (fore/aft) fits in with at least some room in front of and around the sizes of the block to reach components. There is a fairly large, dark-gray "HEMI" plastic cover on top of the engine, and, of course, it does block some top-engine access. The dipsticks, filler-caps, fluid-reserviors, and some non-engine components under the hood are generally easy to reach, but the battery is mounted way back, in the trunk, under the floor, next to the temporary spare tire. That is a set-up you sometimes see in sports-cars for more-even weight distribution, but not often in sedans. Fortunately, once you get to the battery's location in the trunk, it is not covered up with another plastic panel, like in some cars.
INTERIOR:
Well, the new 2011 Charger's interior has gotten a lot of hype in the auto press and magazines. Most of it, IMO, is deserved. No, I didn't see any of the wood-tone trim that I typically like, but there were plenty of other nice things inside....especially compared to last year's model. The seats are generally comfortable and have plush, reasonably-soft-feeling fabric....many cloth-fabric seats today tend to be overly-hard. The power-front-seat motors give you quite a wide range of motion and adjustment. the steeting wheel is well-shaped, well-trimmed with a nice aluminum spokes that don't look cheap, and the leather-wrapping is smooth and comfortable to hold, even with the leather-stitches. The two primary-gauges are clear and easy-to-read, and most of the buttons/*****/levers were well-done, solid-feeling, and fairly easy to use.....though I didn't care for the stereo's complex video-screen adjustments. The dash, door-panel, and console-trim was impressive and generally well-padded with a plush-feel. The optional sunroof's housing, despite the wide range of power-seat adjustments in front, made for some rather tight headroom, both front and rear, for tall persons....with my ever-present baseball cap, I was just able to fit in under the front-roof with the seat-cushions all the way down. Legroom in back, despite the car's rather large physical size, was OK for smaller adults, but a little tight for larger ones. The sun-visors were done in a hard-padded material, but felt strong and solid. The headliner was a very thin fabric. Most of the interior hardware, unlike past Chrysler products, felt solid. The air-conditioning, on a sunny and warm day, felt fine, but not quite as strong as on some GM and Toyota/Lexus products. I posted images above of the optional red-leather seats, but the ones in my test-car were beige cloth. The steering-column had manual-tilt/telescope adjustments, which generally worked smoothly. The stereo-sound wasn't quite in the killer-range, but, nevertheless, sounded pretty good, especially with Iggy Pop and the Stooges doing "1970"....I couldn't resist putting that one on to bring back the spirit of the old Chargers I went to high-school with. All in all, despite a few minor glitches, I was pleased with the interior.
CARGO AREA/TRUNK:
Open up the solid trunk-lid (it generally shuts with a thud like the doors do), and you are greeted, as you would expect in a car of this size, with a relatively cavernous (by today's standards) sedan trunk. The size of the trunk lid, despite the rakish rear roof-line, isn't compromised very much, and, inside, there's plenty of room to carry things. The trunk, however, unlike the interior, is cheap-looking inside and not well-finished. A rough-feeling black carpet of almost industrial-grade covers the trunk floor, and the walls have an even cheaper-feeling black-covering on them. The 60/40 rear-seat folds down to add even more cargo space, but there are no remote-releases in the trunk for them.....you have to do it from the rear seat itself. Under the trunk-floor is, of course, the ubiquitous temporary-spare tire instead of a real one.
ON THE ROAD:
Well, a Charger, like any American muscle car, is built to drive, not to just gawk at the interior and listen to nostalgic music, so let's do that.....Drive. Start up the big (by today's standards) 5.7L Hemi V8 with an engine START/STOP button and proximity-fob. The Hemi starts up and idles smooth and refined, yet with a faint but distinctive muscle-car exhaust-rumble that is uniquely American. You expect a car like this to get out of its own way, and it does not disappoint. Give it some gas in the lower gears, and, while not as powerful as the larger 6.1L SRT8 Hemi, it still lunges forward like a classic muscle-car and presses your back firmly into the nicely-padded seatback. Turn off the traction/stability control (which I didn't do), and you could probably smoke the two rear tires. The American-rumble exhaust note builds with engine RPM and speed, but never gets to what I would call excessive or objectionable levels. So, while this is not quite the fastest car I've reviewed (that honor probably belongs to the Mercedes E63 AMG or Jaguar Supercharged XKR), rest assured that, if you need to pass that big semi-rig on a two-lane road, you've got the spunk to do it safely.
The 5-speed Sport-shift automatic transmission (an all-new 8-speed is reportedly on the way this summer) was smooth, refined, and almost seamless in its operation, though I didn't care much for the shifter. The lever felt cheap and flimsy, had a classic, annoying zig-zag pattern that I dislike, and, like most Mercedes/Chrysler levers, had the left/right "Side-Stick" manual-shift control insted of an additional fore-aft slot. I didn't see any steering-column shift-paddles for the transmission (unless I just missed them).....Dodge should, IMO, consider them.
The Charger's chassis was originally derived from the Mercedes E-Class, and it shows.....it is even better, IMO, with this new 2011 version than with the last one. The first time I tried some sharp manuvers I was very surprised at the quick steering response, almost to sports-car levels.....quite unusual for a big American sedan, and nothing like the original Chargers, which, even with Chrysler's Torsion/leaf suspension back then, were pretty good in a straight line, but not much else. Cornering, even with sharp inputs, showed little body roll. Of course, there is a small price to be paid for handling like this.....the suspension and tires ride just a little more stiffly than I'd like. But, overall, due to the Mercedes origin and the refinement it has gotten since then (even though M-B no longer owns Chrysler), it is quite a good ride/handling compromise.
As mentioned earlier, my test-car had a small but annoying steering-wheel shimmy that, hopefully, was just a simple matter of re-balancing or re-mounting the front wheels/tires, and not indicative of a more-complex defect in the steering or front-suspension. It is much less common on newer cars than a couple of decases ago, but still an occasional problem now and then.
Wind noise is well-controlled, and so is road/tire noise (unless, of course, you squeal the rear tires with the traction/stability turned off). The brakes were firm, without annoying sponginess, and quite effective. The R/T models don't get Brembo brakes like the SRT8, though the R/T Road & Track and Super-Trak Packs have special factory high-performance brakes. Still, it probably don't need Brembos.....the standard factory brakes were quite
impressive. The brake pedal, though, had a little of that common-problem with my big size-15 clown-shoes......mounted a little high and close to the gas pedal, my big shoe tended to hang up on the edge of the brake pedal when going from gas to brake, but not badly.
THE VERDICT:
Well, despite the small steering-wheel shimmy and the slightly-firmer-than-desired ride comfort, I had quite an enjoyable review and test-drive.......much more so than with the last Charger/Magnum series I looked at four or five years ago. Dodge has addressed a number of the shortcomings of the old model, while keeping the classic American-muscle-car spirit alive. The new interior is light-years ahead of the old one, though that is not readily-apparant in some pictures/images; you have to actually sit in it to see the main difference. The Mercedes-derived chassis/suspension, as in the old 2010 model as well, delivers excellent handling for a car this size, plus an only slightly-stiff penalty in ride-comfort. There is plenty of room in the trunk to carry things, if you need to, though the trunk could use a little better fit-finish. Yes, the car could use body-side mouldings and a real spare tire instead of a temporary one, but that is a complaint with most of today's cars, not just the Charger. It now looks more like the classic late-60's Chargers, and, even with a $33,000-plus price tag, is not, IMO, overpriced for what you get. AWD is available for bad weather (something the 60's-era muscle cars could only dream of).
But, before you rush out and sign on the dotted-line, there are still some possible flies in the ointment. The Charger, like its brother Magnum and Chrysler 300, according to Consumer Reports, has had a spotty reliability record. The new model, despite its hugely-upgraded interior and better styling, is still brand-new and untested. Some CL members who have bought recent Chrysler products, even some new 2011 models, have not had trouble-free experiences. In my area (NoVA/D.C. suburbs), Charger R/T and/or AWD models don't seem to be readily in stock....that could mean placing factory-orders and waiting. Dodge/Chrysler/Jeep dealerships, in general, do not have a very high level of customer-service or satisfaction. And, before you buy or lease one the present models, you might want to wait for the SRT8 and 8-speed-automatic models coming out later this year.....hopefully, Dodge will also reconsider and offer a true 5 or 6-speed manual for Charger-enthusiasts, but there's no guarantee of that.
So, with this car, like with any other, you have to weigh the good against the not-so-good. But, you can rest-assured of one thing.....today's Charger, no matter what the situation, is likely to be a lot-better car than the original one I grew up with.
And, as always, Happy Car Shopping.
MM
http://www.dodge.com/en/2011/charger/index.html
IN A NUTSHELL: A classic 60s Muscle-Car, but now with 4 doors for Baby-Boomers and their kids ...or Grand-kids.
I received a request from a well-respected CL member for a review of the all-new 2011 Dodge Charger R/T...a classic 1960s American muscle-car that I myself grew up with in high school over 40 years ago. I saw a couple of different versions the 2011 Charger at the D.C. Auto Show in January and generally liked what I saw....the 2011 version is a noticeable improvement over the past model in several areas.
The Dodge Charger was originally introduced in 1966 as a two-door fastback version of the mid-sized Dodge Coronet. Its styling was very similiar to the competing AMC/Rambler Marlin, and the big-engine versions also competed with the Pontiac GTO, Buick GS350/400, Chevy Chevelle SS, Oldsmobile 4-4-2, Mercury Cyclone, Plymouth Road Runner, and other similiar mid-sized two-door muscle-cars. Huge 426 Hemi and 440 V8 powerplants were added for performance...with up to triple-deuce carburators. Charger R/Ts, Dodge Super-Bees, Dart 340s, and other cars in the famous Dodge 'Scat-Pack" series of muscle-cars were easily-spotted by the distinctive "Bumble-Bee" stripes around the trunk-lid and rear-fenders. In 1970, two of my favorite colors, at extra-cost, were added.....Sub-Lime-Green and Plum-Crazy (Purple), along with the also-extra-cost Hemi-Orange, Lemon (Yellow) Twist, and Tor-Red. Like with many other American muscle-cars, though, fuel-economy and emission rules in the 1970s forced the Charger's demise, and the car faded from the scene.
A natural-gas-burning Charger concept-car was brought back some 25 years later in the show-car circuit, painted a Burnt-Orange metalflake color, but nothing much became of it. A small FWD Charger 2+2 sport-coupe (including a Shelby version), based on the sub-compact Dodge Omni/Plymouth Horizon, had been produced in the early 1980s, but, like most Chrysler products of the era, was poorly-built and unimpressive....I remember test-driving one.
A much more serious Charger was introduced some years later, in early 2005, after the Chrysler merge with Daimler (Mercedes). This car, in size and power, along with its brother Dodge Magnum wagon, was much more of a true replacement for the old 60's/early-70s Charger than the silly Charger 2+2 had been. It brought back the mid/full-size (though now unibody) frame, (courtesy of the Mercedes E-Class), big V6/V8 power, and something to, once again, back up the Charger name. Only this new Charger had something a true American muscle-car had almost never seen before....4 doors. Of course, to some extent, that made sense.......many of the Baby-Boomers I had grown up with had long-since gotten married and had kids, and, in some cases, even grand-kids. It also had, for the first time, an AWD option, for buyers in bad-weather areas. This new, resurrected, 4-door Charger recaptured some of the lost spirit of the 1960s, but, even with the big frame, RWD, and V8-muscle, it was still lacking in some areas. Its interior quality, trim materials, thin-plastic parts, and overall assembly-quality left some to be desired, and its reliability record, while not the worst of Chrysler products, was mediocre.
So, for 2011, after Fiat's acquisition of Chrysler, it was time to introduce a new, improved, upgraded version of the Charger....and upgraded and improved it is...the new interior, for example, is light-years ahead of last year. And the Charger is not the only new-generation, improved Chrysler product to be released this year.....it joins the also-new Chrysler 300 (done on the same platform) and Jeep Grand Cherokee, which is also all-new and
has vastly-upgraded interior and drivetrain-refinement.
Eight (?) versions of the new Charger are offered....SE RWD, Rallye RWD, Rallye-Plus RWD, R/T RWD, R/T AWD, R/T-Plus AWD, R/T Road and Track RWD, and R/T-Max RWD/AWD. (the web-site is a little confusing on these details, and no paper-brochures were available today at the Dodge shop). All R/T models get the ubiquitous 5.7L Hemi V8 with 370 HP/395 ft-lbs. of torque and a 5-speed automatic Sport-shift transmission. The others get the equally-ubiquitous 3.6L V6 with 292 HP HP and 260 ft-lbs. of torque, and the same 5-speed automatic. No manual is offered....a marketing error, IMO, in a purpose-designed American muscle-car. AWD is not offered with the V6 models; only the RWD...another marketing error, IMO. I couldn't find the new SRT-8 Charger with the larger 6.4L Hemi either in stock or on the website. The Dodge people say it probably won't be released until later in the year (maybe early fall), in conjunction with the new SRT8 Chrysler 300 and SRT8 Jeep Grand Cherokee. Also (supposedly) to be released later in the year is a new 8-speed automatic transmission.
For the review, per the request, I chose a black RWD R/T model with two-tone black/beige-cloth interior.....the only R/T that particular dealer had in stock. R/T models seem to be selling pretty well (myself, I would choose AWD), and not every dealership has much of a pick of them on the lot to choose from (I imagine the new SRT-8 will be even harder to get when it is released). I basically enjoyed drving it...by today's standards, it had the big, heavy, American-car feel, with muscle-car power, that I remember so well from my youth, but haven't seen or felt much of lately outside of a few pony-cars. The test-drive, however, was marred by a slight, but noticeable, steering-wheel shimmy at steady cruise-speeds and while accelerating at moderate speeds. That, of course, could have been from a number of things, such as out-of-round/out-of-balance wheels/tires, wheel-balance-machines that are not calibrated or used properly, or a defect in the steering/suspension. Steering-wheel shake, back in the 70s and 80s, used to be a very common problem on new cars right from the factory, especially as cars downsized, got lighter, and got rack-and-pinion steering and more-sensitive front-suspension components for better road feel/response, but you don't see it as often anymore on today's cars. Still, I find it occasionally on a new car I'm test-driving...it's not rare. And, thinking back to the late 60s/early 70s, with the sloppy construction and huge number of assembly-line defects in the Chrysler products of that era (The all-time record of defects in a single brand-new, car, for Consumer Reports, was in a 1970 Plymouth Belvedere), one or two small issues is certainly no big deal today.
But, on the whole, even with a suspension/tires that rode a little more firmly than I liked, I basically enjoyed the test-drive.....the positives I found with this car generally outnumbered the negatives. Details coming up.
MODEL REVIEWED: 2011 Dodge Charger R/T FWD
BASE PRICE: $30,170
OPTIONS:
Wheels/Tunes Package: $1195
Sunroof: $950
DESTINATION/FREIGHT: $825 (slightly more than average)
LIST PRICE AS REVIEWED: $33,140
DRIVETRAIN: RWD, Longitudinally-mounted 5.7L Hemi V8, 370 HP @ 5250 RPM, 395 ft-lbs. @ 4200 RPM, 5-speed Sport-Shift automatic transmission.
EPA MILEAGE RATING: 16 City / 25 Highway
EXTERIOR COLOR: Black Crystal Clearcoat Metallic
INTERIOR: Black/Light-Frost-Beige Cloth
PLUSSES:
Much better Charger retro-looks than before.
4-door utility and a usable back seat.
Smooth, powerful 5.7L Hemi V8.
Refined 5-speed automatic Sport-shift transmission.
Very quick steering response for a large car.
Relatively flat cornering.
Firm, effective brakes.
Good wind-noise control.
Good road-noise control.
Good-to-excellent paint job.
Generally nice paint colors...but where are the 1970/71 classic shades?
Strong, solid exterior sheet metal.
Very solid-closing doors (especially by today's standards)
Generally good underhood layout.
Nice hood-struts instead of a prop-rod.
Vastly-improved interior-trim over previous version.
Nicely-padded dash/door-panel trim.
Well-done steering wheel and leather wrapping.
Plush-feeling, comfortable seat fabric.
Widely-adjustable power-seats for comfort.
Split-rear seats fold for added cargo space.
Nice stereo-sound quality....but not a killer.
Clear, easy-to-read main-gauges.
Heated/cooled cupholders.
Push-button engine start/stop.
MINUSES:
No manual-transmission offered....an oversight in an American muscle-car.
AWD offered only on R/T models...it should be offered with the V6 as well.
R/T RWD and/or AWD models not readily in stock at some dealerships.
Sunroof housing impacts on both front/rear headroom for tall persons.
Tight rear legroom for tall persons.
Annoying (IMO) zig-zag shift-lever.
Awkward step-on parking brake.
Brake pedal not ideally-located for large shoes.
No body-side mouldings for parking-lot protection.
Cheap-feeling, hard-to-swivel side-mirror housings (a problem in many American-designed cars).
Rather complex stereo video-screen.
Cheaply-finished trunk.
Temporary spare tire.
Inconvienent battery-location under the trunk floor.
Tacky trunk-lid spoiler.
Bring back the classic paint-colors from 1970-71.
Slight steering-wheel shake on my test car.
Spotty reliability on past versions....and the new version, of course, is untested.
EXTERIOR:
The new 2011 Charger's restyled exterior, despite the retention of the 4-door set-up and the typical-for-now Dodge Cross-hair grille, is much more retro-looking than before. A whole row of taillights, like the original 60's-era Chargers, has been added across the rear of the car. Behind the two front wheel-wells are concave-scalloped areas in the fenders, also like the late-60's cars. The comparable heavy-gauge sheet metal, strong and solid, also harkens back to the original cars. The 4 doors shut with a solid-thud that you don't see much of anymore, even on the Charger's Ford-Taurus and Buick-LaCrosse competition. The obsession with weight-reduction and cost-cutting in many of today's cars has led to a lot of tinny-feeling bodies and doors....the new Charger, happily, avoids much of that. The paint-job is nicely-done.....Chrysler, like GM, has made big strides lately in paint-quality, though, overall, I think GM now has a slight edge in the paint department. the paint colors offered are generally nice (especially for the red and burnt-orange), but I'd like to see the classic 1970/71 Lime Green and Plum-Crazy purple added. (A limited-edition run of Plum-Crazy Dodge Challengers WAS done not long ago, however, but not on the Charger). The two outside mirrors, like those on many American-designed vehicles, have cheap-feeling plastic housings and don't swivel easily...it takes some force. The small plastic spoiler on the trunk-lid looked and felt tacky.....but, of course, it doesn't attract your attention like the massive, high, NASCAR-inspired wing on the 1969/70 Charger Daytona/Plymouth Road-Runner SuperBird. And, with the nice, heavy, solid sheet-metal and doors, Dodge didn't bother to spend just a tiny-bit more and at least put side-body mouldings on to protect the paint from parking-lot dings. Too bad. And, though I forgot to try it and verify it on the new Charger itself, many other Chrysler-products (and American-designed cars) don't give you a locking gas cap or filler-door, setting the stage for gas-siphoning in this age of the $4-a-gallon stuff.
UNDERHOOD:
Open the solid hood, and two nice gas=struts hold it up instead of a manual prop-rod. Under the hood is a nice insulation-pad. The basic underhood layout is not bad, despite the big engine, mostly because of the fairly large size of the engine compartment. The 5.7L Hemi V8, mounted longitudinally (fore/aft) fits in with at least some room in front of and around the sizes of the block to reach components. There is a fairly large, dark-gray "HEMI" plastic cover on top of the engine, and, of course, it does block some top-engine access. The dipsticks, filler-caps, fluid-reserviors, and some non-engine components under the hood are generally easy to reach, but the battery is mounted way back, in the trunk, under the floor, next to the temporary spare tire. That is a set-up you sometimes see in sports-cars for more-even weight distribution, but not often in sedans. Fortunately, once you get to the battery's location in the trunk, it is not covered up with another plastic panel, like in some cars.
INTERIOR:
Well, the new 2011 Charger's interior has gotten a lot of hype in the auto press and magazines. Most of it, IMO, is deserved. No, I didn't see any of the wood-tone trim that I typically like, but there were plenty of other nice things inside....especially compared to last year's model. The seats are generally comfortable and have plush, reasonably-soft-feeling fabric....many cloth-fabric seats today tend to be overly-hard. The power-front-seat motors give you quite a wide range of motion and adjustment. the steeting wheel is well-shaped, well-trimmed with a nice aluminum spokes that don't look cheap, and the leather-wrapping is smooth and comfortable to hold, even with the leather-stitches. The two primary-gauges are clear and easy-to-read, and most of the buttons/*****/levers were well-done, solid-feeling, and fairly easy to use.....though I didn't care for the stereo's complex video-screen adjustments. The dash, door-panel, and console-trim was impressive and generally well-padded with a plush-feel. The optional sunroof's housing, despite the wide range of power-seat adjustments in front, made for some rather tight headroom, both front and rear, for tall persons....with my ever-present baseball cap, I was just able to fit in under the front-roof with the seat-cushions all the way down. Legroom in back, despite the car's rather large physical size, was OK for smaller adults, but a little tight for larger ones. The sun-visors were done in a hard-padded material, but felt strong and solid. The headliner was a very thin fabric. Most of the interior hardware, unlike past Chrysler products, felt solid. The air-conditioning, on a sunny and warm day, felt fine, but not quite as strong as on some GM and Toyota/Lexus products. I posted images above of the optional red-leather seats, but the ones in my test-car were beige cloth. The steering-column had manual-tilt/telescope adjustments, which generally worked smoothly. The stereo-sound wasn't quite in the killer-range, but, nevertheless, sounded pretty good, especially with Iggy Pop and the Stooges doing "1970"....I couldn't resist putting that one on to bring back the spirit of the old Chargers I went to high-school with. All in all, despite a few minor glitches, I was pleased with the interior.
CARGO AREA/TRUNK:
Open up the solid trunk-lid (it generally shuts with a thud like the doors do), and you are greeted, as you would expect in a car of this size, with a relatively cavernous (by today's standards) sedan trunk. The size of the trunk lid, despite the rakish rear roof-line, isn't compromised very much, and, inside, there's plenty of room to carry things. The trunk, however, unlike the interior, is cheap-looking inside and not well-finished. A rough-feeling black carpet of almost industrial-grade covers the trunk floor, and the walls have an even cheaper-feeling black-covering on them. The 60/40 rear-seat folds down to add even more cargo space, but there are no remote-releases in the trunk for them.....you have to do it from the rear seat itself. Under the trunk-floor is, of course, the ubiquitous temporary-spare tire instead of a real one.
ON THE ROAD:
Well, a Charger, like any American muscle car, is built to drive, not to just gawk at the interior and listen to nostalgic music, so let's do that.....Drive. Start up the big (by today's standards) 5.7L Hemi V8 with an engine START/STOP button and proximity-fob. The Hemi starts up and idles smooth and refined, yet with a faint but distinctive muscle-car exhaust-rumble that is uniquely American. You expect a car like this to get out of its own way, and it does not disappoint. Give it some gas in the lower gears, and, while not as powerful as the larger 6.1L SRT8 Hemi, it still lunges forward like a classic muscle-car and presses your back firmly into the nicely-padded seatback. Turn off the traction/stability control (which I didn't do), and you could probably smoke the two rear tires. The American-rumble exhaust note builds with engine RPM and speed, but never gets to what I would call excessive or objectionable levels. So, while this is not quite the fastest car I've reviewed (that honor probably belongs to the Mercedes E63 AMG or Jaguar Supercharged XKR), rest assured that, if you need to pass that big semi-rig on a two-lane road, you've got the spunk to do it safely.
The 5-speed Sport-shift automatic transmission (an all-new 8-speed is reportedly on the way this summer) was smooth, refined, and almost seamless in its operation, though I didn't care much for the shifter. The lever felt cheap and flimsy, had a classic, annoying zig-zag pattern that I dislike, and, like most Mercedes/Chrysler levers, had the left/right "Side-Stick" manual-shift control insted of an additional fore-aft slot. I didn't see any steering-column shift-paddles for the transmission (unless I just missed them).....Dodge should, IMO, consider them.
The Charger's chassis was originally derived from the Mercedes E-Class, and it shows.....it is even better, IMO, with this new 2011 version than with the last one. The first time I tried some sharp manuvers I was very surprised at the quick steering response, almost to sports-car levels.....quite unusual for a big American sedan, and nothing like the original Chargers, which, even with Chrysler's Torsion/leaf suspension back then, were pretty good in a straight line, but not much else. Cornering, even with sharp inputs, showed little body roll. Of course, there is a small price to be paid for handling like this.....the suspension and tires ride just a little more stiffly than I'd like. But, overall, due to the Mercedes origin and the refinement it has gotten since then (even though M-B no longer owns Chrysler), it is quite a good ride/handling compromise.
As mentioned earlier, my test-car had a small but annoying steering-wheel shimmy that, hopefully, was just a simple matter of re-balancing or re-mounting the front wheels/tires, and not indicative of a more-complex defect in the steering or front-suspension. It is much less common on newer cars than a couple of decases ago, but still an occasional problem now and then.
Wind noise is well-controlled, and so is road/tire noise (unless, of course, you squeal the rear tires with the traction/stability turned off). The brakes were firm, without annoying sponginess, and quite effective. The R/T models don't get Brembo brakes like the SRT8, though the R/T Road & Track and Super-Trak Packs have special factory high-performance brakes. Still, it probably don't need Brembos.....the standard factory brakes were quite
impressive. The brake pedal, though, had a little of that common-problem with my big size-15 clown-shoes......mounted a little high and close to the gas pedal, my big shoe tended to hang up on the edge of the brake pedal when going from gas to brake, but not badly.
THE VERDICT:
Well, despite the small steering-wheel shimmy and the slightly-firmer-than-desired ride comfort, I had quite an enjoyable review and test-drive.......much more so than with the last Charger/Magnum series I looked at four or five years ago. Dodge has addressed a number of the shortcomings of the old model, while keeping the classic American-muscle-car spirit alive. The new interior is light-years ahead of the old one, though that is not readily-apparant in some pictures/images; you have to actually sit in it to see the main difference. The Mercedes-derived chassis/suspension, as in the old 2010 model as well, delivers excellent handling for a car this size, plus an only slightly-stiff penalty in ride-comfort. There is plenty of room in the trunk to carry things, if you need to, though the trunk could use a little better fit-finish. Yes, the car could use body-side mouldings and a real spare tire instead of a temporary one, but that is a complaint with most of today's cars, not just the Charger. It now looks more like the classic late-60's Chargers, and, even with a $33,000-plus price tag, is not, IMO, overpriced for what you get. AWD is available for bad weather (something the 60's-era muscle cars could only dream of).
But, before you rush out and sign on the dotted-line, there are still some possible flies in the ointment. The Charger, like its brother Magnum and Chrysler 300, according to Consumer Reports, has had a spotty reliability record. The new model, despite its hugely-upgraded interior and better styling, is still brand-new and untested. Some CL members who have bought recent Chrysler products, even some new 2011 models, have not had trouble-free experiences. In my area (NoVA/D.C. suburbs), Charger R/T and/or AWD models don't seem to be readily in stock....that could mean placing factory-orders and waiting. Dodge/Chrysler/Jeep dealerships, in general, do not have a very high level of customer-service or satisfaction. And, before you buy or lease one the present models, you might want to wait for the SRT8 and 8-speed-automatic models coming out later this year.....hopefully, Dodge will also reconsider and offer a true 5 or 6-speed manual for Charger-enthusiasts, but there's no guarantee of that.
So, with this car, like with any other, you have to weigh the good against the not-so-good. But, you can rest-assured of one thing.....today's Charger, no matter what the situation, is likely to be a lot-better car than the original one I grew up with.
And, as always, Happy Car Shopping.
MM
Last edited by mmarshall; 05-08-11 at 04:02 AM.
05-07-11, 08:23 PM
#3
Nice review Marshall. I think that this new(er) Charger is much improved over what it replaces but still isn't class leading (of course I wasn't expecting it too). I think one of my favorite angles on the exterior of this car is the rear with it's striking taillight design.
Isn't the SRT8 engine now enlarged 6.4L?
The interior is soooo much better than the previous generation. Nicer materials, better layout etc. I agree that the omission of a 6-speed manual and AWD on the V6 are errors on Dodge's part. I'm curious if the Challenger will also get a taillight similar to the Charger. Again nice review!
I couldn't find the new SRT-8 Charger with the larger 6.1L Hemi either in stock or on the website.
The interior is soooo much better than the previous generation. Nicer materials, better layout etc. I agree that the omission of a 6-speed manual and AWD on the V6 are errors on Dodge's part. I'm curious if the Challenger will also get a taillight similar to the Charger. Again nice review!
05-07-11, 08:39 PM
#4
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Nice review Marshall. I think that this new(er) Charger is much improved over what it replaces but still isn't class leading (of course I wasn't expecting it too). I think one of my favorite angles on the exterior of this car is the rear with it's striking taillight design.
Isn't the SRT8 engine now enlarged 6.4L?
The interior is soooo much better than the previous generation. Nicer materials, better layout etc. I agree that the omission of a 6-speed manual and AWD on the V6 are errors on Dodge's part. I'm curious if the Challenger will also get a taillight similar to the Charger. Again nice review!
Isn't the SRT8 engine now enlarged 6.4L?
The interior is soooo much better than the previous generation. Nicer materials, better layout etc. I agree that the omission of a 6-speed manual and AWD on the V6 are errors on Dodge's part. I'm curious if the Challenger will also get a taillight similar to the Charger. Again nice review!
The Previous model LX vehicles with the 2.7 and 3.5 had more issues that red flagged them in consumers report
05-07-11, 11:06 PM
#5
Lexus Test Driver
While the interior is an improvement, it still several redesigns behind. This style was popular back in the day of the first Explorer/Ranger, 1994 Camry and 2001 4-Runner.
05-08-11, 03:58 AM
#7
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
Thanks.
Wall-to-wall taillights were used on several cars in the late 60's...not just the original Charger, but on the Mercury Cougar, Ford Thunderbird, and others. The Cougar and Thunderbird also used them in sequenced turn-signals where the lights flashed from inner to outer depending on the turn.
The new one hasn't been released yet, but I think you're right.....it's bumping up a couple of notches. I'll correct the typo if necessary.
It already does....just like the original Charger and Challenger.
I think that this new(er) Charger is much improved over what it replaces but still isn't class leading (of course I wasn't expecting it too). I think one of my favorite angles on the exterior of this car is the rear with it's striking taillight design.
Isn't the SRT8 engine now enlarged 6.4L?
I'm curious if the Challenger will also get a taillight similar to the Charger.
Last edited by mmarshall; 05-08-11 at 04:05 AM.
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05-08-11, 05:56 AM
#10
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Nice Mike 
FYI... it is a 6.4 matted to an 8-speed for mid-summer... new Durango R/T arrives in a week, but with the old 5-speed... and then there's that fire issue
I loved the big screen display, interior, extrior on the Charger... but man, 5-speed and reliability issues still haunt...
FYI... it is a 6.4 matted to an 8-speed for mid-summer... new Durango R/T arrives in a week, but with the old 5-speed... and then there's that fire issue
I loved the big screen display, interior, extrior on the Charger... but man, 5-speed and reliability issues still haunt...
05-08-11, 09:10 AM
#11
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
Thanks.
We don't know, right now, whether reliability will still be a problem with this all-new version. But, you have a point.....under the all-new skin and interior lies pretty much the same mechanicals (until the new 8-speed comes out), only now with a different wrapper.
5-speed and reliability issues still haunt...
05-08-11, 09:28 AM
#12
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
05-08-11, 09:29 AM
#13
i feel sorry for those who go out and buy one of these after the Fast Five movie. there will be a new 8 speed auto added in very near future. that also will be on the new Chrysler 300/300C. according to Motortrend, the only thing lagging in the new Charger is the ancient 5 speed auto, it's sluggish, slow and heavy.
05-08-11, 09:37 AM
#14
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
i feel sorry for those who go out and buy one of these after the Fast Five movie. there will be a new 8 speed auto added in very near future. that also will be on the new Chrysler 300/300C. according to Motortrend, the only thing lagging in the new Charger is the ancient 5 speed auto, it's sluggish, slow and heavy.
