In a market that seems to want less to do with traditional sedans each year, the 2019 Dodge Charger not only survives but prospers thanks to its charisma, style, and, of course, gobs of V8 power. The breadth of the Charger range also helps keep it relevant – after all, there's not too many other cars that can be a police cruiser, family four-door, or the world's most powerful sedan. The Charger is as about as versatile as it is fast, and brings affordable performance to the masses in a way few other sedans do.
What's New for 2019
The base SXT trim, which was previously rear-wheel drive only, can now be equipped with all-wheel drive; conversely, the previously AWD-only GT trim is exclusively RWD. SRT Hellcats get two new performance features: Torque Reserve, which generates a reserve of torque from the supercharger to be released at launch, and an after-run chiller that cools down the supercharger even after the car is turned off. Line Lock and launch control now come with Scat Pack models as well as Hellcats. GT and R/T models receive subtle updated styling cues such as a new hood design and updated fascias, and chassis upgrades promise improved handling.
Choosing Your Dodge Charger
Buying a Charger will throw you back to the heyday of American motoring. When was the last time a four-door sedan was offered with three V8s and just one V6? With the seemingly universal application of turbo-fours these days, the Charger's insistence on old-school V8 motivation is a patriotic middle-finger salute to the practical and pragmatic. Have no doubt about it – the glory of American excess is alive and well in the Charger.
Because the path to sales volume isn't lined with eight cylinders, FCA's Pentastar V6 is used for the most affordable SXT and GT models. Displacing 3.6 liters, the six makes 292 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque in the SXT and 300 horses and 264 lb-ft in the GT. It's a thrifty enough engine to let RWD models achieve an EPA-estimated 19 miles per gallon city, 30 mpg highway, and 23 combined; AWD brings fuel economy down to 18/27/21 mpg (city/highway/combined).
The 5.7-liter V8 that comes in R/T models is the tamest of the available V8s. It pumps out 370 hp and 395 lb-ft of torque. Like all the Charger's available engines, the power is channeled to the driven wheels by an eight-speed automatic transmission. Gas mileage is 16/25/19 mpg.
The fun really starts with the 6.4-liter V8 found in the Scat Pack and Daytona 392. With the added displacement comes a heaping of extra power, bringing total output to a stout 485 hp and 475 lb-ft of torque. Compared with the lighter-duty 5.7-liter, the 6.4 uses stronger valves, a higher compression ratio, and a performance exhaust. Fuel economy drops to 15/24/18 mpg.
Atop the food chain is the omnivorous SRT Hellcat. This supercharged 6.2-liter engine was already loco in the Challenger; it's utter insanity when hidden within the Charger's four-door silhouette. Horsepower is an outrageous 707 and there's 650 lb-ft of torque. It's enough power to let the Hellcat Charger reach 204 mph – a top speed normally reserved for six-figure exotics.
There's a whole hodgepodge of packages, with many of them available across the entire range save the Hellcat. The $1,245 Driver Confidence Group includes blind-spot monitoring, power heated mirrors, HID headlights, and rear cross-traffic alert. A $845 Navigation and Travel Group includes the Uconnect 8.4-inch touchscreen system with navigation, SiriusXM, and Bluetooth. The $1,895 Technology Group comes with automatic high beams, automatic emergency braking, collision control, and other active-safety features.
The Plus Group is available across the range but included equipment differs slightly depending on model. However, all models get an alarm, floor mats, blind-spot monitoring, power heated mirrors, LED interior lighting, a soft-touch dashboard, HID headlights, and a power tilt/telescoping steering column. The popular Blacktop Package is available on all models but the Scat Pack and Hellcat. It makes things look a bit more sinister with black 20-inch wheels, badging, spoiler, and interior trim, and also includes the sport-tuned suspension.
There's also a painter's palette worth of color choices on the Charger, ranging from the traditional white and black to more flamboyant hues such as the F8 Green, Go Mango, Plum Crazy, and Destroyer Grey.
The cheapest Charger is an SXT, which starts at $30,390 (all prices include the $1,395 destination charge). This is the only trim offered with AWD, an option that costs an extra $3,850. Power comes from the 3.6-liter V6. Standard features include 17-inch wheels, automatic headlights, LED running lights, dual-zone manual climate control, cloth upholstery, a power eight-way passenger seat and a power six-way driver's seat, and a leather-wrapped shift knob and steering wheel. The gauge cluster houses a 140-mph speedometer and a driver information center, and the center stack includes a seven-inch touchscreen that houses the Uconnect infotainment software. Two USB ports, six speakers, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and voice command are all included at no charge.
The available $1,095 Alpine Audio Group includes a nine-speaker Alpine sound system. The $495 Cold Weather Group appeases northern buyers with heated front seats and a heated steering wheel; SXT buyers also get heated mirrors. For those opting for the $2,795 Plus Group, the SXT-specific extras include Nappa leather, 20-inch wheels, a wi-fi hotspot, the 8.4-inch Uconnect system, an auto-dimming mirror, the sport-tuned suspension, and heated mirrors.
The GT costs $32,690 and is the second of the two V6-powered trim levels. Additional standard features over the SXT include LED fog lights, power and heated mirrors, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, a body-color spoiler, 19-inch wheels, dual-zone automatic climate control, and an eight-way power driver's seat. The 8.4-inch Uconnect is standard here, and buried within its menus is the Dodge Performance Pages, which maintains a real-time record of various performance parameters.
The same optional packages available on the SXT are available here as well, though prices and included equipment differ slightly. The biggest differences are the Navigation Group, which goes up to $995 and includes additional SiriusXM features, and the Plus Group, which drops in price to $2,595 thanks to the GT's extra standard features. The one package exclusive to the GT is the Performance Handling Group. It costs $1,495 and includes a high-performance suspension, 20-inch wheels, and four-piston Brembo brakes with black calipers.
The only model Charger with all-wheel drive now, the GT trim is also limited to a V6 engine and starts at $33,590.
Standard equipment includes 19-inch wheels, gloss black fascia trim, steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters on a leather-wrapped steering wheel. Otherwise, standard equipment and all package options available mirror the SXT.
A Plus Package ($2,670) boosts horsepower to an even 300 and adds heated and ventilated front seats with power adjustability, a heated steering wheel, heated outboard rear seats, and a performance steering wheel. The pricier trim also includes HID headlights, gloss black trim and blind spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert.
Adding the Plus Package also grants access to ritzier features – the $1,595 Technology Package adds adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning with lane-keeping assist, automatic high beams, a power tilt/telescopic steering wheel, and rain-sensing wipers. A GT Performance Package piles on $595 to the price and swaps out the standard 19s for a flashier set, a black spoiler, and Nappa leather and Alcantara suede upholstery. A $1,995 Sun and Sound Package marries the Beats audio system and sunroof.
The $37,390 R/T represents the cheapest way to get into a V8-powered Charger. There's no additional standard features besides the 5.7-liter V8 and the requisite hardware upgrades; consider the price bump over the GT simply the cost of entry for V8 power.
As with the GT, the Performance Handling Group is again available. A $3,495 Daytona Edition Group includes leather and Alcantara seats, a cold air intake, blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert, a soft-touch dashboard, a distinct instrument panel, 20-inch wheels, a black spoiler, and Daytona decals. There's also the $1,595 Harmon Kardon Audio Group, which shoehorns 19 speakers into the Charger's cabin.
At $41,390, the 485-hp Scat Pack represents the most horsepower per dollar of the Charger lineup and possibly the car market in general. Besides the 6.4-liter V8 that's the Scat's hallmark, mechanical highlights include Brembo four-piston brakes, a 220-amp alternator, a 3.09 rear axle, three-mode stability control, a severe-duty cooling system, launch control, and a line lock drag-racing function. Car spotters will want to note the distinctive matte black spoiler, 20-inch wheels, and unique grille shared only with the Hellcat. In terms of comfort and convenience, the Scat gets heated front seats and steering wheel, cloth performance seats embroidered with the Scat Pack logo, memory functions for seats and mirrors, LED headlights, the more comprehensive SRT Performance Pages, and a 180-mph speedometer.
The Daytona Package is again available, as is the Harmon Kardon sound system. A $2,200 Dynamics Package is exclusive to the Scat Pack and comes with larger Brembo brakes and black 20-inch wheels. Three-mode adaptive dampers are a $995 option with the box ticked for the Dynamics Package.
The Kitty from the depths of the underworld, the 707 horses of the SRT Hellcat cost a cool $68,440 after a $1,700 Gas Guzzler tax is levied against it. The calling card here is, of course, that supercharged 6.2-liter V8 and its ridiculous horsepower count. Along with the motor, Hellcats get an after-run chiller for supercharger cooling purposes, line lock, launch control, torque reserve, a heavy-duty rear axle with a 2.62 final drive, bigger brakes with red brake calipers, performance tuned steering, and a competition suspension.
On the outside, there's an aluminium performance hood, a unique body-color spoiler, and 20-inch wheels with 275-width tires. The speedometer goes up to 200 mph, and the engine-turned aluminium trim can be better enjoyed with the standard ambient LED interior lighting. Heated and ventilated leather seats are embroidered with the hellcat logo are standard – it's the only trim with standard leather seating – and the rear seats are also heated. The steering wheel is flat-bottomed and comes wrapped in premium leather. Perhaps due to the consequences that come with mishandling 707 horsepower, the full suite of active-safety features is made standard.
Buyers only have the choice of two option packages: the Harmon Kardon sound system and a Driver Convenience Group. The latter is a no-cost option. and includes power lumbar and seat adjustment for front seats and a power tilt and telescoping steering column. For $695, buyers can have the seats upholstered in Alcantara rather than leather. Navigation remains a $995 option.
CarsDirect Tip
It's no contest, the Scat Pack is the best deal in the 2019 Dodge Charger lineup. With 485 horsepower at just a shade over $40 grand, the math works out to $85 a horsepower, which is a veritable performance bargain. For those looking to get a fast-moving sedan at a steal of a price, the Scat Pack can't be beat.
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