Challenger, right ... the slow one with the limp handling ... bigger than a G8 for godsakes ... Camaro and Mustang always seem to win the comparos ...
No. Wait. Stop your brain right there. You cannot, I repeat, cannot think of the Challenger as a wannabe Camaro or Mustang. Comparing this thing to the other so-called muscle cars is like comparing a Rolls-Royce Phantom Coupe to, well, anything. Because the Challenger is in a class of one. It's awesomely, unapologetically, enormously American. It's a rolling middle finger to the Honda/BMW generation, i.e., the ones whose idea of a good time is a firm suspension and a shortage of low-end torque. It's what the Cadillac coupe should be.
It's the kind of car that I thought -- feared -- this country didn't know how to make anymore.
To take a Challenger R/T 6MT on a multi-day road trip, as I did up the coast to Monterey last week, is to realize that this is the most authentic slice of Americana to hit dealerships in decades. The highway ride is downright pillowy, which makes the 64.7-mph slalom speed on slippery tires even more impressive. The seats, front and back, are wide and comfy. The cabin is living-room quiet. Elevated speeds are conveyed by the speedometer needle, not by any loss of dynamic composure. This isn't some rough-around-the-edges burnout machine; no sirree. It's a personal luxury coupe in the grand American tradition, with modern handling capabilities thrown in for kicks.
As for the powertrain, "Amen" is what I have to say about that. Unlike the Camaro's strangled LS3, the Challenger's 5.7-liter Hemi always sounds right, whether burbling distantly at 1,600 rpm (which is where the hilariously tall sixth gear puts you at 70 mph) or roaring toward its lovably low 5,700-rpm redline. The pistol-grip shifter feels meaty and delivers satisfying throws through tolerably notchy gates. Throttle response is surprisingly sharp and intuitive when matching revs, and I much prefer the Challenger's clutch to the Camaro's or 370Z's. I wouldn't mind a little more power at higher velocities, where it feels like the Challenger's weight and aerodynamics are getting in the Hemi's way, but overall this is one of the most engaging engine/transmission pairings out there.
Dislikes? Well, I guess I'm with just about everyone else in finding the Challenger's interior design disappointingly uninspired for such an inspiring car. But honestly that's the only thing I really wish I could change, and even so, I still appreciate the soft-touch dash, which complements the car's upscale driving character. Call me a chubby dude working at Home Depot, but I would totally buy this car. Take one on a trip and tell me you wouldn't do the same.
Josh Sadlier, Associate Editor @ 17,590 miles
bodyblue says:
04:17 PM, 01/ 4/10
Give me torque any day....it is what you really use every day. 8000 RPM redlines are fun..I guess once in a while, but instant pull at low RPMs is what I want and need in a car. One poster claims that IL got a Camaro so they could blob bad things about it because IL has a bias against American cars.....the truth is that IL has a bias against uninspiring American cars.....like the Camaro. The Challenger may not sell like Mustangs or Camaros but it is a home run by any standard.
charlesb says:
05:29 PM, 01/ 4/10
I just love that gray color on the Challenger! Oh, hold on, that is some kind of portly marine animal. If Mopar fan boys didn't exist this bloated boutique cruiser would have never been built. Seriously, I love the Challenger but it simply isn't very compelling beyond a weekend garage queen. Too big, too heavy, too thirsty.
flyusmc says:
05:30 PM, 01/ 4/10
It is when I read reviews like this I cry. I bought a 2009 G8 GT because I needed the 4 doors for my kids. The Challenger RT is the car I wish I could own and for all the reasons above. Great review and I love my G8 GT but I know that if the tables were turned and I was driving the Challenger, I would not get heart pings when I saw a G8 drive by. :(
greenpony says:
05:45 PM, 01/ 4/10
Still a badass automobile.
huyracing says:
06:12 PM, 01/ 4/10
Thats called Seal Gray, Porsche color.
Gas mileage isn't bad, but yes this car is too big to be practical in my world. I drive a GTI and I am able to find parking easily because someone in a larger car could not fit. As a Vegas car, I think it'd be perfect.
uncanny_man says:
02:02 AM, 01/ 5/10
Wow, quite a turnaround in opinion! I'm with you on this one though. Build it in the US, and I'd be all over this one. This is the kind of product that could save Dodge since it is in a category all to its own, and emulators would be just as much a challenger wannabe as the insight is a prius wannabe.
1487 says:
06:35 AM, 01/ 5/10
Shocking post but I agree. Its not a BMW wannabe and its unfortunate that the auto media generally seems to dislike anything that isnt BMW-like or Honda like. The Challenger is something you would only get here and its something only an American brand could design and sell. Our auto market isn't the same as Europe's or Japan's- thats a good thing as far as I'm concerned. The Challenger is kind of like a larger, cheaper BMW 6 series.
chuckg says:
07:11 AM, 01/ 5/10
"Because the Challenger is in a class of one."
How true! The Challenger is not a Camaro or a Mustang. Not even close. The mags always compare the three together and of course the Challenger comes in last. It's not the same as those other cars.
Most people will never drive one of these beasts let alone own one. They'll never experience the thrill of just getting behind the wheel and going to where ever. The Challenger restores your love for just driving. What a special automobile.
Nice job Josh. You captured the Challenger.
heartland says:
09:56 AM, 01/ 5/10
"Seriously, I love the Challenger but........."
It's OK to like this car, really.
It's reassuring to us that actually own a Challenger to see posts like this.
The media (in general) have only driven this car on a skidpad or dragstrip.
In the real world, the only people who don't like this car are those ones
who've never driven it down the road.
This car was built to be a true GT, and it does it very well.
r1chwa1nwr1ght says:
04:52 PM, 01/ 5/10
This is the best description of this car I have read yet. My description of it to others is a perfect muscle car of today.... essentially a Grand Touring Coupe... And with that description its a fantastic deal for the price.
sgude says:
05:41 PM, 01/ 5/10
Great job, Josh. Always enjoy reading your posts -- you're a true enthusiast. I think this car would be a perfect road trip car. It's a windows-down, music blasting on a rural two-lane kind of car. My perfect Challenger would look just like this one and I'd put some pipes on it to bring the exhaust noise where it should be.
alaska44 says:
12:12 PM, 01/ 6/10
As a longterm owner now of a 2009 Deep Water Blue Pearl Challenger R/T, I can only say it is nice to see someone finally saw the car as not a pony car but a GT car. Mine is not a garage queen, I drive it daily in Alaska of all places. I agree totally with Josh's comments. I have had mine a little over a year now and can not think of another touring car I could replace it with. There are better cars for Alaska, but with my love of the auto, I can't see Alaska being my retiremnet state. Maybe Arizona...
2010dwbhemi says:
06:32 PM, 01/ 6/10
I like the Mustang, and I like the Camaro, but I love the Challenger. Could not get it out of my mind from the first time I saw it and love the one I drive. Got mine October 4th and told myself I was going to drive it sparingly to keep it nice and save gas money. Despite never driving it anywhere that I had to park it (meaning I just drove it to drive it)I still put 2k miles on it in 6 weeks and my daily driver Honda only gets 7k miles a year on it. My only regret is that fall didn't last forever. I haven't honestly thought once about the fuel economy. You just wish the gas would pump faster so you could get back out on the road again. Buying the Challenger was one of the craziest decisions that I have ever made. Everything said 'don't do it.' I have not one regret. I hope everyone gets to enjoy one car in his life as much as I am enjoying this beast.