IL Track Tested: 2010 Camaro V6 vs. 2009 Dodge Challenger SE

They should offer the V6 with the 5-speed autostick. You need a V6 in these times... and i think its better than the V6 mustang no?

Anyway typo... 'not *ever* vehicle gets a full writeup?'

Um...that 0-60 for the Challenger is slower even than numbers I've seen, and personally recorded for my old 98 V6 Mustang. Which had 100 less hp. Shame on you Dodge. Now I've got to admit...the sound isn't very befitting of the Camaro's styling, but that V6 sounds pretty damn good. Certainly better than the Nissan exhaust tuning.

This is such an unfair test.

Its so obvious that the camaro is going to be a better car, seeing that it weighs less and has 50 more hp.

Whats the point in even testing these cars together lol

Well the list of high performance V6 sporty cars for the mid $20Ks is pretty short. The list of 300hp sporty cars for the mid $20Ks is even shorter.

It kinda makes me miss the absurd tests Edmunds sometimes did, like the old Ferrari vs the minivan. Hmm, maybe Camaro vs Miata?

On styling alone, the Camero and Challenger blow away the Nissan and Hyundai. I wouldn't even consider either of the imports if I was looking for a car of that nature. Why include them? Only ones that would consider the last two would be the ricer crowd. A V6 muscle car is still way er than any import

They're testing these cars together because they're sure to be cross-shopped, seeing as they're both retro Detroit muscle. Although the Dodge does seem like its just embarrassing itself.

ronvpr, I've read some of your comments and most of them are absolutely absurd. As others keep reminding you, it's Camaro, not Camero. Also, who are you to say that "On styling alone, the Camero and Challenger blow away the Nissan and Hyundai."?

I'm Asian, but not part of the ricer crowd. With regards to styling, I like the Camaro, 370Z, Genesis, then Challenger, in that order. And of the 4, the only one I wouldn't consider is the Challenger.

So since I'm not a ricer, yet I include the Camaro and the 2 imports in my consideration, the only one thing that blows away is your absurd theory.

I don't know how to drive automatic anymore.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dtVhayMUTFs&fmt=18

Wow that Camaro V6 sounds excellent.

I agree with some of the previous comments - the outcome of this comparison didn't exactly have the odds stacked in the Challenger's favor.

Styling is subjective, so you really can't make a blanket statement about that, but on drivetrain alone, it was clear that Chevy made an effort with the Camaro.

stovt001 - I agree, that's why I used to watch Top Gear all the time - the often times ridiculous competitions were just hilarious to watch. However, I'm afraid if Edmunds did that, you'd get too many flamers on the boards who didn't 'get' the blatant absurdity and called Edmunds' credibility into question...sad

Interior styling counts a lot in my book. Although the Camaro does not have a great interior, it is much better than any Dodge out there. I would not buy a Dodge mainly because of it's cheap plastic interiors, and 2nd for its lack of quality. Looks, handling, sportiness, etc. are very important in my book but if the interior turns me off that's it. I spent more than driving and inside the car than looking at it. Moreover, the Challenger looks like an SUV being so tall in the back. It makes J-Lo jealous. I would feel self-conscious driving a Challenger.

I was really surprised to hear that sound coming from the Camaro. Thats how Nissan's VQ should sound...wow never thought I'd say that...

I have to agree that Camaro sounds awesome with the v6... but it still sounds weird coming from a Camaro.

hard as it might be to believe, LOTS of buyers purchase based on looks more than performance, especially (no offense intended here) with women.

There was never a doubt in my mind that the V6 Camaro would leave the Challenger or a V6 Mustang for dead.

But, at least in the case of the Challenger and Mustang, I believe that the typical V6 buyer is more interested in styling than performance, otherwise they would step up to the V8.

So, if appearance means more to me than performance (it doesn't, we're just supposin' here) I pick the Dodge hands down over the Camaro and Mustang (and I am a Mustang guy).

But if I want the most bang for the buck, the Camaro wins by a mile. I hope that Ford wises up and replaces that truck engine that the saddle teh Mustang with with the eco boost, or at least the engine from the Edge.

I'm just picturing the board meeting on the Challenger.

Designer: "Sir, if we put this V-6 in there, we're going to get smoked by the competition, not to mention we have to shave some serious weight of this thing"

Boss: "I want it out there now! No time to revise! People won't notice the difference, they'll buy it on the name alone!"

Designer: But sir..."

Boss: NOW!! Oh, and be sure to price it the same despite the differences."

It's not that Dodges V6 is bad or smoked or shameful, it's that GM made a huge leap with the Camaros V6.

Look at the history of base engines in pony cars. They always been a sad line of underachievers and they've always outsold the hot V8 version. Like it or not, most people will buy these cars for the look and image, not the performance.

If GM didn't have that wonderful V6 from the CTS lying around to swap in they would have used one with the same power and performance as the Dodge 3.5.

Remember, Ford is still using the old Explorer V6.

Dodge you need to bury that 4 Speed Auto in the nerest Scrapyard. You have 5 speed Auto's you can use that would do much better. Stop being cheap and add the Autostick as well. One more thing. Get real and offer a manual with the V6. FOr such a heavy car you need to really stp up your game and offer the most performace this car can give.

Ford's doing that for one reason (and I'm not trying to start the whole "Why we're in trouble" topic going again):

They're doing it because people are buying them, not because it's the right thing to do. Why spend money on new technology when people are still buying the old stuff.

GM was just smart enough to produce a damn good engine and be able to spread it around.

Reaching into the parts bin is only good when the parts themselves are good. Putting 250hp into a muscle car is a great idea...30 years ago. MPG is worse than the Ford and Chevy.

Believe me, I love the car, but I really feel like the only way to go is the SRT-8. Possibly the Hemi, but there's no way I'd go for the V-6.
My preferences, but still...

And add what minibro77 said. A 4-speed? I'm not saying you need Lexus' 7 or 8 speed, but at least 5...and a manual option at the least.

The v6 "Challenger" was a joke from the day it was released.
Another poor decision by Chrysler/Dodge…
The Challenger should have been available as a performance car only (R/T & SRT8)
Ever seen a v6 corvette taking a kid to soccer practice??

Where’s the pride?

Leave that poser called the Charger to carry the shame of 22-inch rims and a single exhaust.
With it’s face of a mac-truck and it’s rear of a Mitsubishi..

If I were to buy a v6 over a v8, it would have to have CONSIDERABLY better gas mileage at least.
That 250 horsepower, 3.5 v6 engine barely gets a mile per gallon better than the
5.7 hemi
It’s a shamefully inefficient engine mated to an archaic 4-SPEED transmission!

Just go away…soon.

Once we get past all this locker room grunting and BS, think about this.

If there were no V6 versions, there would be no V8 version. No company is going to sell enough of the premium model to justify it's production cost.

Performance minded people aren't going to buy the V6 version anyhow, doesn't matter if it has 210 Hp, 250 HP or 304 HP. The V8 will alway be better.

BTW I have a hunch GM will be loosing money on every base Camaro they sell.

firstwagon is right about something. The SRTs and SSs of this worls are halo cards that garner publicity and enthusiasm, etc., in order to sell more base models. I think that the base Camaro will be profitable for GM, however. GM is putting that SIDI 3.6 V6 in many cars and hopefully will gain some economies of scale.

You can't offer a specialist car to sell 10,000 or less and expect to make money when your brand will not command a very large premium. I think that it is the most American thing to offer an affordable version of muscle cars with V6s - afterall only a small portion of the population can "really afford" $30,000+ cars. More than 50% of those who buy them do not "really afford" them.

I agree with what you two are saying.

My point is that the V-6 offered in the challenger not only offers no advantages over the competition, but lags by a WIDE margin.

Performance is bad. It almost gets beat by a 4-cyl Camry (much closer numbers than Challenger vs. Camaro).

It's the same problem I had with my F-150; I want one of the two - performance or fuel economy. And as with my F-150, it doesn't offer either.

If you go with the V-6, then IMO, you're only buying it for the love of the car. Which I have no problem with. As stated a million times before, buying a car is based on fatuation more often than not.

But when you have that much time to develop a vehicle, added to the public opinion and financials of the American auto industry, then you've got to come out swinging a big stick...on every level.

And IMO, Chevy came out with the biggest stick.

69johnny,

Pride don't pay the bills. You think it's an accident that Ford still saddles the base Mustang with an engine with lower performance than the one they offer in the Taurus?

They probably make more money on each V6 sale, with its 17 year old engine than they do with the more complex V8.

The SRT8 and GT500 are all about pride, do some research and see how many of those are sold each year. Without the V6 to keep the nameplate viable the Mustang may well have died with the Camaro in the 90's.

The V6 clearly isn't aimed at you or me. But there are more people out there who want a car with great looks, adequate performance, and a low price than those that want great looks and high performance.

Good for the Camaro V6. Sounds sweet and angry! The styling of the Camaro I just don't like it. Between those two I will take the Challenger base on looks and classic lines. The Camaro V-6 spanks both Ford and Dodge in performance and power. Ford need to drop in the new Duratec 3.5 V6 and Dodge the 4.0 V6 w/5spd .auto they have in the vans. That way they can compete. But, some times the styling sells more than horse power.

Bankerdanny,

I agree with you and understand the compromises that are often needed to pay the bills
and keep a nameplate going (Thankfully)
I’m not totally against v-6 versions..just look at those new camaro specs.
It’s just seems that Dodge hardly even tried to offer something worthwhile (Ironically called a “challenger”) and that got me wanting to vent.
The v-6 Mustang admittedly has less HP, but at least offers a 5-speed and weighs a lot less. HP will soon change upwards drastically with the new Ford engines that will be needed if Ford expects to keep sales up with the Camaro.
Dodge just expects to cruise on looks I guess.
Kind of cheapens the experience for v8 Challenger owners. But that’s the real world
I suppose. What can I say, I’m just an idealist when it comes to muscle cars and come from a Mopar family so...its personal. ;)

I *never* thought I'd find myself lusting after a V6 pony car.

Slap on some Z/28-spec springs and sways, and I'm sold!

"What can I say, I’m just an idealist when it comes to muscle cars and come from a Mopar family so...its personal. ;)"

I can certainly understand that sentiment Johnny. I am a Mustang guy and Ford's stubborn determiniation to stick with the live axel instead of IRS makes me feel the same way you do about the underpowered V6 in the Challenger.

Chyrsler needs to ramp up those new Phoenix engines in the Challenger STAT!

www.allpar.com/mopar/phoenix-engines.html

WOW...that V6 actually sounds nice!

Rare thing for me to say, but it sure does.

Do you think its possible to for Dodge to coax another 45 to 65 hp out of the 3.5 liter? If so, with a modified 5 speed, the Challenger would put up a decent fight.The brakes on the other hand will cost money. I'm not sure where Dodge will pull those parts from. If the v6 were bumped up, wouldn't the fact that it is lighter than the v8 help it if that same car were equipped with similar suspension to that of the R/T or the SRT? I think Chrysler is still not thinking things through. This would have been the best course of action to take.

Chevy is getting the enhanced V6 power (and fuel economy, BTW) by going to direct injection. It's been around awhile on diesels, but is just starting to gain traction in gasoline engines.

Rest assured, we'll see a lot more of this in the coming months and years, as DI is one nifty way to deal with the more-stringent fuel economy and CO2 regs without resorting to gutless wonders. It can certainly improve the lot of the V6 Challenger -- if Dodge can afford the development costs, that is.

The Challenger is a sorry excuse for a modern V6 coupe. It'll get destroyed by fwd midsize family sedans. I guess that's not too unexpected since it's basically a big heavy family sedan minus two doors. The least Chrysler could have done was to offer it with a manual.

Anyone surprised that a Chrysler six cyl is a slug & a pig has no familiarity w/ Chrysler's track record.

Take a long look at Chrysler/Dodge's piggish, unredeeming, grotesquely ugly & humongous trucks/SUVs from the oil glut era. That's where they've spent all their development time.

Did I forget to say how ugly are Dodge's full-size trucks/SUVs?

8.1 seconds to 60?
Honestly?
How long does the new V6 'Stang take to get to 60?

More to the point, carfreak8394, that's about how long my Honda Fit takes to get to 60.