2013 Dodge Charger Reviews and Ratings

At the same time, it's handsomely designed and has world-class fit and finish. From crankshaft to door handles, everything operates with fine precision and the promise of long-lasting service. Ride quality is very good, and the solid structure soaks up road surface irregularities. Yet the steering is lively and communicative, keeping you in direct touch with the road, and braking performance is exemplary. A full-size, four-door sedan, Charger is a roomy five-seat hauler.

Like any serious performance sedan, Charger is rear-wheel drive. All-wheel drive is available for winter traction. V6 and V8 engines are available.

For 2013, a new cold-air induction system and sport-tuned exhaust boot the standard 3.6-liter V6 up to 300 horsepower with certain option packages. The 292-horsepower version is still standard and, realistically, that's plenty for most drivers. The V6 Charger with 8-speed automatic delivers best-in-class fuel economy: up to 19/31 mpg City/Highway in the EPA estimate.

Even with the 370-horsepower 5.7-liter Hemi V8 and optional all-wheel drive, the Charger is a full-size family sedan with both strong performance and surprisingly thrifty EPA fuel economy, with an EPA-estimated 15/23 mpg City/Highway.

At the top end, the super-performance 2013 Charger SRT8 benefits from the addition of launch control and three driver-selectable modes for its adaptive damping suspension.

From the outside, the 2013 Charger looks a lot like an older rendering of the American sedan, but that appearance is misleading. The retro look is a self-confident exercise in sinuous American styling. The reborn Charger has been around since 2006. Model year 2011 brought a fresh new look that we like even better than the 2006-10 edition. The original Dodge Charger was launched as a 1966 model. General Lee was a '69.

The interior, however, is anything but old style. It's richly furnished with cutting-edge conveniences, advanced technology and the no-nonsense functionalism buyers demand. A first-rate, 8.4-inch touch-screen navigation system is coupled with a rearview camera and ancillary controls for climate and audio. The navigation system is sensationally intuitive, transparent, and pleasing to use, among the best we've seen. It's very easy to read and very easy to understand. Underscoring this user-friendliness, the audio controls for volume and tuning are accomplished with old-fashioned, practical radial knobs, easy to operate while driving on rough roads. And following through, each of these knobs is furnished with a nice rubber feel as you make your one-touch adjustments.

Dodge Charger is a classic combination: a full-size Detroit sedan with strong performance and unmistakable American looks, selling at an attractive price. Compared with the full-size Dodge sedan of 20 or 30 years ago, a new Charger will reward the owner with exciting styling, world-class engineering and impressive value. You no longer have to buy American because it's patriotic. With cars like this, you buy American because it's smart.

Charger SE ($25,995) comes standard with a 3.6-liter 292-hp V6, rear-wheel drive, 5-speed automatic transmission with manual selection, cloth upholstery, 6-way power driver's seat, 60/40 split rear seat, cruise control, manual tilt-telescopic steering column, power windows with express front up/down, rear window defroster, 4.3-inch touch-screen audio and media center, six audio speakers, USB port with iPod control, auxiliary input jack, power door locks, keyless remote, push-button start, power trunk-lid release, two 12-volt outlets, intelligent battery sensor, LED-illuminated front cup holders, rear seat armrest with cup holders, map pockets front and rear, illuminated sun visor vanity mirrors, front overhead console, LED-illuminated rear handles and reading lamps, electronic color vehicle information center, urethane shift knob and steering wheel, trunk cargo net and full trunk liner with emergency deck-lid release, dual deck-lid lamps, and 17-inch aluminum wheels with 215/65R17 all-season touring tires. The Connectivity Group for SE ($495) includes Uconnect 4.3S voice command with Bluetooth, auto-dimming rearview mirror, leather-wrapped steering wheel with audio controls and leather-wrapped shift knob. Also optional is an 8-speed automatic transmission ($1,300).

Charger SXT ($28,995) comes standard with the 8-speed automatic and the Connectivity Group, plus halogen fog lamps, heated power mirrors, dual-zone front climate controls, humidity sensor, LED-illuminated front/rear map pockets, front overhead console with dome lamp and universal HomeLink, 8.4-inch touch-screen display with Uconnect 8.4 voice command, premium Alpine 276-watt audio, 12-way power driver's seat, heated front seats, automatic defog, and remote start. Charger SXT Plus ($30,995) adds leather seats with accent stitching,12-way power front passenger seat, heated rear seats, ambient lighting in the front foot wells, LED illumination in the overhead console, heated and cooled cup holders, security alarm, and 18-inch wheels with 235/55R18 all-season performance tires.

Charger R/T ($29,995) features the 5.7-liter 370-hp Hemi V8 with Four-Cylinder Mode Fuel Save Technology, mated to a 5-speed automatic transmission; plus HID headlamps, cloth-upholstered sport seats, 160mph speedometer, and chassis and mechanical upgrades the handle the additional horsepower. Otherwise it is equipped the same as the SXT. R/T Plus ($31,995) adds back all SXT Plus equipment, including leather covering for the sport seats. Charger R/T Max ($36,495) adds mirror-mounted puddle lamps, rain-sensing wipers, adaptive cruise control with forward collision warning, a rear parking sensor, rear cross-path sensor, SmartBeam headlamps, the navigation package (described below), the Beats audio package (ditto), power adjustable pedals, heated and ventilated front seats, power tilt-and-telescope steering column, blind spot monitoring, and 245/45R20 all-season performance tires on 20-inch chrome wheels.

Charger R/T Road & Track ($33,995) begins with R/T Plus trim and adds a high speed engine controller, high-speed (3.06:1) rear axle, black leather seats with suede centers, heated and ventilated front seats, power adjustable pedals, paddle shifters, power tilt-and-telescope steering column, rain-sensing wipers, rear deck spoiler, a unique honeycomb grille, and 245/45R20 all-season performance tires on 20-inch chrome wheels. It's available only with rear-wheel drive, and paint and interior color choices are limited. The Super Track Pak ($400) adds Goodyear Eagle 1 Super Car three-season tires, high-performance brake shoes, and unique suspension and steering.

Charger SRT8 ($46,250) boasts a 6.4-liter Hemi V8 with 470 horsepower, plus a special SRT heated steering wheel with paddle shifters for manual shifting, a new three-mode adaptive damping suspension, an now-standard electronic launch control. Standard equipment hovers somewhere between Charger R/T Plus and R/T Max. A 19-speaker Harman Kardon 900-watt audio system ($1995) is an exclusive option.

Charger SRT8 Super Bee ($43,250) which, much like the various Dodge Super Bee models of 1969-71, deletes some high-end equipment in favor of a more accessible price, while establishing its own in-your-face attitude. The 2013 Super Bee includes paddle shifters, heated steering wheel, power steering column, automatic climate control, auto-dimming outside mirror, heated cup holders, HomeLink, SiriusXM radio, and power adjustable pedals that get axed to sharpen the Super Bee's focus. Additionally, two 12-way heated and ventilated power seats are exchanged for a six-way on the driver's side only; upholstery is black cloth with a unique off-set silver stripe. Paint choices are limited to white, black, or Plum Crazy. Options are more limited as well.

Optional all-wheel drive ($2,500) for SXT, SXT Plus, and most versions of the R/T includes upgraded brakes, unique suspension tuning and 19-inch rims wrapped with 235/55R19 all-season tires.

The Rallye Appearance Group ($1895), available only on rear-wheel-drive SXT and SXT Plus, upgrades the V6 to 300 horsepower and dials the suspension and brakes up to the R/T level. Paddle shifters, sport seats, a deck lid spoiler and 12-channel Beats by Dr. Dre audio are also included; and it all rolls on 245/45R20 tires on 20-inch aluminum wheels painted to match the body. The Blacktop Package ($1995) adds the same upgrades and equipment to the same models, but with blacked-out wheels and grille.

From there the possibilities expand dizzyingly, with pages of options and packages. Most are available only on certain models. Among them: Driver Convenience Group adds heated and ventilated front seats with driver memory, power-adjustable heated mirrors with memory, power-adjustable pedals with memory, power tilt/telescoping steering column with memory. Driver Confidence Group includes blind-spot monitoring, rear cross path detection, ParkView rear backup camera, high-intensity headlamps, exterior mirrors with courtesy lamps, rain-sensing wipers and SmartBeam headlamps; Adaptive Cruise Control Group adds forward collision warning with adaptive cruise control and heated steering wheel. Navigation Group includes Uconnect 8.4N voice command with Garmin navi, SiriusXM Traffic, SiriusXM Travel Link, and ParkView rearview camera.

Safety features on all Dodge Chargers includes electronic traction control (TCS), electronic stability control (ESC), anti-lock brakes (ABS), electronic brake distribution (EBD), brake assist, rain brake support, hill-start assist, automatic headlamps, active front head restraints, all federally mandated airbags (seven), front seatbelt pretensioners, lower anchors and tethers for children (LATCH), occupant restraint controller. Optional all-wheel drive can improve handling stability in adverse conditions, and the optional rearview camera can help the driver spot a child behind the car when backing up.

In like manner, the tail of the Charger uses the same array of full-width taillamps made famous on the Charger in the '60s. It's a handsome look that is instantly recognizable to anyone familiar with historic Dodge styling cues. The Charger expresses pride in where Dodge, Chrysler Corporation, and for that matter, all American cars have been during the last few turbulent decades.

The body of the second-generation modern Charger is crisply styled throughout. It is considerably edgier and more muscular than its immediate predecessor, which had great promise but was, by comparison, a bit of a lump. Along the sides of the car are slanting, angular indentations that echo similar features of the 1968-70 Charger as well as the racy, rear-facing engine-room vents made so famous on the all-conquering Dodge Viper supercar. In the Charger, these are unmistakably bad looking in all of the right street-savvy ways.

Continuing this street look, in profile, the car's dramatically low roofline tapers downward rapidly at the car's mid-point. In combination with its high waistline and compressed greenhouse, the car expresses a secretive, almost hot-rod chopped appearance. Occupants seem to peer outward from sinister gun slit-like windows. Yet for all of its hunched-over appearance, the occupants' outward visibility is quite good enough.

When the Charger's dynamic outward appearance is combined with its strong performance, this is an American muscle sedan with the credentials to appeal to a broad range of tastes.

The rear seat is firm and supportive, with a fairly hard back-cushion. A central pull-down elbow rest contains two cup holders and a stowage compartment. Dual rear-seat climate vents are provided, together with a 12-volt outlet and (optional) rear seat heaters. Deluxe.

Our test car featured two-tone black and Radar Red Nappa leather upholstery. The front-seat display is mildly spartan, but not in the sense of being cold or under-supplied. Rather, the instrumentation has attractive, classy white-on-black dials. The display itself, uncomplicated and straightforward, is simple modern.

The dashboard has a sleek, scooped-out titanium-look central motif. (It's actually a distinctive shade of silver fans of older Dodges and Chryslers will fondly remember.) Below the tachometer (which has no redline because automatic shifting prevents over-revving) and speedometer are a water temperature gauge and a fuel gauge. Also included in the instrumentation is a compass and an exterior temperature readout.

Between these instruments, an Info board delivers a list of performance parameters, including coolant temperature, oil temperature, oil pressure, transmission temperature, engine hours, tire pressure and several measures of instant and trip fuel mileage. Our one complaint here was that gaining access to this Info board's numerous categories of data was confusing and took some non-intuitive hunting around.

The navi screen, by contrast, was excellent, intuitive, and immediately accessible. Navigation is by simple plan view. The screen is bright, easily read and devoid of complex graphics. Its touch-screen offers Radio, Controls, Climate, Navigation, Phone and More, the latter signifying SiriusXM Travel Link and a Settings inventory. The system was upgraded last year (for 2102), with hands-free texting, voice commands for Garmin navigation, SiriusXM Traffic, and full iPod control features. Chrysler and Dodge have one of the best navigation systems currently available.

On the steering wheel are controls for the Info board, voice activation and cruise control. On the rear of the steering wheel, where the paddle shifters would be on the R/T Road & Track and SRT8 models, we found a complex set of six different touch buttons. These were designed for manipulating radio volume, selecting stations, bands and pre-selects, but they were a classic instance of too much of a good thing. Mastering which of these buttons controlled what functions, and using the buttons efficiently for their intended purpose would take some serious concentration.

In place of paddle shifters, our test car had a sequential 5-speed manu-matic shifter: It operated independently or could be manually selected. The system had a nice provision whereby if you wanted to cancel manual shifting and return to automatic, you simply push the lever to the right for about one second. Immediately, the transmission returns to selecting its own gears. The manual selector delivered fast, positive manual shifts. Excellent.

In the center console, our test car had two heated-or-cooled cupholders, a deluxe touch.

And because this is a fully self-confident powerplant, Dodge sees no need to hype it with a sudden, falsely energetic throttle pedal. Throttle response is immediate and proportional, allowing smooth, forceful acceleration.

Dodge's Fuel-Saver Technology cancels four cylinders when they aren't needed, also eliminating needless fuel flow when decelerating. In our AWD test car, EPA-rated City fuel mileage, at 15 mpg, is as meager as would be expected in a big V8. But the Charger's 23 mpg Highway fuel consumption is good, considering that this is nearly six liter's worth of Hemi.

All-wheel drive is always a useful thing to have aboard, delivering massively better traction and dynamic balance in almost any driving. And the minute you begin driving the Charger R/T Plus AWD, it's clear that this car is a complete break from the Dodges of decades ago.

All AWD Chargers come with a touring suspension, rather than the performance suspension found on models with the Hemi and RWD. Yet our test car proved a remarkably stable, grippy driver. There was only moderate lean, squat or dive during cornering, acceleration or braking. Pushed hard on dry pavement, the all-wheel drive always gives you just a little more cornering grip than you expect.

Ride quality is very good, and the car's solid structure soaks up road surface irregularities with ease. Yet as relatively compliant as the ride is, steering is lively and communicative, keeping you in direct touch with the road. The thick, sturdy leather-wrapped steering wheel underscores the well-developed solidity of the car. With its variable-assist electronic steering, the driver is encouraged to think of this Charger as not nearly as large and cumbersome as outward appearances may suggest. Despite its dimensions, this is a crisp, sporty muscle sedan. It incites confidence and enjoyable driving.

Braking performance is exemplary. The R/T Road & Track model boasts bigger, more forceful Brembo disc brakes, good for reducing fade when driving on a race track and repeatedly hammering the brakes. AWD and Hemi models come with 13.6-inch vented front discs and 12.6-inch vented rear discs. (In non-AWD V6 models, the standard front and rear brake rotors are both 12.6 inches.) The 13.6-inch brakes provided massive, balanced non-skid stopping power, especially in combination with the multiple electronic brake-assist technologies of rain brake support, ready alert braking, electronic stability control, all-speed traction control and hill-start assist.

The Charger SRT8 can accelerate from 0-60 mph in the high 4-second range and can cover the standing quarter-mile in the high 12-second range. Top speed is 175 mph, according to Dodge. The SRT8 can brake from 60-0 mph in 120 feet.

Ted West filed this NewCarTestDrive.com report. John F. Katz also contributed.