2010 Dodge Charger SRT8

The new SRT8 Dodge Charger is certainly in a class by itself in the sense that it is a true performance sedan that’s a throw back to the heyday of muscle cars. The 6.1 liter HEMI engine was worked over by Dodge's in-house Street and Racing Technology (SRT) division to generate 425 horsepower and 420 lb-ft of pavement pounding torque but, and it’s a big but, the SRT8 weighs in at a whopping 4160 lbs and that unfortunately negates a lot of the zip off the line and more importantly, the fuel economy, or lack thereof is reflected with a rating at 13 miles per gallon on the city cycle and 19 on the highway.

That’s the bad news. The good news is the Charger is a good looking sedan that I for sure would have liked to have had back in the day I had kids at the house and needed 4 doors. It has a somewhat belligerent look from the front view and over all I like the styling. The test car came with 20-inch alloy wheels and performance tires, a sport suspension, dual chrome exhaust pipes, plus aerodynamic body kit with hood scoop and rear spoiler. Badges denoting Charger, SRT8 and Hemi are sprinkled about to show the world just what this performance machine is all about and give the SRT8 iteration a pretty nifty look. The Charger also comes equipped with brake assist, an Electronic Stability Program, four-wheel anti-lock disc brakes and fog lights.

Inside is where I really think Dodge has dropped the ball. It pretty much looks like every other interior in the line up and I would have liked to see a little more retro look to it. I will admit that comfort and convenience items are well represented, with leather seats, a six-speaker Boston Acoustics audio system, cruise control, air conditioning, plus full power amenities for windows, door locks and front seats. Other features include a back-seat SIRIUS satellite video system, 20-gigabyte MyGIG infotainment system, plus illuminated cupholders and map pockets.

As far as driving the Charger goes, I liked it and enjoyed my week in it quite a bit. There’s a pretty decent rumble from the exhaust and handling, while not exactly lively, was solid. The Charger is well balanced and corners okay but you definitely feel the weight of the car as you wend your way through twisties, it’s much better suited for straight line racing or driving and to that end, it’s a great road car.

The SRT8 bases at $38,180 and with the SRT Option Group II for $1890, and group III adding the Media Center with Nav and SIRIUS for $995 and $950 sunroof, $695 HID headlamps and $1480 for the Rear Seat Video System along with a few other odds and ends, the price on the test car came to $46,860. Not inexpensive but you do get a pretty fair amount of bang for your buck.

Bottom line, if you need 4 doors but don’t want a staid sedan, and in fact want a performance car, check out the Dodge Charger. Like I said, it isn’t perfect but if you have a need for speed but have to have a family sedan, it’s a pretty good trade off.