2006 Dodge Charger Review

Specifications

A Unique Alternative to a Camry or Accord

The summer of 2005 is turning out to be the summer of the Dodge Charger. DaimlerChryslers timing is nothing but perfect: not only are modern muscle and reincarnated retro design themes in full swing, but the original Charger is back on the silver screen in this years blockbuster hit, the Dukes of Hazzard.

The third of the highly successful LX-chassis rear-wheel drive large cars, Charger is the latest legendary name to be brought back from the past, acting not as a range-topping coupe, as it originally was, but in four-door guise as a full step up from the midsize U.S.-only Stratus sedan. And as Dodge has so eagerly pointed out, the new Charger is family friendly American muscle; a car for the person whose heart wants a Mustang, but whose mind needs comfortable room for five and a decent sized trunk.

What initially attracts most people to the new Charger is its looks, but theres little heritage to be found here, seeing that Dodge tossed out the history book when it came to styling. Whether management had originally considered a two-door model, or whether a four-door was always the plan with its official name left to be decided upon later, is not known, but nevertheless a four-door is what management, backed with the usual market-research statistics that argue full-size two-doors wont sell as well, ended up signing off on.

And it doesnt take a million plus salary per year to figure this one out. Ford canned the previous-generation T-Bird, keeping it off the product portfolio for the better half of three years (not that full-size blue oval roadsters sell all that much better), and when was the last time the Monte Carlo topped any sales charts? Yet, the latest Charger doesnt do disservice to the historical nameplate, at least in my books. Dodges design team penned a design whose narrow windows and swooping roofline were so convincing that DCX officials call it a four-door coupe. But so long as its got four full-sized doors, a car will never be a coupe in the eyes of the public. Brand-mate Mercedes-Benz tried with the CLS, but however beautiful, or in the Chargers case, however muscular it is, it will still be seen as a sedan.

But as far as four-door sedans go, the new Charger is a downright sinister looking machine, with a snarling nose and taut rear haunches. It is by far the most aggressive looking LX, with its chrome-plated, crosshair grille, and angled dual-beam headlamps. Only would the addition of a push-bar and roof-top sirens from the police-ready Enforcer package make highway traffic part faster.

As was mentioned earlier, the new Charger doesnt look a whole lot like the original 60s model. Absent is the legendary black-out grille with retractable headlamps, as are the pillarless door frames. In fact, the only styling queues that could pay remote homage are the rear windows that cant slightly inwards and the quad round tail lamps, but even then square red lenses mask them. Nevertheless this monster conveys an impressive presence, like nothing else on the market. Ford Five Hundred? Chevy Impala SS? Nothing comes close. The only cars that come across anywhere near as intimidating as the Charger are its next of kin Chrysler 300 and Dodge Magnum sport wagon, spawned at the same Brampton, Ontario assembly plant.

My Midnight Blue tester, in SXT-trim, was middle field in the Charger range, blending thrust with a decent standard specification. Its expected to make up the majority of fleet and private sales. Visually, it is also a twin of the V8-powered HEMI R/T, made in part by larger optional 18-inch five-spoke alloy wheels and fog lamps. Only narrow 3.5L High Output fender badges, black-plastic side mirrors and a single chrome exhaust tip reveal its true six-cylinder identity.

Speaking of that V6, the Charger SXT is powered by a high-output 3.5-liter dual overhead cam V6 which produces 250-horsepower and 250 lb-ft of torque. Used in other LX-chassis cars, its a mid-range engine that features smooth power delivery. Never once did the cars 3,800 pound curb weight burden the engine; its near-flat torque curve meant that power was constantly on demand, and no more than an ankle-flex away. While you wont be able to perform the same tire-smoking burnouts as possible in the more powerful HEMI-powered Chargers, the V6 is good enough to slingshot this full-size sedan to 60 mph in a respectable 7.4 seconds, quicker than its svelte figures suggest. Fuel economy is rated at 23 mpg in the city, and 35 mpg on the highway. After five days worth of testing, I managed to average 24 mpg, a figure acceptable for a mix of open-stretches of road and wading through long-weekend traffic, and darn pleasing for a full-size sedan.

Directly above the V6 in the engine hierarchy is a pair of highly impressive HEMI V8s. Standard to the R/T and the matte-black stickered R/T Daytona is the 5.7-liter twin-spark unit, with MDS cylinder deactivation. In R/T guise, it makes 340-horsepower, while the R/T Daytonas freer-flowing exhaust and intake manifold liberates an additional 10 horses, accompanied by a tough-as-nails soundtrack. As far as market values go, theres no cheaper way into the HEMI family than the Charger R/T, which ticks in at just over 37 grand. For the ultimate Charger, the SRT8, the HEMI goes on steroids, bulking up to a massive 6.1 liters in displacement for a total of 425 pavement-melting horses. All V8s are routed through a five-speed automatic gearbox; unfortunately no manual is available.

But back the car most Charger buyers will purchase, one noteworthy powertrain specification that separates the SXT model from the mid-level 3.5-liter V6-powered 300 and Magnum is the fact that the up-level 5-speed AutoStick automatic gearbox is standard equipment. The others, in rear-wheel drive form, must contend with a four-speed version. Shift action is of Mercedes-Benz quality, which comes as no surprise; after all, this is derived from a Mercedes-Benz gearbox. Strangely, if youre not used to the M-B gearbox that is, the AutoStick mode, toggled by a moving the leather-wrapped shift knob from side to side, has a mind of its own, pausing for a second or two before allowing the message of full, afterburner thrust to hit the engine.

Likewise, kudos must go to Stuttgart for the three-pointed stars role in initially orchestrating the suspension and steering. While its important to stress that all three LX cars have the same fundamental large car architecture, which includes identical wheelbase, track, front and rear suspension and steering components, each vehicle has been tuned to deliver a slightly different feel, allowing customers to distinguish one vehicle from the next when behind the wheel. Dodge has tuned the Charger like the Magnum, tweaking it for a slightly sportier personality without compromising overall ride comfort. The main revision sees unique setting for the 9-Land hydraulic power steering, which changes assist, designed to increase feel while turning into a corner. 9-Land can also be used to describe the distance of the Chargers turning circle, which, at 39 feet, means U-turns more often than not become three-point turns.

Even without driving the 300 back to back with the Charger, theres a fundamental difference to be felt. Dodges tweaks eliminate the fuzziness and glueyness of the 300s steering, particularly when the car is tracking straight forward, boosting your ability to place the Charger on the road with pin-point accuracy. One thing that has yet to change is the steering systems odd weight while at dead center; however, as you follow through a corner, effort decreases. The feeling of increasing lightness surprises, but once used to it the Charger is easy to pilot, following through with enthusiasm that even the best full-size front wheel drive sedans cannot match. Though the steering lightens at a snails pace, allowing one to hustle the two-ton beast about in parking lots, its not the kind of vehicle youd want to use to take a drivers license test.

Should you want all-wheel drive, youll have to head over to the 300 or the Magnum; the Charger is only available in a single rear-wheel drive configuration. But being available in RWD only isnt a bad thing, especially for a large car. Like the other LXs, the Charger is beautifully balanced with a 54:46 weight distribution, figures you normally hear the Europeans or fine sports carmakers boasting about. Nevertheless, the Charger SXT comes standard with all-speed traction control and ESP stability control allowing it to cut through white winters and slippery streets.

While theres plenty of talk about the Charger being like the Magnum, the area where its most visible is in the interior. Both cars share the same simple, no-nonsense cabin layout, the only real difference being an electronic trunk-release button on the lower dash bolster of the Charger. Everything about the Chargers interior is jumbo-sized and in your face, such as the gigantic steering wheel. The white-faced pod gauges are the essence of clarity. Materials are identical to those used in the 300, including the crinkle-finish soft-touch plastics, which score high points for fit and finish. Yet, where the Charger crests over the same highs, it hits the same lows; more extensive use of cheaper, harder plastics on the instrument panel and out of sight areas like on the doors lower fascia and center console distinguish this Dodge product as less ritzy.

The Chargers two-toned interior theme uses contrast to lighten the interior, dividing it into upper and lower halves. Combined with the arched roofline, a large, power-sliding sunroof and a lack of privacy tint on the rear windows, the cabin ambience is airier than the dark-as-a-dungeon Magnum. Though its easy to get comfortable in the firmly padded 8-way adjustable drivers seat, all drivers must still contend with the same, heavily raked windshield and narrow glass. It cuts out the view overhead, leaving you to ponder the color of the traffic light above. Peering out your mail slot is similar to the visibility when the sun visors are down.

The rear seats, mind you, are truly expansive, allowing passengers to stretch out, enjoying best-in-class legroom. Available on all but the most basic LX-series cars is a rear-seat DVD entertainment screen, with flip-up screen mounted behind the center armrest.

A quick blast up to Niagara Falls showed a side to the Charger that most will appreciate - its capability as a long-distance cruiser. With plenty of lumbar support on the front leather-trimmed buckets, tilt and telescoping steering wheel and power-adjustable seats and pedals, its easy to take in vast stretches of highway in one sitting. Even though it rides on 18-inch wheels, the 60-profile tires have plenty of sidewall on them to absorb pavement shock, while the Benz-derived suspension does its fair share to iron out bumps below. But even when theres some transmission of shock, the Charger remains tight with no squeaks or rattles to be felt, a testament to its solid character. Stiffer springs and dampers also mean that the car is firmer than the typical large American car; the associated bob, float, pitch and dive has rightfully been annulled.

With a starting price of $25,320, the Charger SXT offers plenty of bang for the buck, but if youre head over heels in love with the design and $25K plus change is beyond your reach, there is always the SE to consider, which can be purchased from just $22,320. And theres no catch: while the Magnum and 300 models are fitted with a smaller 2.7-liter DOHC V6 that produces 190 horsepower and is mated to a four-speed automatic gearbox, the Charger comes stock with the 3.5. Therefore, theres no performance loss if opting for the base SE, and with a savings of about $3,000 it may be a popular route to go.

The as-tested price of my SXT, which includes heated leather seats with power adjustment up front, plus power adjustable pedals, a power sunroof, a 6-disc CD-MP3 stereo with Boston Acoustics speakers and U-Connect Bluetooth handsfree connection, rang in at $28,750.

If anything, a weeks worth of touting around in the latest incarnation of the Charger has yielded few complaints; the majority of which have to do with the fact that its got two doors too many, and no manny-tranny. If youre able to look beyond these two points, and forgive Dodge for using such hallowed names on its latest modern machines, the vehicle which lies beneath is an accomplished, refined rear-wheel drive sedan that offers great value. The 2006 Charger is a fine alternative to those who want something a little bigger than the standard cookie-cutter family sedan, with more panache than a Camry or Accord. Its a good supplement to the traditional impractical muscle machine. Forty years down the road, the Charger has returned in a different form, but it will undoubtedly be one of the prouder chapters in the Charger nameplates ongoing history.