2012 DODGE CHARGER R/T: Forward Charger

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This article was published 16/03/2012 (5231 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

While the reworked Dodge Charger will be mistaken for nothing other than a Charger, the upgrades mark a big step forward.

The look is sharper and has more substance, while the interior is so much better than before. It all comes together in a package that is both comfortable and formidable when the power under the R/T’s hood is flexed. Of the so-called muscle cars, it is, for my money, the segment leader.

Yes, there is the hotter SRT8 (all 470 horsepower), but for all but the most ardent speed fan, the R/T is more than enough, especially when equipped with the Super Track Package and its sportier suspension and brawnier brakes.

These two features are important because the 5.7-litre V8 Hemi packs a mighty punch — 370 hp and 395 pound-feet of torque. Roll into the loud pedal with authority and the R/T chirps its tires off the line and romps to 100 kilometres an hour in 5.6 seconds. More impressive is the 80-to-120-km/h time — at 4.2 seconds, it’s very quick, given the R/T’s portly 1,930 kilograms.

The Hemi also arrives with Dodge’s FuelSaver Multi-Displacement System Technology, which allows the V-8 to operate on four of its cylinders when the loads are low. Given the power at play, a highway fuel-economy rating of 8.0 litres per 100 km is pretty good.

The power is fired to the rear wheels through a five-speed manumatic transmission that arrived with paddle shifters. The latter brings speedy access to engine braking when setting up for a corner. The nit is that while the box functions flawlessly — the shifts are both fast and smooth — I got the sense the eight-speed that is standard with the V-6-powered models would make the R/T so much more flexible and fuel-efficient.

I’d also opt for the all-wheel-drive system ($2,000). It makes the R/T far less tail-happy than its rear-drive sibling when the three-mode electronic stability control system (part of the Super Track Package) is turned off. Trust me, if you’re into smoky burnouts, the rear-driver is probably the best around!

In terms of its handling, the R/T is surprising, to say the very least. Something this large should not dance like it’s wearing ballet slippers. The R/T’s sportier suspension dials out basically all unwanted body roll, while the new electro-hydraulic power steering is so much faster than before. The advantage to this upgrade is simple: It has way better feel even as the car is pushed to the limit.

In the end, it’s as though the Charger is riding on rails — it can pull a claimed 0.9 g in a hard and fast corner. I did not get to that point, but even when wearing P225/60R18 winter tires, the R/T felt composed and pointable at all times. When it’s wearing its regular P245/45ZR20 tires (again, part of the Super Track Pack), it should stick to the road like you-know-what to a blanket.

Inside, the Charger R/T is very nicely attired — the predominantly black cabin being vastly superior to the one it replaces. The biggest change is the quality of the materials and the overall comfort — the boldly bolstered sport buckets are supreme in this aspect. They also deliver the needed lateral support.

The inclusion of power-adjustable pedals to go along with the tilt and telescopic steering and 12-way driver’s seat means it is very easy to set up the all-important driving position. I say important, because even someone pushing six-feet tends to feel as though he is sitting in a deep bathtub. Lifting the seat eases the sightlines enormously.

More importantly, the iffy plastics of yore have gone in favour of richly textured materials that are now soft to the touch. Throw in the real aluminum inserts and faux carbon-fibre bits and the cabin has a decidedly upscale air. Likewise, the instrumentation is spiffy and the 8.4-inch touch-sensitive screen at the top of the centre stack is attractively functional, easing access to all key media and phone functions.

The tester also arrived with a ton of equipment — everything from heated/ventilated front seats to a wonderful audio system. The latter belts out 506 watts through nine premium speakers including a subwoofer — the sound is superb.

Remarkably, the cost for all of these interior upgrades, which also includes blind-spot and cross-path monitoring as well as adaptive cruise control with forward crash warning and a heated steering wheel, is a modest $4,150. That, when compared with some of the vehicles tested lately, is a deal-and-a-half.

The rear environment features decent head- and legroom, three seatbelts — only two of which should be considered usable — and a trunk that’s large enough (16.5 cubic feet) to whisk your golfing buddies to the course with four full sets of clubs aboard.

I liked the original Charger R/T, and the second-generation R/T is better in every respect. The interior finally lives up to the rest of the car, there is a ton of very flexible power and it handles like the Dickens, despite its size.

For someone who has family commitments but doesn’t want to give up the joy of driving a true sport sedan, things don’t get any better than the Charger R/T in the sub-$45,000 segment.

— Postmedia News

THE SPECS

Type of vehicle: Rear-wheel-drive mid-sized sedan

Engine: 5.7L V8 Hemi

Power: 370 hp @ 5,200 rpm; 395 lb-ft of torque @ 4,200 rpm

Transmission: Five-speed manumatic

Brakes: Four-wheel disc with ABS

Tires: P225/60R18 (optional winter)

Price: Base/as tested: $29,995/$43,175

Fuel consumption (L/100 km): 13.5 city, 8.0 hwy.