Author Topic: Test Drive: 2013 Dodge Charger SXT Plus AWD (Read 9051 times)

Autos_Editor · « **on:** June 17, 2013, 06:29:15 am »

The platform may be old, but it still holds up, and Peter Bleakney thinks the Pentastar V6 with eight-speed ZF is the powertrain of choice.

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ArticSteve · « **Reply #1 on:** June 17, 2013, 12:36:34 pm »

Makes a great rental.

Fobroader · « **Reply #2 on:** June 17, 2013, 12:41:31 pm »

Great article, especially the tousle between ze german and the yank!! On the car.....the only way Id ever go is SRT8....barring that, at least one with a Hemi. This car is hooligan in its class. If the Avalon is mild mannered, educated, girl next door, the SRT8 is the hot biker chick with tattoos and piercings......

hopsoid · « **Reply #3 on:** June 17, 2013, 04:36:27 pm »

$42K! kinda expensive, but I guess AWD and all the goodies don't come free...

PJ · « **Reply #4 on:** June 18, 2013, 12:00:31 am »

I'd save a few grand and get a R/T RWD for around $37K. Yeah the V6 is a nice engine but the rumble and the torque of the Hemi is what makes this car. If I just wanted a nice car I would get an Optima.

Jaeger · « **Reply #5 on:** June 18, 2013, 09:47:30 am »

Does. Not. Appeal.

tooscoops · « **Reply #6 on:** June 18, 2013, 01:06:03 pm »

at least with the current 2500 off the top, it puts it under 40 for a full size awd (almost) 300hp beast...

totally agree about the seats lacking support. it's the big downfall of these lx cars.

not sure about the interior comment... sure if it was a pre-2011 car the interior would suck. but these newer ones are quite good...in fact the 2011 that this interior is based off of won a ward's best interiors of 2011 says something...

the AWD of this particular one is what makes it special. so comparing to the optima and even it's own r/t variant isn't apples to apples... its like comparing a mazda 3 and an impreza. sure there are similarities, but the cornerstone is quite different.

though i'm all about speed usually, this charger or the 300S are the versions that make the most sense when you look at everyday drivability and fuel usage.

Fobroader · « **Reply #7 on:** June 18, 2013, 01:11:24 pm »

AWD, smhalwheeldrive.....MOAR POWAHHHHH!!!

tooscoops · « **Reply #8 on:** June 18, 2013, 01:27:49 pm »

of course of course! you know i love the full srt series as well...

but for 10 grand less and 6 seasons more of driving a year... means you can spend 38 and have a year round, great handling nice car with oodles of space, or one 48k car for the nice months, and another beater for the other half of the year... say 5 grand at least. add the overall cost of running the cars and it becomes a realistic car vs. an expensive toy.

in my dream world i agree, but in reality... the rallye/sxtplus is a nice grouping.

mixmanmash · « **Reply #9 on:** June 18, 2013, 01:57:11 pm »

Quote from: tooscoops on June 18, 2013, 01:27:49 pm

of course of course! you know i love the full srt series as well...

but for 10 grand less and 6 seasons more of driving a year... means you can spend 38 and have a year round, great handling nice car with oodles of space, or one 48k car for the nice months, and another beater for the other half of the year... say 5 grand at least. add the overall cost of running the cars and it becomes a realistic car vs. an expensive toy.

in my dream world i agree, but in reality... the rallye/sxtplus is a nice grouping.

I still see people driving SRT8 RWD Chargers/Challengers/300s around in winter. Apparently, they didn't get the memo that AWD is "needed" for winter.

tooscoops · « **Reply #10 on:** June 18, 2013, 02:36:23 pm »

well, if they truly are srt's, they would need to either get huge winter rims to fit over the brakes, or find a beefier tire that actually grips rather than the 3 seasons that some on them...

sure it's possible to drive them year round, but these aren't regular rwd cars... these are 470hp tire shredders. on most cars awd isn't "needed" as you said... but on an srt, they are being ridiculous to drive it in regular winter conditions.

i wasn't comparing the sxt rwd with the sxt awd.. i was comparing the sRt rwd with the sxt awd.

Fobroader · « **Reply #11 on:** June 18, 2013, 02:39:43 pm »

Quote from: mixmanmash on June 18, 2013, 01:57:11 pm

Quote from: tooscoops on June 18, 2013, 01:27:49 pm
of course of course! you know i love the full srt series as well...

but for 10 grand less and 6 seasons more of driving a year... means you can spend 38 and have a year round, great handling nice car with oodles of space, or one 48k car for the nice months, and another beater for the other half of the year... say 5 grand at least. add the overall cost of running the cars and it becomes a realistic car vs. an expensive toy.

in my dream world i agree, but in reality... the rallye/sxtplus is a nice grouping.

I still see people driving SRT8 RWD Chargers/Challengers/300s around in winter. Apparently, they didn't get the memo that AWD is "needed" for winter.

Yeah, ive seen a few of those fools go down the Henday with their ass twitching.....just because you can, doesnt mean that you should.

mixmanmash · « **Reply #12 on:** June 18, 2013, 03:51:16 pm »

Quote from: Fobroader on June 18, 2013, 02:39:43 pm

Quote from: mixmanmash on June 18, 2013, 01:57:11 pm
Quote from: tooscoops on June 18, 2013, 01:27:49 pm
of course of course! you know i love the full srt series as well...

but for 10 grand less and 6 seasons more of driving a year... means you can spend 38 and have a year round, great handling nice car with oodles of space, or one 48k car for the nice months, and another beater for the other half of the year... say 5 grand at least. add the overall cost of running the cars and it becomes a realistic car vs. an expensive toy.

in my dream world i agree, but in reality... the rallye/sxtplus is a nice grouping.

I still see people driving SRT8 RWD Chargers/Challengers/300s around in winter. Apparently, they didn't get the memo that AWD is "needed" for winter.

Yeah, ive seen a few of those fools go down the Henday with their ass twitching.....just because you can, doesnt mean that you should.

I wonder if they were running winter tires... Must be expensive to get winter wheels/tires that clear the big brakes on those SRT8 models.

S. Aureus · « **Reply #13 on:** June 18, 2013, 04:11:20 pm »

why on Earth can't the Amerikans build a car with proper outward visibility in all directions...

mixmanmash · « **Reply #14 on:** June 18, 2013, 04:20:22 pm »

Quote from: S. Aureus on June 18, 2013, 04:11:20 pm

why on Earth can't the Amerikans build a car with proper outward visibility in all directions...

I could say the same about certain Japanese & Korean models.

tooscoops · « **Reply #15 on:** June 18, 2013, 04:26:52 pm »

pretty sure no one has built a car with 100% visibility... convertibles are close. my amc pacer is probably the closest a hardtop has come... and it sucked. can't please all the people all the time!

how bout we all learn to use mirrors? rather than force the car companies to build things to correct our faults, how about we just learn to be better drivers?

Sir Osis of Liver · « **Reply #16 on:** June 18, 2013, 04:32:14 pm »

This isn't just an American trend.

PJ · « **Reply #17 on:** June 18, 2013, 11:00:06 pm »

Quote from: tooscoops on June 18, 2013, 04:26:52 pm

pretty sure no one has built a car with 100% visibility... convertibles are close. my amc pacer is probably the closest a hardtop has come... and it sucked. can't please all the people all the time!

how bout we all learn to use mirrors? rather than force the car companies to build things to correct our faults, how about we just learn to be better drivers?

All mirrors have blind spots. "Better drivers" shoulder check rather then the lazy method of just checking mirrors.

Poor visibility is due to styling trends and I guess that's as much buyers faults as it is automakers. They build what we buy. BTW...You don't have to go back to the 70's to get good visibility, my 90's Legacy wagon was great and it was a modern car.

sacrat · « **Reply #18 on:** June 19, 2013, 12:02:19 am »

Quote from: KarlsDarwin on June 17, 2013, 04:00:08 pm

an interior fit for a chrysler

WOW!! You've made two posts and had 3 smites already! Don't let Jaeger find out you're bucking for his crown

SaskSpecV · « **Reply #19 on:** June 19, 2013, 12:37:46 pm »

Quote from: PJ on June 18, 2013, 11:00:06 pm

Poor visibility is due to styling trends and I guess that's as much buyers faults as it is automakers.

I think it's also (at least partially) due to newer safety (crash test) regulations, so I'm going to blame the regulators too. Higher beltlines all around and all that.

I'm not convinved the potentials benefits in passive safety (improved crash test scores) is necessarily worth the potential decrease in active safety (visibility). But there are lots of vehicles that still have good visibility and get good crash test scores too (i.e., Subarus)