I can’t think of any other car that I’ve driven in the past 5 years that put a smile on my face as big as the 2023 Dodge Charger R/T did.
Don’t get me wrong. It’s a horrible car. It’s too big for it’s own good. Build quality is questionable, and it just can’t get around a corner with any amount of grace.
That said, it’s as obnoxiously loud as it is fast. Even when driving it normally, it sounds like you’re breaking every law in the books. It was designed and built for hooligans. For those who don’t like like being told what to do. It’s the automotive definition of ‘rowdy’, and it’s an absolute blast – despite it’s glaring flaws.
My full review of the 2023 Dodge Charger R/T
Full disclosure. I’m a fairly boring guy who (at the time of this writing) daily drives a 2010 Honda Fit. Although I have a 2012 5.0 Mustang as my “fun” car, a full-size sedan such as the Charger is very much outside of my wheelhouse. That doesn’t mean that I didn’t have a blast driving it though.
First impressions
Never in my life have I felt like I knew a car in and out even before driving it. This generation of the Dodge Charger was first unveiled in 2006, and updated in 2011. It’s an extremely popular vehicle, and I’ve seen a million of them (give or take) over the years. The sound that these things make has left a impression on me as well.
It has a presence. Sure, it’s a large (dare I say “fat”) four-door sedan. However, I have never seen a vehicle of this size look so muscular and mean. From the flared fenders and wide wheels to the aggressive front lip, this thing looks like it means business – even while standing still.
Driving impressions
The 2023 charger RT is not for the timid. It’s extremely large and difficult to park in tight spaces. Backing up requires your full concentration. It’s not the kind of car you can whip around corners without looking like a total a**hole.
It’s also extremely fun to drive in a straight line. Ripping away from stop lights, even at quarter throttle, is a little rambunctious. And a whole heck of a lot of fun.
It leans in the corners and squats on acceleration. Every movement is dramatic and exaggerated. I personally hate daily driving cars such as this, yet the Charger R/T makes it somewhat tolerable and curiously addictive. It’s fantastic for cruising on the freeway, and even better cruising through town ripping away from every stoplight.
Style and design
There’s simply no way of describing a 5,300 lb four-door sedan as “elegant.” The 2023 Charger R/T is a porker – measuring 198.4 inches in length, 75 inches in width, and 57.8 inches in height. Let’s see what I can do here…
The engine
The 2023 Charger R/T features a 5.7 L HEMI V8 pumping out 370 horsepower at 395 lb/ft of torque. That’s a lot of motor – even for a car weighing 5,300 lbs.
While I wouldn’t necessarily call the Charger “fast”, it’s quick enough to get yourself into trouble if you’re not paying attention. It’s also fast enough to know that you’re gonna whip any poser that pulls up to you at a stoplight in a Pentastar V6-equipped 2023 Challenger SXT.
You do need to make sure that the front wheels are pointed straight before letting ‘er rip though. Driving into a tree (or innocent bystanders) makes you the poser by default.
This engine is pulls evenly all throughout the powerband. Not only does it have gobs of torque available down low in the RPM range, it’ll pull very hard all the way to redline. The best part? It’ll sound like you’re going balls out at any speed. Even when you’re navigating a rental car parking lot at 5mph.
Fact: this thing sounds even better than the 2016 Hertz Shelby GT-H Mustang. Prior to this review, I considered it to be the best sounding production car of recent times.
Handling
You’re reading the wrong review if handling and suspension dynamics are important to you. The 2023 Charger is about as old school as it gets when it comes to precision driving. But that doesn’t mean that it isn’t a lot of fun.
The R/T package does include upgraded suspension components consisting of beefier sway bars and sport tuned coilovers. Good news: this stuff does make a difference (at least compared to the base model). Bad news: it’s still going to be soft (and a little sloppy) in tight canyon driving.
Interior
There’s no hiding the fact that this was a car designed in the early 2000s. Sure, there have been a few updates to the interior over the years, and the 2023 version looks somewhat modern. It’s when you start comparing it to other cars (such as the 2021 BMW 330i) where it starts showing it’s age.
The best part of the interior (by far) are the front seats. They’re big, bolsterous, and extremely supportive. These are the kinds of seats that you sit *in* rather than *on*. On the flip side, they’re not quite as nice as the seats in the 2018 Challenger R/T Scat Pack. Those were epic.
Gas mileage (lol)
I spent three days with the car you see in these pictures, driving at a total of 217 miles. Most of that was highway driving, but I did spend a not-so-insignificant amount of time ripping away from stoplights at every chance possible. My average gas mileage? 18 mpg. It was my fault, I totally deserved it, and I’d do it again without hesitation. This car is that much fun.
Pros and cons
I can’t think of any other four-door sedan quite like the R/T. It’s excessive enough in all the right places to make a law-abiding guy such as myself remember what it feels like to be young and rebellious. This concerns me. At the very least, it reminds me that I’m not quite dead yet.
Pros
- The sound! It’s the best sounding mass-produced American car of 2023 IMHO.
- The amount of thrust available at any RPM is insanely impressive for what is essentially an old school V8.
- It excels at highway cruising like few other cars can. It’s big, floaty (but not overly vague), and can accelerate in and out of traffic at 80mph like a boss.
- It’s actually comfortable.
Cons
- Build quality. This isn’t the choice for anyone who wrinkles their nose at any car that creaks and rattles over railroad crossings.
- I’m sorry, but it’s obnoxious. The sound, the size, and even the way it looks is nothing short of excessive. It’s the perfect car for assholes who don’t give a f**k about anything (or anyone) but themselves.
