- “Whereas the previous Charger was more about muscle than manners, the new one is remarkably refined and tech-savvy, yet it still has that edgy performance and attitude that made the old one so endearing.” – AutoTrader
- “You know the old saw about judging books by their covers? Well, we’ve got a new version: don’t judge the 2014 Dodge Charger by its styling. Whether you love the Charger’s cartoonishly muscular body or not, there’s more to this full-size sedan than meets the eye. It may look like an adolescent boy’s four-door fantasy, but the Charger is actually one of the best large sedans we’ve driven.” – Edmunds
- “Perhaps you’re put off by the over-the-top, heavily-sculpted sedan styling. Perhaps your prudent side notes the resale value is not terrific. Perhaps you don’t really need all that performance all the time. Don’t panic: You have lots of other choices.” – Kelley Blue Book
- “Vast passenger room, available all-wheel drive, and solid construction make the Dodge Charger a reasonable choice for buyers who need the room of a large car but don’t want to give up power or performance in the process.” — Consumer Guide (2013)
Acceleration and Power
The base 2014 Dodge Charger SE comes with a 292-horsepower, 3.6-liter V6 engine, which is mated to a five-speed automatic transmission and rear-wheel drive. An eight-speed automatic is optional. The Charger earns its best fuel economy estimates with the eight-speed automatic, returning an EPA-estimated 19/31 mpg city/highway, which is about average for a V6-powered large car. Charger R/T models come with a 370-horsepower, 5.7-liter V8 and a five-speed automatic.
The high-performance Charger SRT is powered by a 6.4-liter V8 engine that produces 470 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 470 pound-feet of torque at 4,300 rpm. A five-speed automatic transmission and rear-wheel drive are standard. Dodge says that the Charger SRT can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in less than five seconds with a top speed of 175 mph.
Reviewers have always liked the V8-equipped Charger, but they agree that the V6 and eight-speed automatic is the right choice for most shoppers. They note that the V6 is refined and powerful, and recommend the eight-speed automatic transmission, which they say operates smoothly. While test drivers dislike the five-speed automatic transmission on R/T and SRT models, they love the power that both V8-powered Chargers offer.
