2009 Dodge Charger SRT8 Las Vegas NV

November 19, 2009   By Alison Lakin, Associate Editor
2009 Dodge Charger

2009 Dodge Charger

DriverSide Overview  
A couple years ago, Chrysler followed the success of re-introduced classics like the Mini Cooper , Volkswagen Beetle and even the Ford Mustang , by bringing back some of its classic hits from a few decades ago. During that revival period they recreated the Dodge Charger for 2006, a throwback to the Charger of the mid-60s. Not much has changed in the three years since its return, and the ‘updated’ model remains a bulbous, bloated version of a once sleek and thoroughly badass muscle car. While the 2009 model makes one heck of a police car, the Charger SRT8 is very limited as a personal vehicle. Straight-line action – thanks to a powerful 6.1-liter V-8 – is solid, we’ll give it that, and the interior is arguably upscale for a Dodge. However, the driving dynamics are painfully poor and the car is too cumbersome to use as anything but a weekend fun-mobile. And at a hair over $41,000 it’s a full 10 grand more than the identically-powered Camaro SS . Ouch.
 







What's to Like 
A performance tools feature that calculates events like the 0-60 mph dash and quarter mile is accessible through the steering wheel controls and hits the right note with enthusiasts. For sheer horsepower numbers, the price is hard to beat. The vast interior is comfortable and accommodating for all five occupants. 
 
What's Not to Like 
Hood scoop may be fully functional, but it also fully blocks your view. With a car this long, not offering a backup camera seems like a thoughtless oversight. Stiff sport suspension makes cross-city journeys unbearable, and don’t even bother trying to corner in this car.
 
The Drive: 
DriverSide Driving Impressions 
American muscle has a reputation for dominating on the straightaways but falling disastrously short when anything but the engine has to manage the drive. There’s no mistaking that the Charger SRT8 won’t do anything to alter that stereotype. Wow, it’s fast in a straight line. Thanks to the 0-60 calculator, we punched the Charger to 60 in just 5.13 seconds and have a strong suspicion that it can do it much faster. Get it into the corners, however, and the thing goes to pieces. The steering ratio is all wrong, and the long wheelbase and gigantic hood make quick corners terrifying. It’s a rough ride too, with the 20-inch wheels causing major road noise in the cavernous cabin and damping being poorly adjusted to accommodate the lack of rubber. But when you buy an SRT8, you’re probably not going to be traversing grocery parking lots with the thing, you’ll be racing your friend in the posh Audi S6 worth almost twice as much. And you’ll win with the help of a 6.1-liter HEMI pushing out 425 horsepower and Brembo brakes (if yo...

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