2011 Dodge Charger
by Jim Prueter - 08/2011

Redesigned Charger is better looking, well executed, and fun to drive

Dodge joins much of the Chrysler lineup in getting a fresh look for the 2011 model year. While the Charger is billed as an all-new offering, this four-door sedan would be better labeled a heavy revision to the model introduced in 2005.

The designers at Dodge are clearly inspired by the car’s past, hewing closely to the muscle car version produced between 1966 and the late 1970s, as seen in styling cues like the twin hood scallops and c-shaped side scallops plucked off the classic model. The 2011 model has a forward-tilted version of Dodge’s recognizable crosshair grille up front. Around back there are new, full-width LED tail lamps reminiscent of the ’70s Charger. Dual exhaust tips and optional 20-inch wheels replace the standard 17-inchers to add to the brawny look.   The car’s side windows are small, making it look more like a coupe look than a standard family sedan.

All those exterior changes make the new Charger more contemporary than its slab-sided predecessor, though it’s much less of a retro look than found on its two-door sibling, the Dodge Challenger. It’s worth noting that the new Charger still rides on the same 120-inch wheelbase basic platform as it’s immediate predecessor.

The poor quality, economy-look interiors that have long plagued Dodge and Chrysler products are out thanks to Klaus Busse, Chrysler’s head of interior design who was formerly with Mercedes-Benz. The dashboard now has a soft, leathery graining effect, the quality of the seat fabric is significantly improved, and interior side pillars are now upholstered in fabric instead of hard plastic.

“When designing the interior of the new Charger we looked back at what made them really great in the late ‘60s and early ‘70s. What you see in the interior here is the 1971 Charger coming back to life with the asymmetrical cockpit which was really, really cool back in those days,” says Busse. “We even used real aluminum trim on the dashboard, added softness to wherever occupants touched or rested arms and elbows.”

Dodge also significantly improved the car’s interface, installing a touch screen infotainment system with tons of appeal. While manufacturers such as Ford and Chrysler are offering touch-screen multimedia centers that handle navigation, iPod control, traffic, a back-up camera, and weather forecasts all in one place,  Chrysler calls its system the Uconnect touch. It’s available in different screen sizes, but our tester came equipped with the largest screen, a generous 8.4 inches.

The biggest criticism of touch screens is that they can distract the driver. The Charger’s screen is conveniently located in the center dash, making it easy to see and reach. The buttons are easy to find and use, with large on-screen text when using the radio, adjusting the climate control system, or finding a route.

While Ford’s MyFordTouch system is difficult to use and needlessly frustrating, our Charger’s touch system was well executed and quite easy to use. The search system uses a keyboard, leaving you free to type in what you’re looking for and let the computer display the results. Even the largest iTunes library is easy to browse.

And, if you’d rather not use the Uconnect system to control the heating and air conditioning, it’s easy to find and use redundant controls beneath the screen are easy to find and use. Those manual controls include padded dial for both radio volume and tuning.   

Chrysler teamed with Garmin on their its navigation system and the results are impressive. If you’ve ever used one of the GPS maker’s handheld devices, the navigation in the Charger will look very familiar. It’s very easy to read, zoom in or out, or see the speed limit on the road you’re driving. When you approach an intersection the screen will even automatically zoom in on the roads.

Under the hood, Dodge has added the 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 we first saw in the all-new Jeep Grand Cherokee last year. The Pentastar has more power and better gas mileage than either of the engines available in the previous generation Charger. Given its 292 horsepower, we wonder why anyone would opt for the optional Hemi V-8 — unless you’re interested in bragging rights.

For now, the high-performance SRT8 model has been dropped. We expect it to return, especially since former Dodge CEO Ralph Gilles recently took over as head of Chrysler’s SRT performance division.

The Charger is offered in two basic trim levels: SE and R/T. The R/T offers options of rear or all-wheel drive. Dodge says it will offer the all-wheel drive for the V-6 powered SE model in the 2012 model.

The R/T model comes with a standard 5.7-liter 370 horsepower V8. Both the V8 and V-6 models have a five-speed automatic transmission with a manual shift feature. Dodge says it will offer an eight-speed automatic transmission for the V6 SE this fall, boosting highway fuel economy ratings to 30 mpg from the current 27.

Standard safety features include electronic stability/traction control, antilock brakes, side-impact airbags for front seat passengers, a driver-side knee airbag, side curtain airbags, and active front head restraints.

There are also a number of safety-related options available, including adaptive cruise control with forward collision warning and a blind-zone alert system. New rear cross-path detection sensors also sound a warning tone when vehicles or pedestrians are approaching while you're backing out of a parking space.

The 2011 Dodge Charger earned the highest rating for frontal offset and side impact crash tests, and was also awarded a Top Safety Pick for 2011 from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. It has not yet been crash tested by the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration.

Overall, while not as new and different as Dodge suggests, the 2011 Charger does get all-new body and interior designs combined with a much improved chassis and suspension. An impressive touch screen interface for the car’s controls adds appeal. Fans of full-sized American muscle cars will be more than pleased with the impressive list of improvements, improved ride and handling, and one of the best-looking and fun to drive family cars on the market today.