more about this model
Pros Rapid yet refined, docile when it needs to be, athletic handling despite its considerable heft, comfortable cabin, awesome V8 soundtrack.
Cons Too bulky, too heavy, light and numb steering, missing a few high-end features, R/T version offers greater bang for the buck.
Funny how the mists of time can alter one's memory. You know how it goes — you used to run five-minute miles, you had so many hot dates that your friends lost count, and you never met a ski slope you couldn't conquer.
Many longtime muscle car buffs recall the cars of their youth with similar accuracy, or lack thereof. To hear these gearheads tell it, every car they owned could blister the quarter-mile in 12 seconds flat. The reality is that the bark coming out of those dual exhausts was sometimes meaner than the car's bite. And those fans' selective memories usually forget the mediocre handling and braking, the finicky engines that were prone to overheating in traffic, the Nautilus-machine-level clutch effort and the lack of passenger comfort. The 2009 Dodge Challenger SRT8 manages to offer all the nostalgia without any of the negatives conveniently left out of all those selective memories.
Unlike last year's version, the newest Challenger SRT8 offers a manual transmission. Fire it up, give the throttle a few jabs and the rectangular exhaust tips roar with the 425-horsepower Hemi V8's chest-reverberating timbre. As you grab the pistol-grip shifter to select 1st gear, you're instantly transported back to the age of eight-tracks and bell bottoms. And thankfully, Dodge's retro muscle car doesn't keep the "endearing" characteristics of the original that some so readily forget.
The modern Challenger turns willingly, stops quickly and provides ride comfort and isolation approaching that of a Chrysler 300 luxury sedan. The latter's not too surprising, considering the two cars (along with the Dodge Charger) are platform mates. But this means the Challenger is more of a high-performance luxury coupe at heart than a raw-edged tire roaster, though it'll certainly light 'em up whenever the mood strikes.
Yes, the $40 grand that the top-dog Challenger SRT8 commands isn't chump change, but that's a mere pittance compared to what the originals are going for these days — and those aging brutes simply can't compete with the SRT8's everyday drivability. The only good reason not to buy one might be for another Challenger — the new-for-'09 Challenger R/T, which lists for $10,000 less and still sports a 370-hp Hemi.
Performance The 2009 Dodge Challenger SRT8 brings nothing less than a 425-hp Hemi V8 to the party. This 6.1-liter powerhouse is a pussycat when you want it to be, perfectly content to putter through rush-hour traffic. But the Challenger's other personality comes into effect once the tach swings past 4,000 rpm, shoving you back in your seat as the Hemi hits its stride and the engine provides a thrilling staccato soundtrack.
The pistol-grip shifter, conveniently canted toward the driver, recalls the good old days — except now, instead of plastic that vaguely resembles wood, it's covered in leather. Working the shifter and clutch requires surprisingly little effort, and the action of both is refined. A few staffers even felt this team was too polished, saying that changing gears in a retro-styled muscle car should require a bit more flexion from the driver's biceps, à la Ford's Mustang Bullitt. But most of us had no complaints.
At the track, the SRT8 sprinted to 60 mph in 5.5 seconds and ran through the quarter-mile in 13.8 seconds. That's certainly quick, but still oddly slower than the times we got with an automatic Challenger SRT8 we previously tested (zero to 60 in 5.1 seconds, quarter-mile in 13.2).
Kicked back and cruising on the interstate, the 6.1 is just loafing along — 75 mph equates to just 1,750 rpm in 6th gear. Against EPA ratings of 14 mpg city/22 mpg highway and 16 mpg combined, we averaged 15.1 mpg.
The SRT8's large Brembo disc brakes, along with its sticky Goodyear Eagle F1 Supercar high-performance tires, enabled a short 119-foot stopping distance from 60 mph at the test track. Furthermore, there was no fade to speak of after repeated hard stops, and pedal feel, though on the soft side, remained consistent. The SRT8's handling is downright impressive for a 4,140-pound bruiser, as this heavyweight hustled through the curves with eager turn-in and a flat, unwavering cornering attitude.
However, the steering, though precise, is too light and devoid of road feel for a car this capable. There is no build-up in effort when you're carving up corners, and the wheel itself is too big in diameter, making us long for the smaller "Tuff" steering wheel that was available back in the day.
Comfort Oversized though it may be, the steering wheel does tilt and telescope, so most drivers should be able to find a suitable driving position. The large, heavily bolstered front buckets are comfortable on long drives, but they were a bit too wide and soft for some drivers. A benefit of this new-age Challenger's imposing size is its spacious rear seat, which can accommodate two adults as long as they aren't over 6 feet tall. The seat is high enough to provide adequate leg support, and there's also a generous fold-down armrest back there.
Even though the SRT8's suspension is tuned more for sporty handling than plush ride comfort, it's supple enough to handle the bumps and ruts of poorly maintained city streets without ruffling passengers. That's all the more impressive considering the SRT8 rolls on 20-inch wheels with low-profile tires. For the most part, the cabin is impressively insulated from wind and road noise; only grooved freeways cause the latter to filter through.
Function The 2009 Dodge Challenger SRT8 offers up 16.2 cubic feet of trunk capacity — on par with a roomy family sedan — as well as a 60/40-split folding rear seat. The trunk had no problem holding a set of golf clubs, along with a large rolling suitcase. Accessing the roomy trunk can be awkward, however, as the lift-over is rather high.
Most controls are user-friendly, including the radio and the simple three-knob climate control. But we would've liked to see keyless entry (to go with the keyless ignition) and auto-up windows on a car in this price range.
Though the backseat is roomy for a performance coupe, getting back there is a hassle, as only the front passenger seat slides forward — and it takes a healthy shove to do so. As a result, installing a baby seat can be tough, and that seat can only face rearward if a shorter person is occupying the seat in front.
Design/Fit and Finish At first sight, the Challenger's beefy silhouette with the kicked-up rear haunches is nostalgic and familiar. So, too, are its four round headlights and slim, full-width taillights. Though it's obvious that the designers stayed true to the original form, it's not until you see the old and new Challengers side-by-side that the difference in scale is obvious. Sitting considerably taller and with a longer wheelbase, the 2009 Challenger looks like you chose "125 percent" while viewing it on your computer's photo program.
Fit and finish on our 2009 Dodge Challenger SRT8 was very good throughout. The door panels are notable for their finely stitched armrests and grab handles. While the white instrument faces add a touch of sportiness, the dash could still use some metallic trim to brighten it up, though we appreciate that it's covered in a rich soft-touch material.
Who should consider this vehicle Enthusiasts who frequent classic car shows and have a stack of Hot Rod magazines in the bathroom, as well as anyone who likes the combination of the original Challenger's style and the new one's modern character.
Others To Consider:
Dodge Challenger R/T, Ford Mustang Bullitt, Ford Mustang Shelby GT500.
The manufacturer provided Edmunds this vehicle for the purposes of evaluation.
Used 2009 Dodge Challenger listings and inventory:
Shop Edmunds' used car, SUV, and truck listings of over 6 million pre-owned vehicles to find a cheap used and certified pre-owned (CPO) 2009 Dodge Challengers for sale near Ashburn VA. There are currently 285 used and CPO 2009 Challengers listed for sale in your area, with list prices as low as 12,995 and mileage as low as 11,186. Simply research the type of used car, SUV, or truck you're interested in and then select a vehicle from our massive database to find cheap pre-owned vehicles for sale near you. Once you have identified a used vehicle you're interested in, check the Carfax and Autocheck vehicle history reports, read dealer reviews, and find out what other owners paid for the used 2009 Dodge Challenger. Then select Edmunds' special offers, perks, deals, and incentives to contact the dealer of your choice and save up to 300 on a used or CPO 2009 Challenger available from one of 2,630 dealerships in your area.
What's a good price on a used 2009 Dodge Challenger ?
Save up to $300 on one of 13 used 2009 Dodge Challengers for sale at dealerships within 25 miles of Ashburn, Virginia with prices as low as $12995 as of Apr 26, 2018, based on data from 13 dealers and 86 consumer-driven dealer ratings ranging from 1 to 5 out of 5 stars.
Price comparisons for used 2009 Dodge Challenger trim styles:
The used 2009 Dodge Challenger R/T is priced around $20881 with average odometer reading of 43728 miles.
The used 2009 Dodge Challenger SE is priced around $13242 with average odometer reading of 72934 miles.
The used 2009 Dodge Challenger SRT8 is priced around $23337 with average odometer reading of 42102 miles.
Shop with Edmunds for perks and special offers on used cars, trucks, and SUVs near Ashburn, Virginia. Doing so could save you hundreds or thousands of dollars. Edmunds also provides consumer-driven dealership sales and service reviews to help you make informed decisions about what cars to buy and where to buy them.
What options are available on the 2009 Dodge Challenger?
Available Dodge Challenger 2009 Submodel Types: R/T Scat Pack, 392 Hemi Scat Pack Shaker, T/A 392, SRT Hellcat, Coupe, SRT 392, SRT Demon, SRT8, SRT8 392, R/T Scat Pack Shaker, SRT8 Core
Available Dodge Challenger 2009 Trims: SXT, R/T Scat Pack, SXT Plus, 392 Hemi Scat Pack Shaker, T/A 392, GT, R/T Plus, SRT Hellcat, T/A Plus, R/T Plus Shaker, SRT 392, T/A, R/T, R/T Shaker, SRT Demon, SRT8, Base, SE, SRT8 392, R/T Scat Pack Shaker, SRT8 Core
Exterior Colors: Pitch Black Clear Coat, Destroyer Grey Clear Coat, Granite Pearl Coat, White Knuckle Clear Coat, Torred Clear Coat, Octane Red Pearl Coat, Billet Clear Coat, Go Mango, Indigo Blue, Yellow Jacket Clear Coat, Granite Crystal Metallic Clear Coat, F8 Green, Bright White Clear Coat, Black Clear Coat, Jazz Blue Pearl Coat, Maximum Steel Metallic Clear Coat, Billet Silver Metallic Clear Coat, Redline Red Tri-Coat Pearl, B5 Blue Pearl Coat, Black Clearcoat, Green Go Clear Coat, Phantom Black Tri-Coat Pearl, Sublime Pearl Coat, TorRed, Torred, Bright White Clearcoat, Plum Crazy Pearlcoat, Tungsten Metallic Clearcoat, Blue Streak Pearlcoat, Brilliant Black Crystal Pearlcoat, Deep Water Blue Pearlcoat, Ivory White Tri-Coat Pearl, Plum Crazy Pearl Coat, Bright Silver Metallic Clearcoat, Contusion Blue Pearl Coat, Hemi Orange Pearlcoat, High Octane Red Pearl Coat, Stone White Clearcoat, B5 Blue Pearlcoat, Blackberry Pearlcoat, Header Orange Clear Coat, Inferno Red Crystal Pearlcoat, Ivory 3 Coat, Phantom Black Tri-Coat Pearl Coat, Redline 3 Pearlcoat, Toxic Orange Pearlcoat
Interior Colors: Black cloth, Black leather, Black leather/suede, Dark Slate Gray cloth, Black premium leather, Dark Slate Gray leather, Black/Ruby Red leather, Black/Ruby Red leather/suede, Dark Slate Gray premium leather, Black/Sepia premium leather, Black/Pearl leather, Black/Tungsten premium cloth, Black/Ruby Red premium leather, Dark Slate Gray/Foundry Black leather, Dark Slate Gray/Radar Red premium leather, Dark Slate Gray/Radar Red leather, Black/Demonic Red leather, Black/Demonic Red premium leather, Dark Slate Gray premium cloth
Popular Features: Auto Climate Control, Post-collision safety system, Automatic Emergency Braking, Multi-Zone Climate Control, Back-up camera, Keyless Entry/Start, Parking sensors, Apple Carplay/Android Auto, Mobile Internet, Cooled Seats, Blind Spot Monitoring, Electronic Folding Mirrors, Adaptive Cruise Control, Pre-collision safety system, AWD/4WD, Lane Departure Warning, Aux Audio Inputs, Fold Flat Rear Seats, Power Driver Seat, Rear Bench Seats, Tire Pressure Warning, Stability Control, Heated seats, Leather Seats, Sunroof/Moonroof, Upgraded Stereo, Alarm, Audio and cruise controls on steering wheel, Bluetooth, Remote Start, Trip Computer, Navigation, USB Inputs, Upgraded Headlights, Upgraded Engine
Engine/Mechanics: 8, 6 cylinders
Transmission: MANUAL, AUTOMATIC
Fuel Types: premium unleaded (recommended), premium unleaded (required), flex-fuel (unleaded/E85), regular unleaded
Drivetrains: all wheel drive, rear wheel drive
Used 2009 Dodge Challenger Overview
The used 2009 Dodge Challenger is offered in the following submodels: Coupe, SRT8. Available styles include SRT8 2dr Coupe (6.1L 8cyl 5A), R/T 2dr Coupe (5.7L 8cyl 5A), and SE 2dr Coupe (3.5L 6cyl 5A). Pre-owned Challenger models are available with a 0-liter gas engine, with output up to 0 hp, depending on engine type. The used 2009 Challenger comes with rear wheel drive. Available transmissions include: 5-speed shiftable automatic, 5-speed automatic.
