Review
I already loved the way the new Chargers looked on the outside, but never considered purchasing one due to the previous bad experiences with Chrysler products that my family members have had. I drove a Charger last November at a local auto expo, and was thoroughly impressed! I already assumed it would be fun to drive, but I was astounded at how solid and well made it was.
It is rock solid, and will cruise at 100 mph as smoothly as if it were standing still. (Professional driver on closed course. Do not attempt :-) ) Initial build quality is on par with the Japanese marques that I usually own. It is really hard to believe that this car came from the same company that manufactured my wife's dreadful 2010 Chrysler Sebring, the car that made her swear off American cars for life.
When it came time to shop for a new car in February, I test drove a number of different makes and models, never really thinking that I would seriously consider a Charger. And yet, no other car came close to matching the combination of performance, style, and quality the Charger offered; it was the easiest choice I had ever made on a new vehicle.
The 5.7 Liter HEMI V8 is legendary. I always start the car with the remote start feature as I walk up to it, just to hear that sweet rumble. And this car is packed with technology that actually works. It comes standard with Apple Carplay and Android Auto, so there was no need to buy the Navigation package; I simply use the navigation app on my smartphone. There are countless small features that show how much thought was put into the overall design. The hood has gas struts instead of the aggravating prop rod, there are courtesy lights galore, hooks in the trunk to hang plastic grocery bags, and the list goes on. No one would select a car based on these small details, but they make a great car even better.
I was never impressed by the aesthetics of the instrument panel while sitting in the car, as I had done at previous car shows. But when I drove it, everything clicked. For some reason, the excellent ergonomics of the instruments and switchgear while driving the car made the appearance of IP more palatable; I still have not figured out how that is possible, but it's true!
The exterior design is perfect for its intended demographic: those enthusiasts looking for an unashamedly American, no compromise muscle car (yeah, it is assembled in Canada, but still...). It is beautiful, in my opinion. There are none of the obnoxious and superfluous bulges, creases, warts, goiters, flaps, slits, nostrils, fins, or claspers that most new cars are plagued with. Who decided that the front of a car needs to look like a giant insect anyway??? Lookin' at you, 2018 Camry. It will not appeal to everyone; luxury car snobs will not be impressed. Who cares? They weren't invited to this party anyway.
I have surprisingly few nits to pick about this car; they got all of the big things right. I can really only think of two small items that I would change...there is no rear seatback release in the trunk like my older Camry had; the seatbacks have to be released from the interior. Also, I wish the active exhaust had a "quiet mode" like the new Mustangs (the only redeeming feature about the new Mustangs, IMO). I don't think the exhaust is loud enough to offend any neighbors, but I still feel a little self-conscious coming or going when my neighborhood is asleep.
I have owned the car for only three months at this point, so I cannot comment on long term reliability. If I start having any issues that are concerning, I will come back and change my rating and review accordingly. I can say this, however: my last few cars ended up being traded in every three years or so, so I decided it would make sense to lease instead of buy this time. But if this car holds together, I may consider buying it at the end of the lease and keeping it. Sure, I will be spending more on it than if I had just purchased it in the first place, but when you finally find a car that checks all of the right boxes, it's hard to think about turning it in!