Don’t
be fooled; the Dodge Charger R/T is not your typical
mom and pop family sedan. It may look (and be priced)
like one, but there is one rather sizeable difference:
the monster V8 under the hood. With its 340-horsepower
Hemi, this Dodge can keep up with sports cars while still offering plenty
of room for five, an optional DVD system for the kids
and a base price just under 30 grand.
Based
on the Chrysler
300 and Dodge
Magnum, the Charger comes with those cars’
same rear-drive platform that originated with the last
generation Mercedes-Benz E-Class. In fact, many of the Charger’s features
can be traced back to German origins, such as the steering
column-mounted cruise controls and the five-speed transmission.
Add in the car’s Canadian assembly and Mexican-made
Hemi, and the Charger is quite the international undertaking.
Nevertheless,
the Charger’s spirit is all-American. With its
in-your-face grille, gun-slit windows and chiseled rear
fenders, this is a car designed to remind its red, white
and blue customers of America’s muscle car glory
days. The Hemi under the hood emphatically declares
those glory days are back, if you can afford to feed
the beast at $3 per gallon.
Our
test car came loaded with more than $6,000 worth of
luxury and sport options. Included in the R/T performance
package were sport steering, suspension, tires and seats
with faux suede, along with dual zone A/C, heated power
front seats, adjustable pedals and load leveling to
prevent the rear bumper from scraping the ground when
hauling the whole family to Sizzler. Throw in a Boston
Acoustics in-dash six-CD stereo, a nifty stowaway DVD
entertainment system, Bluetooth cell phone connection,
Sirius satellite radio and a fussy navigation system,
and our Charger was loaded with everything we could
ever want and more—although a sunroof would have
been nice.
Since
most folks will pass on a lot of these add-ons, though,
this remains a very competitively priced vehicle. This
powerful, roomy family sedan with rear wheel drive is
certainly unique, and an interesting alternative to
import family sedans. The Charger R/T should appeal
to the guy whose wife won’t let him get that Mustang
GT. For him, this "four-door sports car" should
handle the job nicely. 
Related Content:
 2012 Dodge Charger SXT Plus
Watch a video of the Dodge Charger
Warranty/Service: 3-year/36,000 mile basic limited warranty, towing assistance
during warranty.
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