2023 Dodge Charger Review

LIKES

Brash attitude
Huge V-8 options
Good infotainment
Decent ride quality

DISLIKES

Too brash?
Lousy safety record
Limited crash-avoidance tech
Somewhat cramped rear-seat area

BUYING TIP

As this is the Charger’s last year in its current form, you might as well pick up one of the special editions planned throughout its final run.

Now’s your last chance to grab this American icon, so act fast if you want a V-8-powered 2023 Dodge Charger.

What kind of vehicle is the 2023 Dodge Charger? What does it compare to?

The 2023 Dodge Charger is a modern muscle sedan with fire-breathing V-8 power and styling that can be over-the-top in SRT trims. It’s short on real rivals, though you might consider everything from a Nissan Maxima to a Cadillac CT5 Blackwing if you’re in a cross-shopping mood.

Is the 2023 Dodge Charger a good car?

It’s a lot of fun, even if it no longer measures up in some key areas. Big V-8 engine options and decent tech spar with a so-so safety record and ghastly fuel economy. We rate the 2023 Charger at 5.7 out of 10.

What's new for the 2023 Dodge Charger?

The Charger enters its final year in its current iteration with a special “Last Call” plaque underhood. Dodge promises a host of special editions, which will debut throughout the year. Certainly some muscle car enthusiasts will plan to collect them all.

This sedan version of the retro-laced Dodge Challenger coupe features its own vintage style and 1960s Detroit swagger. It’s never truly sedate, at least in the looks department. Step up to widebody versions, however, and your middle school Hot Wheels fantasies can come to life. How tasteful you want your Charger is up to you since Dodge offers a wide range of exterior colors and graphics kits.

The Charger comes in a ton of configurations starting with a 3.6-liter V-6 rated at 300 hp. Work your way up through 5.7 and 6.4-liter V-8s before topping out with the supercharged 6.2-liter V-8 that powers SRT versions. All use an 8-speed automatic transmission, while all-wheel drive is optional with the V-6.

There’s no slow Charger here, but power is commensurate with price. Our pick for most users is the Charger R/T with its 5.7-liter V-8, but we can’t fault any V-8 version. For their size and heft, these cars boast adept handling. You won’t want one for a technical race course, but they can hold their own down a winding road.

Fuel economy suffers, unless you grab the base V-6. At 30 mpg on the highway, it’s almost a justifiable long-distance cruiser. V-8 models slurp down mid-grade or premium unleaded fuel, though.

The Charger has comfy front seats with plenty of bolstering in SRT versions. The rear bench doesn’t offer land yacht comfort, though interior materials are fairly good.

Features-wise, the slick infotainment system is a cinch, but we fault Dodge for making automatic emergency braking and adaptive cruise control optional extras. That’s a shame, especially since the Charger has a mixed safety record from the IIHS and the NHTSA.

How much does the 2023 Dodge Charger cost?

The 2023 Dodge Charger should start somewhere around $35,000. Figure about $10,000 more for a Charger R/T with the V-8, or about double that when fully outfitted in SRT Hellcat Redeye form.

Where is the 2023 Dodge Charger made?

In Canada.

Styling

The 2023 Dodge Charger looks plenty muscular outside.

Is the Dodge Charger a good-looking car?

It’s a throwback, but not just to the muscle car era. This basic shape has been with us for 15 or so years now, but it’s aging fairly well. We rate the 2023 Dodge Charger range at 7 out of 10 for the way it channels the past without directly copying it.

The Charger is a long, low sedan, with beady headlights and bulging fenders. Scat Pack and SRT models come right out of the Hot Wheels school of design with their chunky, overdrawn body kits—but that’s much of their appeal, right?

Wheel sizes start at 18 inches but quickly jump to 20s, which better fill out those big wheel arches.

Inside, the Charger comes across more muted. The basic shape gives off a late-1960s vibe with its hefty use of black and silver trim, plus a stubby T-shape transmission lever. But the standard 7.0-inch and optional 8.4-inch screens are modern enough.

Performance

The 2023 Dodge Charger begs for V-8 power. Just how much you want to handle is up to you and your budget.

Is the Dodge Charger 4WD?

All-wheel drive is optional on the Charger V-6.

How fast is the Dodge Charger?

It can be ferocious. Let’s start at the top and work our way down.

The SRT Hellcat Redeye pumps a staggering 797 hp to the rear wheels via a slick 8-speed automatic transmission. Even with all its curb weight—about 4,600 lb—these cars vault to 60 mph in 3.4 seconds.

Standard SRT Hellcat models still put out 717 hp from their slightly down-tuned supercharged 6.2-liter V-8; for bragging rights, you might as well step up to the Redeye.

Scat Pack trim means a 485-hp 6.4-liter V-8, which works with a version of that same transmission to deliver plenty of grunt. Even the 5.7-liter V-8 in the R/T makes great use of its 370 hp. All that power is accompanied by a thunderous snarl underhood, too.

The entry-level V-6 is sedate by comparison, pushing 300 hp to either the rear or all four wheels.

No matter what’s under the hood, the Charger offers up a fairly firm ride and good steering heft. While never truly nimble, these big sedans can be pushed down a winding road with confidence. They’re more track-slayers than track-tamers, though.

The best daily-driver balance here is in R/T trim, where there’s enough power and rumble balanced out by palatable commuting capability.

Overall, the Charger range scores a 7 on the TCC scale, with points above average for power and for a terrific transmission.

Comfort & Quality

Though not as spacious as its huge dimensions would suggest, the 2023 Dodge Charger has a comfy cabin.

Stretching the better part of 200 inches long, the 2023 Dodge Charger casts a long shadow. It’s decent inside, with good front seats and a fairly big trunk, but these big sedans are somewhat stingy when it comes to rear-seat room.

We rate the 2023 Charger at 7 out of 10 thanks to its good front seats and big trunk.

Leather is fitted to most models, and on occasion it’s paired with synthetic suede. The front seats offer power adjustment in most trims and have good all-day support. Rear-seat riders will find OK leg room, but the bench itself is light on support.

The 16.5 cubic-foot trunk is pretty big for a sedan.

Interior materials are good, but not great. You’ll find plenty of low-sheen surfaces that impress in the $30,000 range but feel a little downmarket at double or even triple that.

Safety

Big doesn’t mean better when it comes to the Dodge Charger’s safety record.

How safe is the Dodge Charger?

This old design hasn’t kept pace when it comes to crashworthiness. A so-so record from the IIHS and optional crash-avoidance tech that really should be standard by now hold the 2023 Dodge Charger back. Those demerits are offset slightly by a five-star rating from the NHTSA, bringing the 2023 Charger to a 4 out of 10 for safety.

IIHS crash testing results have been a mixed bag, with several “Good” scores offset by a “Marginal” small overlap result and “Poor” headlights.

Additionally, Dodge charges extra for automatic emergency braking—except on SRT versions where the crash-avoidance tech isn’t even available.

Features

The 2023 Dodge Charger is more about what’s underhood than what’s in the cabin.

We rate the 2023 Dodge Charger at a 7 out of 10. It’s a decent value overall, its infotainment system is top notch, and its massive powertrains are unmatched. But crash-avoidance tech that comes standard on competitors costs extra here.

Dodge has yet to price the 2023 model, but last year’s lineup started at just over $34,000 for SXT trim. Base models include cloth seats, 17-inch alloy wheels, a 7.0-inch touchscreen, and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Which Dodge Charger should I buy?

The Charger is at its best with a V-8 underhood. Look to the R/T for around $43,000, and that also includes an upsized 8.4-inch touchscreen. You’ll have to budget more than $50,000 by the time you add leather seats, crash-avoidance tech, adaptive cruise control, and a few other niceties, but these sedans are still a pretty good deal.

How much is a fully loaded Dodge Charger?

Charger SRT Hellcat Redeye models can approach six figures with options.

Fuel Economy

Fuel efficiency is not part of the Dodge Charger’s repertoire.

Is the Dodge Charger good on gas?

Not really. Base V-6 versions are OK. Look for a decent 19 mpg city, 30 highway, 23 combined with rear-wheel drive, or 21 mpg combined with all-wheel drive.

But if you want a Charger, you probably want a V-8. R/T models offer just 16/25/19 mpg estimates, according to the EPA, and they need mid-grade fuel. The Scat Pack slips to just 18 mpg combined and requires premium.