3 Reasons To Avoid the 2022 Dodge Charger
The Dodge Charger fills a weird spot in the American performance car market. It is the undisputed highest horsepower option for sedan fans while also offering a sensible V6 and optional all-wheel drive (AWD). However, there are some minor issues that you should consider before you pick up the keys to a new Charger. Here are three reasons to avoid the 2022 Dodge Charger and buy something else.
If you want an AWD V8 sedan, you should avoid the 2022 Dodge Charger
While the venerable muscle car offers a library of supercharged V8 engines, not one of those powerplants is paired with AWD. That is a real shame, considering the kind of hard launch a Charger with a supercharged 6.2L Hellcat engine would be capable of performing.
Instead, car shoppers still get one of the fastest gas-powered sedans in the world. While the R/T and the Scat Pack, with their 5.7L and 6.4L V8s, are powerful, things get wild in the Hellcat realm.
The supercharged Hellcat 6.2L V8s make everything from 717 horsepower to 797 with the obscenely powerful Redeye. Car and Driver tested the nearly 800 horsepower Redeye, and the brute sprinted to sixty in just 3.5 seconds. Still, an AWD V8 Charger road rocket would be an exciting prospect.
Dodge’s beloved muscle sedan hasn’t had a serious update in years
Dodge’s two muscle cars have the same problem: they look old inside and out. While many Mopar fans don’t consider that an issue, the 2022 Dodge Charger certainly shows its age. The exterior styling has been tweaked, at best, with the addition of liveries and widebodies. However, much of the styling hasn’t changed since 2015.
It is not just the exterior, either. The 2022 Dodge Charger has an interior that hasn’t been updated much in years, regardless of trim. While the Charger’s interior layout and appearance aren’t necessarily unattractive, it shows the car’s age. Further, TrueCar suggests that the Charger’s interior is unrefined and in need of material sophistication.
It doesn’t stop there. The Dodge Charger rides on a Mercedes-Benz sourced chassis, which is a decades-old design. So if you want a space-age sedan, avoid the 2022 Dodge Charger.
If you want a 2022 Dodge Charger with power, you should have your mail forwarded to the gas station
If the lack of AWD or a design refresh isn’t enough to make you avoid the 2022 Dodge Charger, the gas mileage might be. At the very bottom of the range, the SXT, with its Pentastar V6 engine, gets a tolerable 19 mpg city and 30 mpg highway. While that doesn’t sound bad, it pales compared to other non-V8 sedans in the segment.
However, if you want a tire-shredding supercharged V8 in your Charger, you might need to budget for gasoline. According to Car and Driver, the 717-horsepower 2022 Dodge Charger Hellcat manages a thirsty 12 mpg city and 21 mpg on the highway. Considering the stratospheric horsepower, that isn’t terrible if you can afford it.
Should you avoid the 2022 Dodge Charger?
If no part of you wants an organ-rearranging muscle sedan big enough to haul your family, avoid the Charger. Also, if you want fuel economy and refinement, avoid the 2022 Dodge Charger.
Scroll down to read more about the Dodge Charger’s history.
