Dodge may be more famous for its trucks, but Dodge has made a lot of other iconic cars too. For example, the Dodge Charger is a classic American muscle car that’s been updated for modern times. Here’s a look at the Charger, its history, and the best trim for it right now.

Why the Dodge Charger became popular

Back in the ’60s, The Big Three American Automakers, Ford, GM, and Chrysler, all came out swinging with their own brand of muscle cars. Ford of course, had the Mustang, GM, through Chevy, had the Camaro, and Chrysler had, through Dodge, the Charger.

These three cars had a lot of similarities and differences, but obviously, what made them so cool and fun was the fact that they were stylish and extremely powerful. 

But, while the looks of the Mustang and the Camaro has largely stayed the same, the Charger has been free to experiment with itself. The Dodger changed with the times, becoming a car with a different body type than the original.

However, the two things that have remained the same with every version of the Charger were that they always were stylish and they were always fast.

The modern-day Charger

While the Charger became a SUV for 20 years, it’s now a sedan once again. And according to Consumer Reports, it’s a pretty good sedan at that. It scores really well where you’d expect the Charger to score well in, such as acceleration, driving experience, and owner satisfaction. However, it also scores poorly exactly where you’d expect it to, such as in terms of its fuel economy and its standard safety features. 

Right now, the Charger has five engine choices, and they all provide a different level of power. It can come with a 3.6-liter V6 that can generate either 292-hp or 300-hp depending on which trim of the Charger you pick. It can come with a 5.7-liter V8 that can generate 370-hp. Finally, it can come with a 6.4-liter V8 that can generate 485-hp. Or, you can choose the 6.2-liter V8 Hellcat engine that generates 707-hp.

With the standard engine, the Charger has a top speed of 124 MPH and it can accelerate from 0 to 60 MPH in 6.4 seconds. With the Hellcat engine, it can hit 204 MPH and it can accelerate from 0 to 60 MPH in 3.4 seconds.

Obviously, the more powerful the engine, the more expensive that the Charger will be. There are also other differences too, but the engine is the biggest difference between trims.

The best Dodge Charger trim

While that Hellcat engine may seem like a fun idea, it’s not the best trim for the Charger, according to Consumer Reports. The best trim for the Charger is the R/T trim, as Consumer Reports thinks that it strikes the best balance between sportiness and luxury. The R/T trim will give you access to the 5.7-liter V8 that generates 370-hp. 

Consumer Reports says that the V6 trims on the Charger are good, but the V8 is where the fun is. On top of that, Consumer Reports thought that the other upgrades in the R/T trim were well worth the price.

That said, no matter which trim you get, Consumer Reports recommends you add smart safety features, such as blind spot warning, automatic emergency braking, and forward-collision warning.

The Charger doesn’t have those smart safety features as standard, while many modern cars do. Overall, the R/T trim should cost you about $36,000 without adding those smart safety features. For comparison, the standard trim of the Charger starts at about $30,000.